Ask most visiting children about their favorite thing at Garden in the Woods and you will likely hear, “the lily pond!”  I’ve come to realize this is usually due to the abundant animal life that is harbored there.  Children of all ages have a fascination with frogs, turtles, mallard ducklings, dragonflies, and the ever popular and exciting Northern Water Snake that all call the lily pond home.  All this native wildlife is supported and sustained by the native flora in the surrounding area.  A pond provides a unique way to teach children and adults about native plants and their importance to other living things.

In addition to being an ideal teaching tool, ponds are wonderful assets to the environment; they enhance the beauty of an individual’s home landscape, increase property values, and encourage wildlife. 

If you are considering a pond at your home, good planning is imperative. The Wetlands Protection Act (Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 131, Section 40) is a state law that prohibits the removal, dredging, filling, or altering of wetlands without a permit.  Check with your state Department of Natural Resources, for more details on what rules apply to your area, and the procedures to follow when dealing with fragile ecosystems.  Your town's Conservation Commission is also a good resource for information on regulations for your town.

Once a pond is established, adding “pondscaping” can add to the aesthetics, as well as help stabilize the shore, and improve the water quality of your pond.  Some time should be dedicated to selecting plants that like “wet feet”.  Plants will eventually rot if they don't normally grow in these wet conditions. 

You may be throwing on a pair of wellies, using a canoe, or wearing clothes you don’t mind getting wet, but there is no need to be intimidated. Typical gardening practices still apply around your pond.   Place larger plants, such as Vernonia noveboracensis (New York ironweed), in the back for viewing or screening, arrange mid size Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower) in front of the larger plants, and plant shorter wildflowers and groundcovers such as Caltha palustris (marsh marigolds) in front.  Add larger shrubs and trees for structure in your border. Click here for a list of my top favorite wildflowers, shrubs, and trees.  

Here are a few tips when beginning gardening in your pond area.  Plants will sink in wet soil, so plant a couple of inches higher than you would normally.  Divide perennials every 2-4 years because they will spread quickly in moist conditions.  Most wet loving plants spread through rhizomes and tend to be a bit aggressive in the garden.  That having been said, you should keep an eye on your tender plants and watch their forceful neighbors.  Some plants might require staking because they will grow so tall from all the nutrients they are taking in.  Lastly, don’t forget to include foliage plants around your pond. This gives you the opportunity to plant ferns, sedges, and grasses. Osmunda regalis (Royal Fern) thrives at the lily pond.

If space is an issue in your landscape, you can also integrate plants that like wet feet in floating gardens, bogs, and rain gardens.  You can also add a small pond using a plastic liner or fiberglass insert in a non-wet area of your yard and still reap many of the same benefits.

The connections between plants and animals, as well as the beauty of the plants and the pond itself all combine to make the lily pond at Garden in the Woods my favorite habitat garden to work in. I find the area to be serene and calming. And, if I get lucky, I see lots of wildlife while I am there.