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Planting up the pond
A pond needs a mixture of all the different plant types to look good and function properly.
When planting aim to have enough floating foliage, such as water hawthorn or water lilies, so that within two to three years one-third to half of the pond surface is covered with leaves by mid-summer.
When placing deep water or marginal aquatics in the pond, ensure they are at the correct depth. The figure given on the label and in textbooks refers to the amount of water standing over the top of the planting basket, not the depth of water to stand the pot in. Deep water insulates the roots of deep-water plants from sudden changes of temperature. A layer of deep water is enough to protect slightly tender plants, such as arum lilies, through the winter, so you don’t need to move them indoors.
Oxygenators need to be completely underwater or they dry up in the sun. Deep planting also means the oxygen they give off has the longest route to the surface and hence the longest time in which to dissolve into the water.
On the other hand, marginal plants will ‘drown’ in water that’s too deep for them. As a general rule 15cm (6in) deep suits them best.
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