When we installed our small goldfish pond a month back, we had two goals. First, to give our 8 ever-growing goldfish a little more breathing room and second, I wanted a pond for a few frogs. The goldfish are loving life and I now have a dozen bullfrog tadpole sprouting legs. The pond is already a most relaxing place to enjoy a summer evening.
But there is another side benefit to our goldfish pond. It’s turning into a beautiful water garden.
Nancy bought a bunch of water plants in hopes of filtering the water to keep the pond clear. They did, almost immediately, but a few days ago, we noticed a new addition to our pond – a beautiful, lavender flower. One of our 6 water hyacinths had bloomed.
I knew water lilies had beautiful blooms, we have enjoyed those in our smaller pond, and we have some water lilies in the new pond, but the hyacinths were a bonus. When all of them bloom, it will be a real treat.
Water hyacinths – unlike their land-based counterparts – have no odor, but they surely are pretty. The hyacinths are free floaters and native to sub-tropical South America. They are annuals in our climate and will have to be replenished again next spring. They are also one of the fastest growing water plants of all and can be highly invasive in larger bodies of water. The plant has an ability to clone itself and form large patches in a short period of time. When left uncontrolled, the plants can cover ponds and lakes entirely. This affects water flow and blocks sunlight from reaching native aquatic plants, which often die. The decay process depletes oxygen and can kill fish.
We, of course, can just snatch any extra and unwanted plants if they start to overwhelm the pond.
But what beauties they are! I can’t wait to see more of them in full bloom.