Hardies and Tropicals
Hardies are the balancing water garden plants that come to surface at the beginning of the spring – the first color of the new season, if you will. Tropicals are very vivid in color, grow quickly and maintain their color well into the season. Some of the most popular hardies are Comanche, Texas Dawn, Attraction, James Brydon and Charlene Strawn whereas some of the most popular tropicals are Tina, Director Moore, Panama Pacific and August Koch.
Lotus and Water Lilies
Probably the most popular of the water garden plants, lotuses and water lilies create a beautiful centerpiece of any water foundation. These water garden plants are delicate and help to keep the pond water cool, which is perfect for koi fish.
Marginal Plants
Perennials are water garden plants that love the water. Usually placed along the edge of the pond or along the stream, these plants ultimately serve the purpose of shaping the pond.
Submerged Aquatics
These water garden plants are the ones that provide incredible amounts of oxygen to the pond, which is particularly significant for the proper upkeep and health of the pond. These water garden plants will suppress any algae over blooms while absorbing carbon dioxide that is released from the fish within the pond. Then, oxygen is released back into the pond water. Some of the more popular include Fanwort, Wild Celery and Anacharis.
Floaters
Also known as pond toppers, floaters are one of the first of the water garden plants to get into your pond at the break of spring. Providing incredible filtration, floaters will quickly multiply among the top of your pond, covering the entire water surface, which also provides your koi fish with essential shade. A few of the most popular floating water garden plants are Water Lettuce, Fairy Moss and Frogbit.
Direct Sunlight for Water Garden Plants.
Most water garden plants will require anywhere from four to six hours per day of direct sunlight in order to perfectly flourish. There are some – marginal, water lilies and floating water garden plants – that do not require as much direct sunlight where three hours or so will suffice.