Water Garden

Water Garden

                                           

Aquatic plants have a special and important place in the ornamental garden. Indians have given so much importance to lotus since ancient times that it has been associated with the creators of the world, Brahma (creation) and Vishnu (bed). Apart from lotus, the underground stems of many aquatic plants are used to make vegetables, pickles etc. and the seeds are used as fruits. If these are planted in the ponds and pits found in and around Indian villages, they will not only enhance the beauty but will also play an important role in providing food to the residents there.

Aquatic gardens provide coolness and freshness. In areas with hot climate or in summer, it has become common to construct artificial lakes, ponds, rivers etc. Various types of aquatic plants can be grown in these water sources, which increase their attraction. Sometimes fountains are also installed in the middle of the ponds, the spray from which cools the environment. As a result, people who go out for evening walks like to sit near them and enjoy the cool atmosphere to the fullest.

Water gardens are those gardens in which the soil is always under water. It can be one meter below or even a few centimeters. Plants growing in water gardens are called aquatics. The species growing below the water are called submerged aquatics and the species living above are called floating aquatics or bog plants.

Some plants are water loving. They can be divided into two categories - 

1. Aquatic - Aquatic plants grow only in water.

2. Semi-aquatic - While semi-aquatic plants grow in the soil on the banks of water sources where there is sufficient moisture.

Some plants grow in swamps and muddy places but they are kept in another category which is called "Bog Plants".

Broadly, all such plants which are 'water-loving' are included under the title of "Water Garden". Apart from aquatic lilies and other plants, grasses, ferns etc. growing in coastal water saturated land are also included in it.

Construction of Lily Pool

Lily pools are of two types - 

(1) Raw Pond - For a raw pool, any such pit can be used in which the water is not more than two meters deep. 

                                                                

(2) Concrete pond - Concrete pools are made of cement bricks or cement pebbles. As per the requirement, their length and width can range from 1-2 meters to hundreds of meters and the shape can be round, square, oval and even indefinite.

 Lily ponds are constructed in such parts of the garden where there is sunlight throughout the day. The thickness of the pond wall is 12-24 cm. The ratio of cement, sand, pebbles or stone pieces in the mixture used to make it is 1:2:2 respectively. The new pond is filled with water many times and (when the wall hardens) it is drained out after one or two days so that the effect of cement wears off and the plants do not die. The surface of the pond should be a little deeper from the side from which the water is to be drained. If there is a provision for water drainage, then arrangement can be made to drain out the water by pump. It is not mandatory to install a fountain in the lily pond but it can be installed as per personal interest, which performs the function of providing coolness in summers. 

1. Water Lilies - The largest and most important family of plants that decorate aquatic gardens is Nymphaceae. The species of Nymphaea, Nillumbium, Victoria and Nuphar families of this family grow in water and are the main element of attraction of aquatic gardens. Apart from these, plants that grow in the marshy land of the pond and float on water and provide oxygen to fish and water plants are also planted in aquatic gardens, which belong to different families. Those plants are also important in aquatic gardens, which grow successfully on the high land around the pond and whose contact enhances the beautiful appearance of aquatic plants even more.

There are many species of the Nymphaea family. Their flowers are white, yellow, pink etc. The main species of this family are as follows-

- Nymphaea odorata yellow flowers (3-20 cm diameter)

- Nymphaea laydekeri lilacea (N. laydekeri lilacea )

- Nymphaea brown (N. mooric )

- Nymphaea lousiana (N. luciana Syn. N. odorata luciana )

- Nymphaea sulphurea (N. sulphurea)

- Nymphaea mexicana (N. maxicana Syn. N. flaua )

- Nymphaea speciosa (N. spaciosa)

--Nymphaea tetragona (N. tetragona Syn. N. pygmatela)

- Nymphaea tuberosa rosea (N. tuberosa rosea)

- Nymphaea alba (N. alba)

The main species of Nelumbium are mentioned below-

Nelumbium spaciousum Syn. Nelumbo nucifera - Its thick tubers spread rapidly on the upper surface of the pond soil (up to 40-60 cm). Its light blue leaves and flowers are pink, white or red in colour which are found a little above the water surface. The width of the flower is 25-30 cm which has a mild fragrance.

Nelumbium lutea - The flowers of Nelumbium lutea are yellow and fragrant and the leaves are 45-60 cm wide. The fruits, seeds and tuberous roots of both the species are used for eating.

There are two main species of Victoria family –

1. Victoria regia (Victoria regia Syn, V. amazonica) – The thick, round plate-like leaves of V. regia are one to two meters wide. 6-10 cm of the leaves are raised above the edge and the petiole has thorns. Its white flowers are 30-40 cm wide. 

2. V. cruziana tricheri – The leaves of V. cruziana tricheri are somewhat less broad, but their edges are raised above the water like V. regia. The flowers first turn white and then red, whose width is 40-50 cm. The leaves of both these species float on water.

