How do we build? You would want to start with a container that is a minimum of 20 inches in diameter. Bigger is better in this case. It's important that it not have any holes in the bottom. Most of the big box stores sell plenty of containers that do not have holes in the bottom, so they lend themselves easily to water gardening. You want to start with some basics similar to regular pots. You want to have some height in the background, something shorter mid-ground then something even shorter in the foreground, maybe even plants that are flowing out. Eric wants to know what are some good plant suggestions? If we're just getting started, going to make our first aquatic bowl, what would Leeann recommend? What are particularly good selections for this kind of aquaculture? For this particular tub garden, Leeann chose a dwarf Cyperus or umbrella palm. It is in the background and it's been placed with a taro, which is what they use to make soy. This is an imperial taro and they look lovely together. And they provide some dimension to the pot. The next thing Leeann did was put in the smallest water lily in the world. The name of it is Helvola. It is a very, very old variety, several hundred years old. Comes from Germany. Then she wanted to put in a floater. This is water hyacinth. Eric loves that plant. It has roots that hang down and filters the water. It also blooms during the summer. Then one of the most important things that you're going to want to add to your tub garden is some kind of a piece of wood. It not only looks terrific, but it's there to save the life of a bird that might accidentally fall in when taking a sip of water. Any kind of piece of wood that will fit in there nicely and give the little bird something to grab onto so that it can safely get out of the tub garden will work. Are there any considerations with regards to anything else that's in the bowl or the water that we use? Do you recommend only using rainwater or is tap water fine? Tap water is fine as long as you let it age for two or three days before you put plants or fish in. If you don't want to put fish in there and you're worried about having mosquitoes, there's a product called Bacillus thuringiensis that will actually kill the larva, and it's safe for birds and pets if they drink out of it.
By Dan Heims, President, Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.
Photographs courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.
Terra Nova’s breeders have created a series of outstanding world-class echinaceas that are consistent in size, bloom power, color intensity and are a pollinator buffet. What’s not to like.
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