Ten Mile Creek Nursery had long specialized in general landscape plants, Gulf Coast natives and annuals — just your ordinary South Alabama nursery striving to survive in an uncertain economy. But on a warm afternoon in October 2009, we had our first encounter with growing lotus. We all met under the big pole barn. The […]
Tips for Choosing, Planting and Growing Lotus Read More »
Life will find a way, as Jeff Goldblum’s character in Jurassic Park famously said. The need to reproduce is a basic motivation that drives all life on Earth, and modern aquatic plants have demonstrated this better than most of Earth’s other creatures. In fact, they have found several ways, which I’ll shine a light on
Vivipary | Alternative vegetative reproduction in aquatic plants Read More »
Aquaponics refers to a system that grows fish and plants together. Plants use fish waste as fertilizer, and in most instances, they filter the water to provide good water quality for the fish. This system is fascinating to a variety of people and groups — professional gardeners, aquaculturists, aquarium keepers, water gardeners, organic gardeners, tinkerers,
New Advances in Aquaponics Technology Read More »
There’s a lot to be said for all the phone calls and thank-you letters that tell the stories of how much clients loves their pond. But nothing says, “I completed my task and built something my client is totally engaged in,” quite like the flurry of activity around a pond’s perimeter. Most ponds are encompassed
Pond Plants for High Foot Traffic Read More »
Many first-time water gardeners can watch water lilies grow and not realize how quickly they overgrow. Ken Landon, Tim Davis and Zac deGarmeaux provide a video on how-to correctly repot an overgrown and overcrowded lily installation. The video provides step-by-step details of what to look for, such as a growth point of foliage, flower buds
Video | How to Correctly Repot a Hardy Waterlily Read More »
There are many different kinds of gardens — vegetable gardens, flower gardens, rock gardens, butterfly gardens and, of course, water gardens, just to name a few. But a type of garden that many people do not regularly consider is a bog garden, or gardening with plants that like “wet feet.” Bog gardens are normally associated
Keep Your Plants & Feet Wet With Versatile Bog Gardens Read More »
Whether natural or man-made, there are many different water-garden irises that can grow in and around your pond. Iris laevigata is related to many of the water-loving irises found in the laevigatae series. This series includes irises found across the world: the United States’ two natives (Iris virginica and Iris versicolor), Europe’s yellow-flag Iris pseudacorus,
Water-Loving Iris Makes Itself at Home in the Water Garden Read More »
What is there not to love about Sagittaria latifolia? For starters, there’s its beauty. Sagittaria is known for its verdant green, sagittate (or arrowlike) leaves coming off a central stem that is held aloft over shallow waters. White-petaled flowers bloom from June to mid-August. These plants are often at their best in the withering heat
Sagittaria Brings Food, Fowl & Floral Enhancements to the Water Garden Read More »
The water garden industry as a whole is still evolving, and with that, there are few, if any standards or regulations in place for us to follow. As professionals, we are responsible for being knowledgeable about our trade and following procedures and any safety standards set forth by our local government agencies. However, the rest
Installation Tips to Ensure Water Garden Quality Read More »
Lotus (Nelumbo) and I began a relationship some 30 years ago. Having had a childhood infused with growing things, I have always been intrigued by plants — but lotus is special. It is full of rich history, and for those with an inquisitive nature, there is boundless information since it’s one of the most researched
Lotus: The Magical Aquatic Plant Read More »