Plants of the Nuphar genus of the Nymphaeaceae family have the ability to grow in the shady parts of ponds. Its leaves are long and float below the upper surface of water or on the surface. Most of the flowers are yellow in colour, but the flowers of some species are red and purple in colour. The sepals are large and attractive, the petals are small and innumerable. Their flowers are less attractive than other species of Nymphaea, but the leaves are more beautiful.

Lily Ponds Water Garden

The names of species of Nuphar genus are given below-

Lutium Small yellow flowers (3-6 cm diameter)

Sagittaefolium Small yellow flowers (3-6 cm diameter)

Japonicum Small yellow flowers (3-6 cm diameter)

Pumilum Small yellow flowers (3-6 cm diameter)

Intermedium Small yellow flowers (3-6 cm diameter)

Advener Small yellow flowers (3-6 cm diameter)

Polyceplum Small yellow flowers (3-6 cm diameter)

Rubripetlum Small yellow flowers (3-6 cm diameter)

Perpuraea singata Small purple flowers (3-6 cm diameter)

2. Plants suitable for planting in marshy land (Bog plants) -

Names of some of their main varieties are as follows-

1. Acorus calamus variegatus - leaves spotted

2. Alisma plantago                                              - white or light pink flowers

3. Butomus umbeloatus                                    - pink flowers

4. Calla palustris                                                 - white flowers

5. Caltha palustris                                               - yellow flowers

6. Cyperus papyrus                                            - green leaves

7. Colocasia afinis                                               - green leaves

8. Cyperus alternifolius                                      - Green leaves

9. Iris foliosa                                                        - Blue flowers

10. Iris pseudocorus                                           - White flowers

11. Jussieva ducrurens                                       - Yellow flowers

12. Jussieva repens                                             - Yellow flowers

13. Lobelia cardinalis                                          - Red flowers

14. Limnocharis humboltii                                - Yellow flowers

15. Lysimachia thyrisflora                                  - Pink flowers

16. Menyanthus trifoliata                                   - White flowers

17. Mysotis paulustirs                                         - Blue flowers

18. Nymphoides peltatum                                  - Yellow Flowers

19. Pontederia cordata                                       - Yellow or blue flowers

20. Primula japonica                                           - White and pink flowers

21. Rodgersia podophylla                                   - Yellow flowers

22. R. tabularis                                                     - White flowers

23. Sagittaria pleno                                             - White flowers

24. S. japonica                                                       - White flowers

25. S. saggitrifolia                                                 - White flowers

26. S. latifolia                                                        - White flowers

27. Suxifroga peltata Syn. peltiphyllum               -White pink flowers

28. Typha latifolia                                                 - White flowers

29. Zinnia aquatia (Syn. Z. palustris)                  - White flowers

3. Floating plants - Floating plants are enemies of lily class plants. But usually the flowers are beautiful, the names of which are given below-

1. Eichhornea crassipus major          - blue pink flowers, small white flowers

2. Limnobum spongia                         - small white flowers

3. Limna minor 

4. Salvinia bajaloensis                         - floating fern

5. Utricularia vulgaris

6. Sagittaria natans

7. S. sinensis

8. S. subulata

9. Vallisneria spiralis

10. Cabomba karolina

11. Anaarchis canadensis

12. A. occidentalis

13. Myriophyllum verticillatum

14. Luiligia species.

4. Ornamental aquatic grasses - usually found near water Some grasses are also used to make the surrounding land green. Apart from these, some aquatic weeds with flowers of various colors are also grown, which enhance the beauty of the aquatic garden. Names of some such weeds are given below-

Hastifolia, Pistia stridatis cyrtopteris thalictroides, Sagittaria sagittifolia, Spiralis,

(a) Aquatic weeds - Azolla pinnata, Aponogeton dischacchius, Limnantheum indicum, Moncoria hastifolia, Pistia stridatis cyrtopteris thalictroides, Sagittaria sagittifolia, Spiralis, Trapabispinosus, Utricularia, Valisneria etc.

(b) Weeds suitable for planting on the banks of the pond - Alisma, Icorus, Calamus, Cyperus alternifolius, Macrospiralis, Erudodanax variegata, Pangrosium longifolium, Iris chinensis (blue flower), Iris moriadis (white flower) etc.

Lily Pons Water Garden

Propagation

• Aquatic plants are propagated by seeds, spores, stem cuttings and plant parts like stolons.

• Propagation of plants can be done through seeds in aquatic lilies, grasses and weeds. Apart from these, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, Naipapotendaria caesipus, Oxystemma esculentum, Frutescens, Acorus calamus, Cyperus alternifolius etc. are also managed through seeds. 

• In fronds, propagation is mainly done by spores.

