Ideas For Water Gardens
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If you need ideas for water gardens, here are some of my tips to get started.
Container water gardens are such a fun way to bring a little pond magic to a patio, balcony, or small yard. They’re surprisingly easy to create and can be as simple or elaborate as you’d like.
Here are my water gardens in containers on my apartment patio.
Moving water will discourage mosquitoes from breeding in the water. If you don’t have moving water, you can also add fish to your water garden to eat mosquito larvae. Or you can add mosquito dunks that kill mosquito larvae.
An alternative is to use solar fountains, but of course, that only works when it’s sunny.
Butterfly and Bee Water Source:
I also have a butterfly– and bee-friendly water source that I created using a small galvanized container, water, and flat marbles.
This is a nice alternative for water garden spaces that provide natural sources for butterflies and bees.
Bees and butterflies need water for drinking, cooling, and for various other purposes related to their survival and reproduction.
Providing a water source, such as a shallow dish with rocks or a “puddling” area, helps them stay hydrated. It also regulates their body temperature and even aids in tasks like nest building.
Aquatic Plants for Water Gardens:
Below are aquatic plants you might look for at your nursery for your water garden. You will want marginal and floating plants as well.
Adding Fish to Water Gardens:
If you’re considering adding fish to your water gardens, below are the types you should look for. I’m still on the fence about adding fish to my water garden containers. I don’t know if the galvanized container would get too hot for the fish.
Mosquito fish are about an inch long and resemble guppies. A large female gambusia is capable of consuming over two hundred mosquito larvae in one hour. They are aggressive fish and will begin attacking the larvae when they are only a couple of hours old.
If you decide to add fish, wait 2-3 days after setting up your water garden so the chlorine has evaporated.
Plant placement and management are key in mosquito control. Keep terrestrial plants from hanging over into the water to diminish shelter for breeding mosquitoes. Terrestrial plants are those plants that grow on land.
You can create any size water container garden you desire. Whatever suits your fancy. I like to use galvanized containers.
Water Garden Containers:
Choosing the Container
- Whiskey barrels – A classic look, especially when lined or sealed for holding water.
- Large ceramic pots – Glazed pots in blues or greens echo the feel of water.
- Galvanized tubs – Rustic and farmhouse-friendly.
- Repurposed vessels – Old sinks, enamel basins, or vintage wash tubs make unique pond containers.
Plants to Grow
- Floating plants – Water hyacinth, water lettuce, or duckweed, for instance, can provide cover.
- Marginal plants (shallow water) – Pickerel rush, dwarf cattails, papyrus, or umbrella palm.
- Submerged oxygenators – Anacharis, hornwort, or cabomba keep the water clear.
- Miniature water lilies – Perfect centerpiece for a container pond.
Adding Wildlife
- Small fish (like mosquito fish or guppies) to control insects.
- Floating plants for frogs and dragonflies to perch on.
- A shallow stone or branch for bees and butterflies to sip water safely.
Design Enhancements
- Add a small solar fountain or bubbler to create a soothing water feature and a calming sound.
- Place river rocks or pebbles at the bottom for a natural look.
- Tuck in floating candles or lanterns for nighttime glow.
- Surround with potted flowers or grasses to soften the edges.
Placement Tips
- Place in partial sun so plants thrive without overheating.
- Avoid areas with too much debris falling in (like under big trees).
- Top up with fresh water regularly to maintain levels.
A container water garden can be a peaceful focal point on a porch, patio, or tucked into a garden bed—like having a tiny pond at your fingertips.
Will the water plants survive NE ohio winter or will I need to overwinter them inside?
I would take them out of the water and shelter in a basement or somewhere over the winter.
I have a small pond in my front yard. I had a couple of koi in it and all but one were taken by raccoons! I saved the last one and in fact wintered him in my laundry room sink and he did quite well. Within the first hour of me reintroducing him to the pond a hawk swooped in and had a fine lunch. All that effort to keep him alive through the winter and then that? Poor koi.
Very beautiful. Thanks for the ideas with my first project of the year. You’ve helped me take it to a new level.
I don’t think I’d go to the trouble of having a water garden but I would like to have a small fountain of waterfall just for the sound of the running water. Maybe this summer I’ll get around to it. I’ve always tho’t it would be nice right under my bedroom window so I could lie and listen to it on summer nights.
I love mosquito dunks. It also comes in bits that you can spread on the ground. I do that in some shady damp areas. I wish it worked on the pesky (but cute) rabbits.
What are mosquito dunks? Never heard of them downunder in Australia? We live in Queensland so rabbits aren’t allowed here, don’t know if they can read. Sandy
Sorry no one has answered your question all this time. A mosquito dunk in a compressed donut shaped floating biological mosquito control contains Bti, a natural mosquito larvicide, which kills mosquito larvae, but is harmless to birds, fish, wildlife, and pets. Simply place a Dunk in any standing water to control mosquito larvae for up to 30 days.
I’ve tried both the solar pump and having fish in my water garden. Neither worked out well. I use mosquito dunks now.
All of your water gardens are beautiful!
I have always wanted a “water feature”!!! Years ago, I lived on property that had a waterfall and creek right out our windows….. I so loved that and miss it. The waterfall was built by my ex-husband to cascade down some rocks into another creek that ran into a bigger pond – real, not manmade. It was wonderful and big. Now I live in a very dry climate with a very small backyard. We moved here 2-1/2 years ago and there is an area in the yard that was dug down and has cement “curbs” around it. I think it could easily be a pond, so that is my dream for this area. I’m not sure what it used to be.. has become a catch-all for the garden debris! I keep researching it… maybe one day it will get done! I may have to start with a small pot or tub with a pump though. That would be better than nothing on the HOT days of summer!
We love water features and koi ponds. We have a koi pond and love going to the
water garden shows in the summer around our home town.
I always wanted to add a koi pond to my property, and someday I hope to. I did some research, and for fish to overwinter you need it to be at least 3′ deep in some area so they have water that won’t freeze. I’m still not certain how it would work up here on the mountain top, although I suppose I could use a little heater like I have for the birdbath. Someday!!
And containers that deep are kind of expensive for me.
Love the butterfly and bee water bath. Must make one of those this summer. At the moment I have a heated water bowl for the squirrels and birds as it still gets so cold here. I would definitely like a water garden but not sure about keeping the water moving. I wouldn’t use fish as I would worry about them and what to do with them in the winter. We had quite an extensive pond at our last house and people always looked for fish, we never had any because again I would have to worry about their well being!
I feel the same way. In Texas I had a gorgeous pondless waterfall.
I love my goldfish pond/water garden! My last goldfish passed over the rainbow last fall though, so it is time to redo mine. I plan to take it all apart and clean it up and restock on the very next warm weekend. I love yours!
🙂 gwingal
Is your water garden in the ground?
Goldfish produce a lot of poop which can cloud the water. They also prefer cool water which won’t occur in a tin tub. I’ve used double wall resin tubs and that was still too warm for the goldfish… they died when the weather got hot.
I tried a solar fountain. It was cheap so I wanted to see how it would work. Yes, it had to have direct sun and I enjoyed my water feature most in the evening. Then it stopped pumping and I tossed it. I wouldn’t buy another one. I think your water gardens were so pretty!
Yeah, I notice the solar floating panel doesn’t seem to get good ratings. Hard to find a solution. I loved having them. But then that winter I lost the plants because I don’t exactly have room for water plants indoors. Not to mention losing the money I spent on them. Water plants aren’t all that cheap. So there’s that too.