Small marginal plants?

[Joshaeus]

Hello all! I am setting up a 40 gallon water garden next year, and it is going to have a 4 gallon flower box in it for marginal plants. I wanted to have a couple varieties of (ideally blooming) marginal plants to keep interest in the water garden throughout the growing season here in zone 5, but to pull that off they need to be small marginal plants. Have any suggestions? Thanks

 

[Mmathis]

Tell us a little more about the 40 gallon pond, such as its shape, depth, distance from the ground, and location (IOW, will it be on a covered porch or exposed to the elements?). Some of this is nothing more than aesthetics and proportion, but it’s important to keep things in perspective. Forty gallons will make a nice water garden.

 

[Lisak1]

@Joshaeus - I showed you my small water garden in one of your other posts. It's about the size you're talking about. I've planted mine with dwarf cattails, dwarf papyrus, obedient plant, taro, Mexican bluebells, bog bean, parrot feather, water celery, lysimachia and, believe it or not, impatiens. All have done great.

 

[Mmathis]

@Joshaeus - I showed you my small water garden in one of your other posts. It's about the size you're talking about. I've planted mine with dwarf cattails, dwarf papyrus, obedient plant, taro, Mexican bluebells, bog bean, parrot feather, water celery, lysimachia and, believe it or not, impatiens. All have done great.

Impatiens and others that you wouldn’t think of can do well if they get enough water. Sounds lovely!

 

[Joshaeus]

I will tell you a bit more about my plans the water garden will be a 40 gallon tuff stuff water trough with a homemade lid consisting of a frame of pressure treated wood surrounding 1/2 inch hardware cloth (to keep kids and predators out, and the fish in). There will be a hole in the lid just large enough for the four gallon planter. The planter will be soggy, but not submerged.

 

[Mmathis]

I will tell you a bit more about my plans the water garden will be a 40 gallon tuff stuff water trough with a homemade lid consisting of a frame of pressure treated wood surrounding 1/2 inch hardware cloth (to keep kids and predators out, and the fish in). There will be a hole in the lid just large enough for the four gallon planter. The planter will be soggy, but not submerged.

Sounds interesting! Can’t wait to see it completed! Those stock tanks are a great shape (dimensions) for a water garden.

 

[Tara]

Sounds good, look forward to seeing it.

 

[Joshaeus]

How about water forget me not?

 

[addy1]

How about water forget me not?

It grows great and stays small, also water willow, short blooms all summer with purple flowers.