Container Ponds - Your compact water garden

Container ponds are ideal if you have limited space for a traditional garden pond. They are often used on patios and in courtyards and form an attractive feature that does not take a lot of maintenance.

What type of container?

You can use any old vessel to hold your container pond - an old sink or bathtub, half a barrel or a large glazed pot. Of course they will need to be properley sealed.

Don't worry about the bathtub or sink being ugly their exterior will be well hidden by the very attractive foliage of the pot plants that you will surround them with.

Or you can buy a special plastic tub often sold complete with a filter and small fountain.

Placement

Place the container water feature on your deck or patio, or sink into the ground for a natural pool effect.

If you include a few oxygenating plants to help keep the water clear, a filter usually isn't necessary. Don't place soil in the bottom of your pond container - have your aquatic plants in submerged pots.

Choose other container plants with complimentary foliage and size to surround and enhance your container pond.

If your pond will be mostly in the shade, choose plants, such as ferns, that can cope with these conditions.