Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Monday - June 23, 2008
From: Atlanta, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Water Gardens, Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Plants for edge of pond
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
We live in Atlanta, Texas. My husband built a beautiful pond that is almost an acre in size. We are fortunate in that one side of the pond is covered by trees and a natural ground cover that keeps weeds and grass from growing. He is constantly having to use the weedeater on the edge of the pond closest to our house to keep the grass from getting too high. Is there anything we can do to the edge of the pond to get rid of the grass..any spray or other plants we could use?ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants is pretty sure you don't want use any sort of herbicide spray there because it will likely affect all plants nearby, not just the ones you want to get rid of. My suggestion is to plant attractive plants along the edge of the pond that you won't mind having grow a bit tall. Here are some recommendations that are native and do well in moist areas in full sun:
Ornamental grasses
These grasses look good when they are green and when they have matured and turned brown.
Chasmanthium latifolium (Inland sea oats)
Andropogon glomeratus (bushy bluestem)
Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye)
Sedges
These are grass-like, but usually shorter than grasses and many are evergreen. Here are a couple of suggestions:
Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge)
Carex cherokeensis (Cherokee sedge)
Semi-aquatic plants
These will grow in shallow water at the edge of the pond or in moist areas on solid ground.
Hydrocotyle umbellata (manyflower marshpennywort)
Equisetum hyemale (scouringrush horsetail)
Lobelia cardinalis (cardinalflower)
More Water Gardens Questions
Note on pond over oak roots from Round Rock TX
December 23, 2012 - Thanks very much to Barbara for answering my question about the live oaks - covering parts of their root systems with a pond. Your answer inspired discussion, and we changed our pond plan and moved th...
view the full question and answer
Propagation information from Queens NY
October 04, 2012 - Hello. I would appreciate information on when to plant the following plants. I found on the USDA website that all these plants could withstand the cold. ALthough they can withstand harsh weather, ...
view the full question and answer
Is the Obedient Plant a bog plant?
August 16, 2008 - I purchased 2 obedient plants at a farmer's market in Michigan. As I was unfamiliar with this plant, the merchant told me it did well in full sun. It was just what I needed. When I got home I look...
view the full question and answer
Need an attractive plant to help stabilize a wet area in East Stroudsburg PA.
April 20, 2011 - We have a small run off from one pond to another. At the bottom of the slope, the area is always wet--and not from the run off. Is there a low growing plant that would provide a root system to help st...
view the full question and answer
Plants for wet soils in North Carolina
October 03, 2009 - I'm looking for evergreen plants (shrubs or ground cover)that will tolerate wet conditions for the zone 8 area of North Carolina. The local garden centers here do not stock these types of plants, eve...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
