Bog plants do best in shallow water and should be planted around the perimeter of your natural pond. Available in a wide array of colors, shapes, and sizes, bog plants can truly take the perimeter of your pond to new heights. Here are our top picks for bog plants that can liven up your pond.
Blue Iris
If you’re searching for a bog plant with stunning flowers and colors that will brighten up your entire pond, blue iris is your best option. This plant’s vibrant indigo flowers first appear in the late spring and continue to dazzle throughout summer months.
Blue iris thrives in pots around the margins of your pond. When located on your pond’s perimeter, blue iris provides refuge for a variety of wildlife in addition to aiding in water filtration.
Pitcher Plants
These bog plants help your pond’s ecosystem thrive thanks to their assistance with filtration. However, pitcher plants take this a step further than other popular pond options. Carnivorous in nature, pitcher plants trap errant bugs in their large leaves and dissolve them, so you can say goodbye to any pesky flies that may have taken up residence around your pond.
Since pitcher plants naturally grow in swamps, this plant is only accustomed to living in areas that lack nutrients. They have traditionally made up for this with their bug-snatching skills. As a result, pitcher plants aren’t well-equipped for nutrient-rich environments or soil. To help your pitcher plants thrive, mix silica sand and sphagnum moss in their pots and avoid fertilizing them.
Dwarf Cattails
Cattails are notorious for their cigar-esque flower spikes. While all cattails make for decorative additions to ponds, most grow too large for backyard or garden ponds. If your pond is on the smaller size, but you still enjoy the overall aesthetic of cattails swaying in the breeze, dwarf cattails are a great option. This plant grows to a maximum size of 18”, making it an excellent choice for smaller bodies of water.
In addition to providing an iconic look, dwarf cattails are hardy plants that require very little maintenance to thrive. If you’re tight on plant space, you can place your cattails in a pot to ensure that they don’t choke out other plant species.
