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Cactus and pine trees and lettuce- Oh My!
We're not talking your usual floating beauties here; Alternative pond plants are flora you'd never expect to see in a watery setting, something that basically defies the laws of nature; how can one grow a terrestrial plant in a pond?

Quite easily, if I do say so myself!

1. "Float the boat"

Well, not quite a boat, but it is something along those lines.

Craft a Hypertufa container (or any container larger enough to hold your desired plants), making sure it is waterproof. You really don't want your non-aquatic plants drowning in pond water, so be sure of your sealant.
If your chosen vessel will not float, you will need to create a sturdy base (I use stacked rocks), in order to give the appearance of your plants growing in the water. If you don't care that they don't look like floating plants, you can stop there and just have potted terrestrials in your pond. If you're like me you will care, so planting various trailing sedums and other plants that don't mind dangling in the water will help disguise the pots' edge.

Don't stop there! You can also craft mountains with planting nooks and crannies by gluing (try rubber cement) rocks and limbs together. Pay attention to scale if you want it to look like a real mountain. Placing this in your crafted pot will give you even more spaces for planting flowers that need fast draining soil- e.g. cactus and some other trees and plants.

2. "A living waterfall"

Maybe you have certain plants that can't tolerate the constant moisture of being so close to the water- in this case you can easily create a "waterfall" of plants.
Start by mounding the proper soil for your plants in the shape that you want. Gradually taper the soil to prevent future erosion. Adding rocks, limbs, and logs can future stop erosion as can edging the base with stones or landscaping timbers. The plants themselves will stop erosion as well.
Get creative with your placement of elements, try and make the waterfall have natural lines, then enhance those lines with your plants.
Planting airy white flowers (such as Baby's Breath) at the base of the falls, and anywhere the "water" would normally hit will give the illusion of white water spray. This adds subtle yet effective oomph to the overall effect!

3. "Aqua Bonsai"

We cannot have mountains and falls without TREES!
Gather up or create your own Bonsai, plant these in and around your "mountains" and "waterfalls", remember, pay attention to where you place your landscapes, you want to be able to enjoy the best angles of your plants (especially your bonsai!)
Most bonsai require a well draining soil; keep this in mind when placing them.

Your options for Alternative Pond Plants are basically endless; try a myriad of different species- you never know what combinations you'll find, and LOVE!

"Hypertufa Recipe"

1 part Portland Cement
1 part Peat Moss
1 part Perlite or Vermiculite
In a large container mix the ingredients with enough water to make a ball of product that will hold together in your hand. Only a very small amount of water should come out when squeezed between your hands. Do not add too much water as this will result in a weak finished product. Allow the ingredients to age approx. 10 minutes before using the mixture.
This is just a recipe, there are numerous articles on the web that give step-by-step instructions on how to create gorgeous pots.

"Possible Plants List"

*Sedum erythrostictum
*Sedum rupestre
*Sedum emarginatum
*Viola sororia
*Viola missouriensis
*Viola riviniana
*Juniperus virginiana
*Thuja plicata
*Lagerstroemia indica
*Lagerstroemia x fauriei
*Lagerstroemia indica
*Ipomoea batatas
*Lobularia maritima
*Alyssum murale
*Alyssum lenense
*Aurinia saxatilis

Learn more about this author, Isadora Pandora.
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