• The names of the 'water-loving' plants which propagate from endosperm and other types of plant parts are given below:

Acorus calamus, Aponogeton distychymus, Limnanthemum indicum, Maselia, quadrifolia, Monoceria hastiphalia, Pistia strioides, Susum anthelminthicum, bamboo etc.

• The main plants which are propagated from stem cuttings are - Alocasia, Aothurium, Dracaena, Aucandra, Melocanna etc.

• In some varieties of Nymphaea, auxiliary buds are formed on petioles from which new plants are formed, which are called viviparous plants. Peach, Pink Platter, Panama Pacific, Talisman are some of the major varieties.

Main garden works

Soil - For growing hydrophilic plants, clayey loamy soils that are heavy and contain organic matter are the best. Most aquatic plants grow well in such soil. To prepare soil medium in artificial lakes or ponds, 1/2 part clayey soil and 1/2 part cow dung manure are mixed together and put into the pond water. If required, a fertilizer mixture containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potash can be added to this medium in the ratio of 4 : 12 : 4.

Moisture - For successful cultivation of hydrophilic plants, it is necessary that sufficient amount of moisture is available in the soil where they are grown and the soil does not dry up even in the summer months. To achieve this purpose, sufficient amount of water should be poured from time to time. 

Transplanting - The best time to plant aquatic plants is the last fortnight of winter or the beginning of the monsoon. Plants are planted in soils where the roots can spread freely and grow well. An ideal mixture is required for planting them, which is made by mixing the following substances-

Ordinary soil                                                         - 7 parts

Rotten horse dung or cow dung manure        - 1 part

Super phosphate                                                - 20 grams

Fill it in baskets of 43 cm diameter and about 30 cm depth and place them at a proper place in the pond. Plants are planted in these baskets before placing them in the pond. Immediately after planting, aquatic plants need to be given adequate irrigation. All the water in the pond pit should not be filled at once, rather the amount of water should be increased along with the growth of the plants.

It takes 6 to 8 weeks to fill the water up to the permanent level. Another method is this, especially for formal lily pools, lily tubers are planted in clay or cement pots and when they germinate and start growing, then their place is fixed by putting them along with the pots in a pond filled with water.

Many lilies bloom well in 70-80 cm deep water, but it would be best to plant Victoria genus in places with 1-2 meters deep water, Nimbium in 0.75-1.50 meters, Nymphaea in 0.25-0.50 meters and Nuphar in 1/5-1/4 meter deep water. In this way, flowers and marsh plants (where there is almost no water) should be planted. The maximum depth of the pond for Victoria can be 4 meters, for Nymphaea it can be 2 meters and for Nimbium it can be 3 meters. Tests have shown that Victoria and Nimbium do not grow well if they are planted in less than 3/4 meter water.

Care - After planting aquatic plants, there is no need for proper care, but still some such works need to be done which help in proper development and growth of plants, which are mentioned below-

• If the plants have grown densely, then they should be pulled out and planted at some other place.

• To keep the water clean and free from insects like mosquitoes etc., golden or other attractive fishes can be reared in the pond or lake.

• If the water has become green and opaque, then the water can be successfully cleaned by adding 30 grams of potassium permanganate or 114 grams of blue bitriol solution per 25000 gallons of water.

• At the time of frost in winter, all the soft tropical lilies should be removed from the pond and kept in a pot and placed in a tank filled with water. By doing this, they will be saved from the onslaught of frost and winter flowers will also bloom in them.

• During summer, all the old leaves and mature flowers should be cut.

• Bog Garden - Some water should be kept draining out from it, otherwise the water gets foul smell. Therefore, this type of garden should not be built where there is less leakage of water. Water should be changed occasionally.

• To prevent algae in the water garden, add a little copper sulphate (5 grams of copper sulphate is sufficient in 500 liters of water).

Plant Protection - Aquatic plants are troubled by various types of insects and diseases, hence necessary plant protection measures should be adopted to prevent them.

Diseases - Generally, two diseases, such as leaf spot and mosaic, trouble aquatic plants the most.

Water Garden 

 Leaf Spot Disease - This disease is caused by a fungus called "Botritis Elliptica". It weakens and damages the plants by damaging the leaves, stems, buds and flowers. Brown spots form on the affected plant parts.

Control - Bordeaux mixture, lime containing copper or potassium sulphide should be sprayed on the plants. Spraying should be done in the morning.

Insect-pests - Aphids and caterpillars cause more damage to aquatic plants. The following measures should be adopted for their prevention-

• Aphids - These can be controlled by spraying soap solution.

• Caterpillars - These caterpillars mainly attack the leaves and cause a lot of damage to the plants. When the attack is less, they should be caught by hand and destroyed. The more affected plants should be uprooted and burnt.

• Other insects - Many insects damage aquatic plants during summer season. To prevent them, nicotinic sulphate solution (equal to 1 teaspoon in 1 gallon water) should be sprayed. If the above mentioned works are done on time, then certainly the aquatic plants will look healthy and attractive.