Pond Plantings in Zone 3
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Arlene Cleveland
Posted on: November 9, 1998

I live in zone 3 and am planning to put a pond in my yard next spring. What plantings would you recommend for the surrounding area as well as for growing in the water. I would like a very natural look with trailers through rocks etc. and taller plants as well.

There are many herbs that would do well and look nice around and in a pool. In a pot propped up to about 10 centimeters or less under the surface you could plant calamus (#P1600, zone 3 to 9), marshmallow (#S3920, zone 3 to 9) and wild rice (#S8620, zone 3 to 5).

On the edge build a shelf in which you mound up the soil so that the roots of the plants in it will be very wet, but will get air. There you could plant licorice flag (#P2600, zone 5 or colder?)), bilberry (#S1410, zone 2-7, moist, acid soil), meadowsweet (##S3965, #P3965, zone 2 to 9), coltsfoot (#S1848-invasive!, zone 3 to 7, soil pH 7 to alkaline), oxlip (#S4328, zone 3 to 7), scullcap (#S5360, zone 3 to 8).

In a moist but well-drained spot you could try hops (#P3301, zone 3 to 80, lady’s mantle (#P3600, zone 3 to 8), silver speedwell (#S5813, P5813, zone 2 to 9)

If you are willing to take the following plants indoores for your winters you could try: watercress (#2020, hardy zone 6 to 9), Vietnamese coriander (#P1891, tropical), great lobelia (#S3745, P3745, zone 5 to 8), vap ca (#P6605, zone 6 to 10) and yerba mansa (#S7017, zone 8 to 10, for wet, alkaline soil).

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