# Backyard Water Garden



## Sirius (Jun 2, 2010)

Remember me? 

I wanted to show off my back yard container water garden. I have four containers with five different dwarf variety water lilies, Pontedaria cordata, two iris varieties and some dwarf cattails. There are some fish as well, you might see glimpses of them in the photos.


























The first bud is starting to develop.


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## goldenrose (Jun 3, 2010)

:clap::clap: It will really be nice with flowers! Only a short matter of time! What size is your containers? Looks like you've got some type of plant hanger there that keeps the shallower plants up!


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## streetmorrisart (Jun 3, 2010)

I have no idea who you are, John, but I highly approve of this.


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## Sirius (Jun 3, 2010)

goldenrose said:


> :clap::clap: It will really be nice with flowers! Only a short matter of time! What size is your containers? Looks like you've got some type of plant hanger there that keeps the shallower plants up!



The containers measure about 20"x20" by 20" deep. I got them at Lowes. My "plant hangers" are actually over-the-door coat hanger hooks that I got in a four pack at Bed,Bath&Beyond. It's yuppie-ghetto but it works. :rollhappy:

The shallow plants don't seem particularly happy, but they are still growing even if slowly.


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## Sirius (Jun 3, 2010)

streetmorrisart said:


> I have no idea who you are, John, but I highly approve of this.



You and me both, on both counts. 

I still haven't made it to the Botanical Gardens. I am working on an artist's residency program though.


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## Drorchid (Jun 3, 2010)

Good to see you back John! and nice water plants!

Robert


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## streetmorrisart (Jun 3, 2010)

PHRAG said:


> It's yuppie-ghetto but it works.



It's the equivalent of an above ground pool--tacky, but who the hell wouldn't enjoy it if it were the smartest option for their space and pocketbook? If I had a balcony still, I'd have something similar...I've threatened to put together a setup like this indoors, actually. I'm biding my time instead like a good girl. 

Residency for ceramics? Gotta come visit MBG and go to O'Connell's with us while we're still here.


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## Sirius (Jun 3, 2010)

streetmorrisart said:


> It's the equivalent of an above ground pool--tacky, but who the hell wouldn't enjoy it if it were the smartest option for their space and pocketbook? If I had a balcony still, I'd have something similar...I've threatened to put together a setup like this indoors, actually. I'm biding my time instead like a good girl.
> 
> Residency for ceramics? Gotta come visit MBG and go to O'Connell's with us while we're still here.



Are you leaving STL?


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## Heather (Jun 3, 2010)

Whoa! Hey you! 

That looks nice. We are discussing use of the pond left by the previous owners of the house but gosh, this looks nice too!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jun 3, 2010)

Oh boy, I'd be spending a lot of time just sitting with those babies if they were mine. There's something about a water garden that's just fascinating.


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## Clark (Jun 3, 2010)

Very nice. 
Do you use 'dunks', for the skeeters? If not, something else?
Thank you.


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## streetmorrisart (Jun 3, 2010)

PHRAG said:


> Are you leaving STL?



I have more reasons than not to believe the answer is "yes", but it's not really a discourse for a public forum.


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## Sirius (Jun 4, 2010)

Clark said:


> Very nice.
> Do you use 'dunks', for the skeeters? If not, something else?
> Thank you.



We had a big problem with mosquitos in the beginning, but adding fish were the solution for us. There are several twenty-nine cent goldfish in each container. I haven't seen any larvae since we added them. I am concerned that the water in the containers is getting too warm to support the cold water loving goldfish, so we may be swapping them out soon for a single beta in each container.

Our biggest challenge has been algae growth. I have to clean the containers every two weeks. I started adding algaecide a couple of weeks ago and it seems to help but it only kills the algae after it grows, leaving a bunch of dead algae floating at the bottom of the container. Between the algae, uneaten fish food and fish waste, exchanging the water and cleaning every two weeks is pretty much a necessity.


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## goldenrose (Jun 4, 2010)

PHRAG said:


> We had a big problem with mosquitos in the beginning, but adding fish were the solution for us. There are several twenty-nine cent goldfish in each container......
> that the water in the containers is getting too warm to support the cold water loving goldfish, so we may be swapping them out soon for a single beta in each container.
> 
> Our biggest challenge has been algae growth. I have to clean the containers every two weeks. I started adding algaecide a couple of weeks ago and it seems to help but it only kills the algae after it grows, leaving a bunch of dead algae floating at the bottom of the container. Between the algae, uneaten fish food and fish waste, exchanging the water and cleaning every two weeks is pretty much a necessity.


As the plants increase in size, so will the shading, the goldfish may do better than you think.
You could also use the blue colorant/dyes for shading which should help with discouraging the algae. Your plants will compete for the same nutrients as the algae. Add water lettuce, water hyacinths or submersible/oxygenating plants & that should cut down on your maintanence. BTW algae supposedly loves fresh water changes!


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## Sirius (Jun 5, 2010)

goldenrose said:


> As the plants increase in size, so will the shading, the goldfish may do better than you think.
> You could also use the blue colorant/dyes for shading which should help with discouraging the algae. Your plants will compete for the same nutrients as the algae. Add water lettuce, water hyacinths or submersible/oxygenating plants & that should cut down on your maintanence. BTW algae supposedly loves fresh water changes!



In containers this small, I think floating plants would crowd the lily pads too much. Two of the containers are already more than 75% covered on the surface with all the new pads that have come up. You know what that means...next year I need bigger containers!


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