[Kleftiwallah]

Anyone care to recommend aquatic plants for our new pond (made from a corner bath) in the shade.

Thanks in anticipation.    Tony.

[sunshineband]

OK, here goes! I think all these are natives to will not become 'alien intruders' should they escape from the confines of the bath  I assume you want marginal plant suggestions?

Corkscrew Rush (Juncus effuses spiralis)
Sweet Flag ( Acorus calamus) There is also a variegated form with vertical cream stripes
Pickerel Weed (Pondedaria cordata) which has blue flowers
Water Mint (Mentha aquatic )

Hope that helps slightly 

[Goosegirl]

There are a few very small water lilies of the Nymphea variety that would be nice but, if your pond doesn't have shelves to put marginals on, then maybe consider planting around the outside of the bath, making sure it is more of a bog garden than a dry patch of soil. Sorry sunshine - I would avoid anything like water mint and pickerel weed that can grow too big for such a small area.

[Kleftiwallah]

Don't fall out over Pickerel weed chaps!  The sides of the bath are vertical so only room for one shallow plant (on the moulded in seat) the rest I shall have to rest on blocks.

Cheers,   Tony.

[sunshineband]

You have the same style of bath on your plot as we have Kleftiwallah    Ours is not sunken into the soil though, just stands there.

If your is sunken, planting around would look very effective.

Just one plant on the seat --- best go for something eye-catching then. Maybe the Sweet Rush (Unless you would like to risk the infamous pickerel weed  )

A tiny water-lily might just be OK, as GG suggested -- you can get some that have leaves only an inch or two across

[Goosegirl]

You might also consider an oxgenating plant for the wildlife you get and it will also stop the water getting stale. Elodia comes to mind. It can outgrow its space but can be hoicked out (check for any wildlife there beforehand). To help with oxygenating the water, I was going to suggest a little solar-operated mini fountain but water lilies don't like moving water.

[Kleftiwallah]

I'm going to flummox my Grandsprog by using a pump, a clear glass tube and a tap   I suppose you have seen them before?

Cheers,    Tony.

[Maarten]

My favourite has to be Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) because of the flush of yellow flowers early in spring.

All the best,

Maarten

[spottymint]

I'd 2nd the marsh marigold and the elodea densa.

Other nice plants are the native loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) but it does grow really tall (5ft easy), but bees will swamp it. however grown in a pot it is prone to blowing over in the wind, too big I'd say for a bath, but planted outside behind in a damp spot may work.

Their is a native bog arum, Calla palustris, but while it has typical white flowers, the berries are poisonous, do not eat them.

The native flag iris is nice, but grows tall again & spreads fast, so will have plenty of baby plants to give away, the varigated form may be less vigorous.

Iris ensata are nice, less vigorous, but not native, great flowers with some of the  varieties like laughing lion.

I would avoid any of the native bulrush, they grow big, spread fast & have very strong roots which I have read can puncture liners in ponds.

Carex pendula looks nice near water, pendulous sedge, grows big and likes to spread via rhizome type roots and seeds well too.

Diarama look nice with flowers drooping over water, but not in the water itself.

[Kleftiwallah]

With a great deal of welcome advice from the staff of "The Water Garden" Hinton Parva Swindon, we have gone for:-

Oxygenators - Cetratophyllum Demersum (Hornwort).  Elodea Crispa.

Marginals- Acorus Calamus, Iris Pseadacorus and Caltha Palustris.

Deeep!  Aponogeton Distachyos. Also a Iris donated along with beasty ridden mud from a friend.

Thanks to all and Cheers,   Tony.

[carlrmj]

     I'm just putting in a preformed pond from freecycle ,so all this plant info will be very useful .

[SusieB]

Don't forget, that you need an escape route for any wildlife that may fall in.

[JayG]

With a great deal of welcome advice from the staff of "The Water Garden" Hinton Parva Swindon, we have gone for:-

Oxygenators - Cetratophyllum Demersum (Hornwort).  Elodea Crispa.

I 'planted' both of those when I was establishing my pond, and within a year only had the hornwort left (nothing wrong with that though, it's quite pretty.  )

[8doubles]

Don't forget, that you need an escape route for any wildlife that may fall in.

Think hedgehog, they are not the best bathgetterouters ! 

[Kleftiwallah]

Got a 'ladder' of cotswold stone slabs just for such an occasion.

Cheers,   Tony.