Alongside New Forest Koi, Forest Aquatics provides a massive array of marginal plants and water lillies, available through the post or from our shop. All plants from our shop area are potted in aquatic pots of various sizes to suit all types of ponds or bog gardens. 9 cm pots are £2.00 each, and large 3.5 litre pots at £7.50, or 3 for £20.00
Among the plants usually available are water lillies, of various types and colours, irises, reeds, rushes and grasses, submerged oxygenating plants, floating plants and all kinds of marginals, suitable for every garden water feature. A massive range of plants are always on show and available to shop customers.
Among our plant selection are submerged plants, such as the oxygenating elodea crispus. Such plants are always an important part of many peoples pond environments. Often also available are parrots feather and hornwort.
How about creating shade and an exciting feature in your garden with the giant Gunnera manicata! Sold in small pots for you to watch grow rapidly in your bog garden/pond margins, creating a tropical jungle atmosphere.
Continuing on the theme of the jungle, from the Amazon rainforest come our floating plants, the water hyacinth, and the water lettuce. Both are vigorous growers, splitting into many seperate plants, that are easy to relocate or remove. Both offer shade and an interesting focal point to your pond. Due to their origin, these plants do not tolerate extreme cold well.
We have a wide range of reeds and rushes available to you in solo pots and mixed baskets to create the marginal structure you want. Typha augustifolia with its classic bullrush head, the hardy juncus effectus and its interesting spiralis version through to the variegated Acorus calamus are just some of the range we have to offer.
Staying with tall marginals, the ever popular iris is available in many varieties, such as the pictured pseudacorus, versicolor kermisina, and laevigata.
A full range of other marginal plants are available, taking the very best mix of colours, textures and heights from the wild to give your pond the personal touch you require. Pictured are a selection from our range of Mimulus, Caltha, and Lobelia.
Many consider a pond incomplete without water lilies, and we have many varieties, in white, pink, red and yellow. They remain some of our biggest selling plants, offering great impact at a great value price.
Aquatic Plant Information
To help keep the water clear and healthy it is important to develop a balance of plants within the pond.
Mid-spring through to early summer is the best time to purchase new plants. At this time the water is warming up and plants should start to grow away rapidly.
In smaller ponds, aquatic plants benefit from being grown in containers as this prevents them becoming too large or invasive.
Plants play an important role in keeping a balanced pool free of algae in summer. Floating plants reduce the amount of sunlight penetrating the water and keep the water cooler, discouraging algae. Introduce free-floating aquatics to the pool by placing gently on the water surface. Aim to keep around 50% of the surface clear of vegetation, if necessary by thinning occasionally during the summer.
Deep-water aquatics with floating leaves such as waterlilies benefit from regular dividing and re-potting because of their vigour. Place containers on raised bricks lowered in stages as their leaves reach the surface, until the appropriate depth is reached. When not being potted on, waterlilies benefit from a supplementary feed in the spring of a specialist aquatic food to encourage better flowering.
Marginal plants are valuable for shading pool margins where algae may otherwise multiply in the warm, shallow water.
Submerged oxygenating plants are vital to pool hygiene and balance. They can be purchased as bunches which can be planted into baskets to keep them in control anchored firmly in place. Approximately four to five bunches, with three to four stems, per square metre of water surface should be sufficient. Plants respire at night in hot humid weather releasing carbon dioxide and depleting oxygen levels which can cause fish to die. Thin out excessive growth. Run a fountain on hot humid nights or play water over the surface of the pool from a hose to improve oxygenation.
Throughout the summer monitor water levels and top up regularly when necessary. Tap water will contain mineral salts and may lead to an algal bloom. Start removing dead leaves and debris from plants early in the autumn to avoid decomposing vegetation building up in the pond.
New Forest Koi, Towers Farm, Barrows Lane, Sway, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 6DD info@newforestkoi.co.uk