Above ground pond

[Whmcanally]

Here is a photo of our just completed 2000 gal above ground pond. It has a small elevated pool at one end that flows back through a 24 in waterfall. Next is the landscaping. Any suggestions for tall plantings behind the upper pool that will do well in north Mississippi?

Bill

 

[jlk]

Hopefully, some of our southern members will chime in with suggested plants for your area. I just wanted tell you what a nice job you did on this pond!!

 

[MacDracor]

As a landscaper in the northwest, my plant knowledge is a little out of your region, but if you can get me average temperature ranges for all four seasons (example is here we range 30-55 in winter) I can make some suggestions.
Almost any pond plant sold in the continental US should be fine, but may need to winter indoors depending on temperature ranges.

 

[Alspond]

A couple of things to consider
1. the leaf litter the plants deposit in your pond.
2. Shading of the pond that reduces water lily growth. Plants on the north side won't shade.

We have damp soil around our ponds. I like pond cypress, elderberry, and sweetbay magnolia.
These will grow in mississippi. But will they have the same properties?

The pond cypress will get huge in a 1,000 years or so. They are relatively slow growing and one or two planted ten feet from the pond won't drop many needles in the pond.
They don't get much spread and grow sort of pyramidal.
The elderberry blooms a lot with white clusters of flowers. Birds love the Barry's, if you don't you can clip them off before they ripen. When the elderberry is happy it will thicket and make a nice grouping of plants with lacy foliage.
Sweet bay magnolia is an evergreen in the south. It generally stays a small tree.
In Florida the elderberry and sweet bay are evergreen. You might check to see if they are evergreen at you latitude.


Have fun,
Al

 

[Whmcanally]

Great suggestions. Particularly like the elderberry idea.
We're not quite tropical here. Winter lows are often in the 20s, so will need hardy plants or overwinter them.
Thanks, friends.

 

[MacDracor]

Wintering is really easy. Get a big Rubbermaid tub and stick the pots in it with water. A little circulation is good. Just keep it in the garage or basement. If your summers are warm, lotuses are a wonderful alternative or addition to lilies. Liveaquaria has a great selection even if only to give you hardiness ideas. I personally love pickerel rush and water hyacinth.

 

[Whmcanally]

Here's the almost complete pond. Swamp iris on top, hyacinth pulled from the Tenn-Tom Waterway in lower. As recommended, water lilies, lotus, & pickerel rush on order. Working on the surrounding plants with local shop, looking for the elderberry and a bamboo that won't take over the world.

 

[MacDracor]

For bamboo, I suggest containers, even if buried. Any bamboo will eventually spread. They can work through concrete or ceramic but not a sturdy plastic. If you bury a plastic container except the top couple inches, just use a creeping ground over to hide the plastic rim.