what could i put here, and how might i do it?

[Philphine]

i've had this little converted table top fountain in my middle pond the last couple years

it just occured to me to try and grow something there. i cut the bottoms out of a couple of plastic pots (two because i had to split them to get them around the tubes. they overlap each other), and now i need an idea of what i can put there. either something that might grow up amoung the little bowls, or trails down into the water, or both if they both fit. i have a couple more of the cheap pots if i need to make them a little taller. right now i'm thinking some mint if nothing else.

but i also don't know what i'd need to plant them in. my other plants either don't need pots (like hyacinths) or they came in closed off pots so i don't know what the medium is. just some gravel (maybe too heavy?)? some kind of sponge?

thanks for any help.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

I have honeysuckle near my pond which has its roots in the ground, however it keeps spreading out across the pond and putting roots down into the water. I think if you made a ball of sphagnum moss wrapped in a mesh bag and attach that below the bottom bowl (where the moss would stay wet but not be underwater), the honeysuckle would root itself into the moss.

The shape of your fountain just calls to me to be covered in vines, however there's always the chance you'll run into problems with live plants redirecting the water flow in ways you don't want. As long as the fountain pump pulls water directly from the pond, and is not self-contained in any way, this shouldn't cause any problems, and could actually make for an interesting art piece that changes the water flow as the plants grow each season.

 

[Philphine]

thanks. vines didn't occur to me but that might be perfect. yes the fountain is connected to 4 other spitters with the pump in my main pond so interference shouldn't be a problem.

i was kind of thinking hosta also, 'cause i just read the another thread about it. a big bushy plant (if it grew out big enough), would probaly look good.

for the second i've lined the bottom of the pot with scrubby pads cut to shape (i also cut a couple more pots an inch or so higher). i think i'm going to put whatever plant i decide on, on them and cover it with some pea gravel and sea shells.

 

[sissy]

how about golden moneywort

 

[sissy]

pic of it

 

[Philphine]

thanks. i had to look it up. i guess i can put it on the plants to consider list.

the idea really did come nearly as quick as a couple minutes before i started this thread, so now i guess the dea is settling in while i consider plant options.

 

[Waterbug]

i don't have any suggestion but it sure is pretty.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Moneywort also known as creeping jenny, depending on which store you get it at. Available in both golden and deep green varieties.

 

[Philphine]

i don't have any suggestion but it sure is pretty.

thanks. it's really just the top of one of those little self contained tabletop fountains, the close pic might be making it look bigger, but it's only about a foot high. i think it's about the third one i've had on that stand. the others were fairly heavy since they had to fill with water, then overflow, and one was broken when a tree branch fell on it.

 

[Bev12]

you could try watercress it spreads well and it you can put it into salads etc

 

[FountainMan]

Sensitive Plants might also do well. They can be planted like marginal plants. The stems will creep and overflow over the edges of the container and when they reach the water the stems develop spongy buoyant tissue that floats on the water's surface. From the fountain this would almost look like an island or a mound of leaves. The leaves also fold up when touched which is what makes them in interesting plant. They also have little yellow powder puff like flowers.

 

[Philphine]

that sounds interesting, but i already went with a hosta. i got a cheapish one at walmart and pulled it apart some to get it around the fountain. it looks pretty ragged right now, but i hope it survives my messing with it and fills out some. if it dosent work, i may look into the sensitive type plant.

 

[Philphine]

I took this pic after it had grown out some but never got around to posting it. this last winter was so harsh I'm not sure it'll come back (except for one water lily, nothing looks like it's trying yet). I was looking back at the thread for the other suggestions in case it doesn't come back and I decide to try something else, so I figured I'd post it.

 

[Nepen]

it looked really nice but I guess for me it cover your beautiful fountain so if it didnt come back I'd try a smaller plant like creeping jenny so you get to see the fountain

 

[sissy]

I agree covers it a little and something like the creeping jenny would just droop over the sides and also cover the metal bar that holds the fountain up .You can take tendrils of the creeping jenny and loosely tie them to the metal bracket