Central Florida pond under construction

[shinksma]

CountryEscape: I believe that tall green with Yellow flower plant in JW's pic is a Yellow Flag. Unlike Blue Flag, it likes water. And no worries about "barging into" this thread - I love it when things get a little tangential, because that's usually when I learn new stuff.
I too need to look up or find out what that plant is in the fourth pic from JW. I'm sure it's listed in a book at home...
shinksma

 

[gardengimp]

Shinksma, the city of sanford and seminole county started putting six foot fencing around all the retention ponds. I think it is a stupid waste of my tax dollars, but then I decided to go look up. There was enough ambiguity at the state level, coupled with a few high fluent cities defining two feet to be the depth to require fencing that I decided not to risk it. Keep in mind, my ponds are in my front yard. The side with the fountain would be impossible to fence and keep the look and feel. It is a decision only you can make, but I think Orange County is more progressive than seminole county. So less likely to ever be an issue. Herons however, they are a big issue. Grumble ....

 

[CountryEscape]

Thanks, Shinksma, I agree the tall plant is a Yellow Flag. What I have that is small like JW's, is yellow/lime green varigated, and it's very small, I think the tag said "Sweet Flag". It has never flowered, and evidently grows very slowly, which can be a really good thing, actually. I am just wondering if it will eventually flower, or if the plant is the highlight itself. JW will chime in eventually ... she has Grandma duties these days with her new grand daughter born 2 days ago. Lucky her!!!

 

[j.w]

Ha Ha grandma duties include backing off a bit too. Think they go home from the hospital today if all is still well.
And I'm not really sure what that tall yellow one is but think Colleen calls it the Yellow Flag............I always just called it Yellow Water Iris. The plant in the 4th picture is Water Hawthorne and the blooms are really pretty small. They look big in the photos but that is misleading. They are really a nice fragrance:

Water Hawthorne
lily-like-aquatic

Oblong leaves

Blooming right through the ice!

Water Hawthorne Aponogeton distachyus
lily-like-aquatic
Water Hawthorne grows and blooms in cool/cold water of late fall until the warm water of early summer when it then goes dormant. In early fall when the water is cooler again, it starts the cycle again and begins to grow and bloom.

The white fragrant flowers are present from September until April. The flowers are held slightly above the mottled foliage that is oblong green.
The undersides of the leaves are red in color.
Flowers have a slight vanilla fragrance.

NOTE: During the warm summer months and early fall months the bulb you receive will be dormant. The dormant bulbs can not be added to a cold pond, one below 55 degrees. In colder climates, purchase the dormant bulb and let them root as the water cools down. Then they will start to bloom in the fall.
GROWING TIP: can be planted in the same pot with a water lily. The Water Hawthorne will be dormant when the lily is blooming and when the Water Hawthorne is active, growing and blooming, the water lily will be dormant.

Truly unique one of a kind plant!
Place 6 to 18" deep. Full sun or partial shade
Hardy zone 6 or higher

 

[CountryEscape]

I want one!!! Haha, that's amazing, they bloom when it's cold and frozen! I sure will be checking them out on the internet, see if I can locate any this coming summer. Sounds really unique.

 

[taherrmann4]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[shakaho]

My sunniest pond gets full sun for about 4 hours at midday. Plants around the pond give some shade as does a water lily in the pond. It's all of 18 inches deep and the fish do fine. As long as you have some protection from the sun the water won't get that warm. And remember, those people up north almost all get stretches of temperatures over 100F, which doesn't happen here. Also, because we have pretty much the same temperature every day during the summer, the fish adapt.
When I built my first pond, I dug out a nice hole with vertical sides, put in a liner, filled with water, and anchored the edges just before the first rain of the season hit. When I came out after the rain, there was a bowl-shaped mud puddle with my liner wadded up in the middle. The water sank into the sand pretty quickly, then I dug the hole bigger and lined the sides with cement blocks before I replaced the liner. I think that since your pond is filled, if the soil around it is well packed, it should be stable by the time the summer rains arrive.
I suggest the edges of your pond be at least 6 inches above ground level. When a tropical storm hits you can have a river inches deep running past your pond during the heavy rain. You want to keep dirty water from washing into your pond and fish from washing out.
Unless you want to take a truck up north to get rocks, I suggest you look at nice pavers. The cost of rocks can exceed the cost of the rest of the pond construction.

 

[shinksma]

shakaho,
Thanks for the tips. While i recognize that tropical rains can be quite heavy, in the 5 years I've lived in this house I've never experienced actual rivers of water in the yard - there has been some standing water, for sure, and some rivers near the downspouts, but the soil is very sandy, and everything seems to just sink into the ground. And I do spend time outside under an umbrella during the downpours when the dogs absolutely need there potty breaks and can't wait... :redface: This pond is well away from the house (and downspouts). So I think I'm safe with what will be about 3" or 4" above grade.
Although real rock is going to be expensive, and yes, will probably exceed the cost of the liner, pump, plants and everything else, it is also the one thing we want to have done as best we can. I'm using pavers and other cheaper materials for the underwater/hidden structural elements, but real rock for the visible parts is worth it for us. So it's off to Pebble Junction tomorrow in the pickup, and a weekend of installation ahead. Good thing it's a long weekend (for me, at least), with President's Day on Monday.
j.w, I really want some of that water hawthorn. A flowering floating plant will look quite nice, I think. There are very few sources of pond plants in the Orlando area, so I'm hoping Pondtastic or someone else has some whenever I get a chance to drop by.
Speaking of which, what are the local sources my fellow Central Floridians use to obtain pond materials, especially plants? Hardware such as pumps are easiliy enough obtained online, but I like to pick out plants in person.
And does anyone have any experience with Melon Sword? There is a local naturalized source available to me.
shinksma

 

[shakaho]

Plants -- the internet, but do check out aquatic ecosystems for pond materials. They don't really have a retail store, but they have a pick-up desk so you don't have to pay shipping for the stuff you order. I have literally spent hours reading their catalog. You might find some plants on craigslist -- usually in the spring when people repot. Pondtastic is disappointing. But if you want every bottle of expensive crap sold to dump in your pond, that's the place to go.
Your best bet for plants will be the Central Florida Koi (and goldfish) Show in March. There will be lots of vendors there, but good plants go fast, so get there early.

 

[sissy]

gosh neat they have a show for just watergardens there .I remember up in NJ they had lots of garden shows but down here they only have the one in Roanoke and it is so crowded and not enough parking for people .

 

[Pondskee]

J.W, I have multiple water hawthorne in my pond and they bloom when temp start cooling down when others start to get dormant. I planted them in my deepest part of the pond.. 32-inch deep that is. . They like moving water.

 

[j.w]

I just have the one Water Hawthorne and it sure is taking its time in growing. Hope mine gets bigger and starts to flower again. I might have to move mine closer to moving water. What kind of soil do you have yours in Pondskee and do you fertilize it?

 

[sissy]

Is that the same as the regular hawthorn you grow on land as I have one but it has never bloomed .Think it does not like me .Actually is a rather ugly thing and been thinking of taking it out .Maybe thats why it does not like me because I call it ugly .

 

[Pondskee]

J.W I stuck the plants between rocks and let them feed on muck. In colder climate they need the depth to protect their bulb free from freezing. My hawthorns got fertilized by koi poo, really. By spring all plants will disappear, die back to the mud and silt. But their seed will grow quick all over the pond.
Sissy, I don't think they are the same species. The water type is: Aponogeton distachyus

 

[j.w]

Yep you are in Cali. and we do freeze around here sometimes so would be scared mine would freeze. Wish mine would seed around in the pond. Would love to have more of them.