Build a Container Water Garden That Will Fit Anywhere

If you think you don’t have the time or room to create a water garden, think again. With a little bit of creativity, you can make a miniature version for your patio, deck or balcony. You’ll not only get to enjoy this unique garden but also have wildlife stopping by for a sip.

The Perfect Pot and Spot

Select a watertight container that complements your home or landscape design. Avoid metal pots, which heat up as temperatures climb and harm plants and fish. You can use half a wooden whiskey barrel, but insert a liner to prevent any toxins from entering the water.

Any size pot will work, but one that is 12 to 18 inches deep and 12 to 24 inches wide will allow you to include several different plants. You can go even smaller, such as with an outdoor centerpiece showcasing a single plant in a petite tabletop container.

If you plan to put your mini garden on a deck or other structure, make sure it can support the final weight of the planter once it is filled with water, plants and stones. Also, consider filling the planter in its final destination, as the finished garden may be heavy and hard to move.

Don’t forget to place the garden in an area that receives the right amount of light for your plants, with most water plants needing at least six hours of sun a day to thrive.

Design Plans

Design a water garden just as you would any other container garden. Use taller upright plants, such as dwarf papyrus, reeds, blue flag iris, sweet flag and cannas, for a vertical accent.

Add contrasting bold texture with broad-leaved elephant ears and arrowhead. Then put a layer of smaller plants, such as bloody dock and marsh marigold. Include some trailing plants, such as watercress, which also serves as an oxygenator.

For some color, cardinal flower, monkey flower, pickerelweed and dwarf waterlilies are flowering water plants that can brighten your design.

Plant Placement

Place individual plants in their own containers and submerge them in the watertight pot at the proper depth. Use containers designed for this purpose or add extra holes in the sides of a nursery pot. Line them with a weed barrier to prevent the planting mix from seeping out through the holes and into the water.

Don’t use a potting mix, as it contains lightweight organic matter that will end up in the water. Instead use an aquatic planting mix, clay topsoil, pea gravel or plain cat litter that has no fragrance or other added chemicals.

If using pea gravel, rinse it off to remove any dust and fine materials. Then top the planting media with 1 to 2 inches of pea gravel to hold it in place.

Use bricks or overturned terra-cotta pots on the bottom of a container to elevate the potted plants to their desired height. The crowns of marginal plants, those usually found along the water’s edge, are typically submerged 2 to 6 inches, while water lilies and other water plants can be placed 6 to 12 inches deep.

Watering Time

Once the plants are in place, fill the container with rainwater, well water or tap water. If using tap water, let it stand for 48 hours beforehand to allow the chlorine to evaporate, or use a product designed to neutralize chlorine and other chemicals that can be toxic to fish. Check the water level frequently and add more water as needed.

Pest Control

To prevent mosquitoes in standing water, just add a small pump to keep the water moving. Or add an organic Mosquito Dunk that contains Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) and kills any larvae that find their way into your water garden.

Long-Term Options

At the end of the growing season, you may need to store your plants in a cool, frost-free area with a temperature of 33 to 40 degrees. You can also try keeping tropical plants in a water garden indoors under lights. Or find a fellow gardener who wants to adopt your plants so you can invest in a new arrangement next year.

Gardening Responsibly

When you’re buying plants, make sure the plants are not invasive and banned from sale in your region. Prevent reseeding into nearby gardens and never release invasive or aggressive plants into natural waterways. These plants can outcompete native plants, disrupt the habitat, and degrade soil and water quality.