With bank plants, your garden pond will be designed as close to nature as possible and as a hobby gardener you have a lot of leeway when choosing ideal plants. The best solution is to divide the bank into areas with different levels of moisture, which allows the plants to grow in a species-appropriate manner.
Which shore plants are suitable for the garden pond?
To make the garden pond more natural, you should choose shore plants that thrive in three zones: moist marsh plant zone, the edge of the pond and the background area. Popular riparian plants include purple loosestrife, common marigold and marsh marigold.
Due to the different location requirements of the plants, the bank area is divided into three zones depending on the actual size of the pond, which are cleverly laid out and contribute to a pleasantly harmonious overall look. The following bank structure is beneficial for the overall environment and biological balance:
- moist swamp plant zone with mixed water depth between zero and ten centimeters as a possibly wet to underwater zone only at certain times of the day/season;
- Area for plants that visually enhance the edge of the pond, provide mechanical security and protect other species from excessive sunlight;
- Background area without direct contact with the pond water, which serves as a windbreak and at the same time is used as a retreat by the animals living at the pond;
The range of suitable plants is extremely extensive, the most popular ones for you in a short portrait:
Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
- Family: Loosestrife family (Europe and Asia on lake, pond and river banks);
- Growth height: 50 to 150 cm;
- Description: purple to fuchsia-red flower spikes similar to a candle between June and September;
- Culture: hardy, full sun to partial shade, thrives in moist to wet soils and in water up to 10 cm deep; almost pest and disease resistant;
Common juggler flower (Mimulus guttatus)
- Family: Pharyngeal family from western North America and native to moist soils or shallow waters;
- Growth height: between 30 to 50 cm;
- Description: creeping rhizome with light green leaves and yellow, strong flowers;
- Culture: cold-tolerant, sunny locations are preferred, otherwise partial shade, well suited for banks and moist swamp zones where temporary flooding is possible; not very sensitive but pronounced self-growth;
Swamp marigold (C altha palustris)
- Family: Buttercup family (Northern hemisphere up to altitudes of over 2000 m on swampy meadows and stream banks);
- Growth height: 20 to 40 cm;
- Description: heart-shaped, dark green leaves with golden-yellow shiny cup flowers that reach a diameter of 3 to 4 cm between March and April;
- Culture: extremely hardy; Location sunny to partially shaded on waterlogged soil or water a few centimeters deep; Soil should be as permeable as possible and rich in nutrients; strong heat can cause powdery mildew, sensitive to aphid infestation;
Tip
They take very little offense and have little demands on the soil conditions. But for bank plants in the garden pond and directly next to it, the density of the young plants should not be exaggerated when planting them. In the interest of biodiversity, large field stones can be used excellently to provide shade, so that less sun-hungry plants can also be used in the bank area.
