Recipe for a Container Water Garden

1 part love of gardening
2 parts love of water
A dash of creativity
A pinch of imagination

Mix together in a barrel, bowl, tub, or other receptacle and enjoy a gorgeous container water garden that was invented by the best designer in the world – You!
Winter is the perfect time to think about what you’ll concoct in your garden this spring. Curl up in a comfy chair with your favorite blanket and gardening catalogs while the wind and snow flies outside. You can turn a dreary afternoon into a dreamy one as you plan this year’s garden.  Be sure to include a few container water gardens in your landscape and you’ll enjoy the benefits of not having to water the aquatic plants nearly as often as you need to water your geraniums and petunias.
To make your planning easier, we’re including a step-by-step guide for creating a low-maintenance container water garden in a bright, sunny pot.  It’s sure to lend some sunshine to the gray winter days.

Materials Needed
(these can be found at your local garden center)
24-inch round ceramic pot
145 gph statuary pump
Liner patch
Silicon sealant
Electrical tape
Cement leaf or similar
¼ inch vinyl tube
Stones
¼ inch 90-degree poly barbed fitting
Wire plant stake
Green bamboo stake

Plants:
Floating Heart (Nymphoides peltata)
Dwarf Umbrella Palm (Cyperus alternifolius ‘Gracilis’)
Silk Stockings (Sagittaria australis)
Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens ‘Buttered Popcorn)
Lemon Bacopa (Bacopa caroliniana)
Narrow-leaved Arrowhead (Sagittaria gramineus)

Step 1: Collect all the materials

Having everything on hand when you begin your project will ensure that it will be an enjoyable project rather than a frustrating one.

Step 2: Connect the fountain, plumbing, and electrical

For support, the cement leaf rests on a heavy wire plant stake normally used for perennials, reinforced with a green, bamboo stake. Hook up the vinyl tubing to the statuary pump. To keep things neat, use electrical tape to secure the pump cord to the vinyl tubing. If your container has a hole, be sure to plug it so water does not leak out.

Step 3: Support the plants

Cut the piece of milk crate-like grate to the appropriate size so it supports the plants at the correct level for their desired planting depth. Set the grate inside the container over the pump.

Step 4: Testing the water

Before you fill the container all the way, just add enough water so the pump is submerged to allow you to test and adjust the water flow from the fountain. You should also check to be sure that your container is level. If it is not, you will be able to tell by the uneven water level.

Step 5: Planting time

Arrange the plants to your liking, leaving some open (unplanted) water for the fountain to trickle back down and into the container.