Ponds and Water Features - May

Continue to plant all types of water plants into aquatic baskets filled with J Arthur Bower’s Aquatic Compost topped with a layer of J Arthur Bower’s Washed Gravel.

Don’t feed fish more than once a day as any excess food will sink to the bottom and stimulate the growth of algae.

Water adds a whole new dimension to gardens. If you don’t have a water feature, now’s a good time of year to set one up. You don’t have to have an excavated pond. Garden centres stock an enormous range of different features ranging from wall fountains and pebble pools to stainless steel spheres and bronze urns. Many are self-contained and solar-powered and can be set up in a couple of hours. You can complement your chosen water feature with beautiful stones from the J Arthur Bower’s Decorative Aggregates range.

If you do hanker after a pond why not make a mini pond in a half barrel. You can find specially treated barrels at aquatic garden centres. Once you are sure the barrel is sealed, fill it with water. Now comes the fun part – choosing the plants. If you’d love a waterlily look out for the tiny Nymphaea tetragonal ‘Helvola’ with white flowers. You’ll need an oxygenator such as Myriophyllum aquaticum (this can be thinned as necessary) and for contrast have something tall and grassy.