A pond only looks right when it is planted, and most Australian ponds are planted badly - a couple of water lilies floating in the middle and bare liner showing at the edges. The plants that actually make a pond work are the marginal and edge species that grow in shallow water and wet soil, disguise the liner, shade the surface and keep the water clear.
Worth saying upfront: we grow marginal and pond-edge plants, not submerged aquatics. Water lilies and oxygenating weed come from a specialist aquatic nursery. Everything below is what we can actually help with, and it is the part most people get wrong.
The four planting zones
| Zone | Water depth | What goes there |
|---|---|---|
| Deep water | 300 mm+ | Water lilies, oxygenators - from an aquatic specialist |
| Shallow margin | 0-150 mm | Louisiana iris, rushes, sedges |
| Wet edge | Saturated soil | Lomandra hystrix, alocasia, swamp banksia |
| Damp surrounds | Moist but drained | Tree ferns, gingers, clivia, fan palms |
Getting the zones right is most of the job. A plant that wants saturated soil will rot in a normal garden bed, and a garden plant will drown in 100 mm of standing water.
Shallow margin plants (0-150 mm of water)
1. Louisiana iris
Black Gamecock and Louisiana Mauve genuinely grow in standing water up to about 150 mm deep, and they are the best flowering plant available for an Australian pond margin. Deep purple and mauve blooms in spring, strappy foliage the rest of the year, and they multiply steadily into a solid clump.
2. Common rush
Juncus usitatus is an Australian native rush found naturally along creeks and wetlands from Queensland to Victoria. Fine upright green stems to about a metre, tolerant of permanent shallow water, and exactly right for a natural-looking pond.
3. Tall sedge
Carex appressa is another native wetland species, forming dense tussocks to a metre in wet soil or shallow water. It is widely used in constructed wetlands and bioswales because it filters runoff, and it does the same job in a garden pond.
4. Knobby club rush
Ficinia nodosa handles wet feet, salt and coastal exposure, making it useful for ponds in coastal gardens where other margin plants struggle. Neat rounded tussocks around 600 mm.
Wet edge plants (saturated soil, not submerged)
5. Slender mat rush
Lomandra hystrix comes from creek banks and tolerates far wetter soil than the common L. longifolia. It is the workhorse for the metre or so around a pond where soil stays damp - tough, evergreen and effectively maintenance-free.
6. Little Cricket lomandra
Little Cricket is the compact form at around 400 mm, for smaller ponds where full-size lomandra would dominate.
7. Cunjevoi
Alocasia brisbanensis is the native elephant ear, growing naturally in wet gullies along the east coast. Big glossy leaves give a pond instant lushness. The sap is toxic, so keep it away from ponds where children play.
8. Swamp banksia
Banksia robur grows naturally in swampy coastal heath and is one of very few banksias that tolerates wet ground. Large leathery leaves and green-gold flower spikes that bring honeyeaters in.
9. Broad-leaved paperbark
Melaleuca quinquenervia is the classic Australian wetland tree, thriving in saturated ground where almost nothing else will. Papery white bark and nectar-rich flowers. It needs room - this is a tree, not a pond-edge shrub.
Damp surrounds (moist but drained)
10. Rough tree fern
Cyathea australis is native to eastern Australia and thrives in the humid shaded conditions around a pond. Nothing else gives that gully-forest feeling as quickly.
11. Straw tree fern
Cyathea cooperi is faster growing than the rough tree fern and suits warmer subtropical gardens in Brisbane and northern New South Wales.
12. Native ginger
Alpinia caerulea is an Australian rainforest ginger with blue berries and rich green foliage, ideal in the moist shade behind a pond.
13. Variegated shell ginger
Alpinia zerumbet 'Variegata' brings gold-striped foliage that lifts a shaded waterside planting considerably.
14. Clivia
Clivia miniata flowers in deep shade where little else does, and the strap foliage suits a pond surround. It wants moist but drained soil, so keep it above the waterline.
15. Walking iris
Neomarica gracilis takes damp shade and produces white and blue flowers, spreading gradually into a groundcovering clump around the pond edge.
How much of the pond to plant
Aim to cover roughly half to two-thirds of the water surface, whether with lily pads, marginal foliage overhanging the edge, or both. Shade is what controls algae. A pond in full Australian summer sun with an open water surface will go green no matter how good the filtration is, and planting is a far more reliable fix than chemicals.
Plant the margins densely enough to hide the liner completely. Visible black liner is the single thing that makes a pond look artificial.
Practical points for Australian ponds
- Never release aquarium or pond plants into waterways. Several water plants sold in the past are now declared weeds in parts of Australia. Dispose of excess growth in the green bin, not a creek or drain.
- Check pool fencing rules. In most Australian states, water deeper than about 300 mm may require fencing. Confirm with your council before excavating.
- Use aquatic potting mix for plants in baskets. Ordinary potting mix floats out and clouds the water.
- Top up in summer. Evaporation in an Australian summer is significant, and marginal plants suffer when water level drops below their crowns.
- Divide clumps every two or three years. Iris and rushes fill their baskets quickly and flower less when congested.
- Mosquitoes. Moving water and native fish handle them. Avoid still stagnant corners.
Frequently asked questions
What plants grow in shallow water in Australia?
Louisiana iris, Juncus usitatus, Carex appressa and Ficinia nodosa all tolerate permanently wet feet and shallow standing water to about 150 mm. The rushes and sedges are Australian natives found naturally along creeks and wetlands.
Do I need water lilies for a pond?
Not necessarily, but you need surface shade from something. Aim to cover half to two-thirds of the water, either with lily pads or with marginal plants that overhang the edge. Water lilies come from specialist aquatic nurseries rather than general plant nurseries.
How do I stop my pond going green?
Shade the water. Algae needs sunlight, and a pond in full Australian sun with an open surface will go green regardless of filtration. Planting the margins heavily and covering half the surface does more than any treatment.
What can I plant around a pond that is not in the water?
Lomandra hystrix, cunjevoi, swamp banksia and paperbark all handle saturated soil at the water's edge. Slightly further back, tree ferns, native gingers and clivia enjoy the humidity without wanting wet roots.
Are there Australian native pond plants?
Plenty. Juncus usitatus, Carex appressa, Ficinia nodosa, Lomandra hystrix, Alocasia brisbanensis, Banksia robur and Melaleuca quinquenervia are all native and all suited to wet ground, and they support local frogs and birds better than imported species.
Do I need a fence around a garden pond?
Possibly. Most Australian states require fencing for water deeper than about 300 millimetres, with rules varying by state and council. Check locally before you dig, because it affects the design significantly.
Ready to plant?
We grow the marginal, wet-edge and waterside plants above. Browse our landscaping grasses for rushes and sedges, or Australian natives for the wetland species.
Planning the surrounds? See ideal fern environments and our lomandra care guide.
