Whats Looking Good October

A tricyrtis

Impatiens Pink Nerves

A different tricyrtis - Empress

Hedychium (definitely not Luna Moth though sold as it) still with plenty to give.
And hedychium densiflorum and Devon Cream are putting up more flower spikes! I hope frost doesn't come too soon.

 

Things like corkscrew rush [Juncus effusus] and Equisetum are evergreen @Plantminded and provide height, which is helpful for things like dragonflies. The latter isn't like the invasive horsetail which causes lots of problems, but you can always keep it contained in a basket. I also love cotton grass and it grows in the surrounding soil as well as the pond here, but it needs permanent moisture, so it woul dbe ifne in a container pond.
I use things like water forget me not [the white one!] which survives until pretty late in the year and starts appearing quite early on.
Oxygenators are necessary, and I think Elodea is now banned. I used Hornwort but it disappeared, so that was a waste of time. I still have Elodea in my pond and it's not a problem, but I don't know if it would be in a container one. Watercress is good for using up excess nutrients, and could evenn be evergreen in mild areas, so that's worth trying once you have the pond in place. Just a bag from a supermarket chucked in.
Any planting you could have around it - either pots or in the ground, would help for winter interest, and is really valuable for wildlife/birds etc. Just be sure to have some logs or rocks for them accessing the water safely.

 

Thank you @fairygirl for your recommendations and advice. A new project is in the making . I have a Juncus in a mix in a winter container so it can be promoted to a container pond. I also like Equisetum (even the invasive one, but not in my garden ). @CostasK thank you for your further thoughts, I like your expansion plans .

 

No probs @Plantminded . There will be plenty of other plants that suit you, depending on where you site it, but a generally open, sunnier site is better.
Check out places like Puddleplants and Bradshaws etc, to see what there is. Unfortunately, it can be just as addicitve as any other part of the garden!

Your hostas would be good beside it too

 

Thank you as well for the information @fairygirl

I will make a mental note to look into water forget-me-nots in Spring. I was also tempted by water hawthorn and considered it as an alternative to the water lily. If I get a larger container pond, I could considering combining the two, plus a couple of additional marginals. I would love to make that combination of upright marginals, plants with floating leaves and submerged oxygenating plants a bit more complex.

We do have an equisitum actually but it's quite big for the container, that's why we didn't move it there. Juncus was my personal choice over the "optical fibre" plant but my partner really liked the latter so I thought I would at least let him choose one plant

I am surprised that hornwort hasn't done well for you, as it's considered to be very vigorous. So far it's doing well for me. I don't like the look of it if I'm honest, but as it's submerged and I have plants with floating leaves on top it, I don't mind.

P.S. I think Puddleplants is where I got my water lily from. I was pleased with it.

 

Thank you @fairygirl and @CostasK I'm going to have a good look at those suppliers and order some starter plants. I've also ordered a small preformed pond which will fit in a border near my sitting area. I did think of using a washing up bowl or plastic storage box but they wouldn't have shelves and access points, or look very good . There's a large selection out there but I went for the Cove version of this one:

Bermuda Pre-Formed Ponds | Bermuda Water Gardens

It was on the Bradshaws website but out of stock so I ordered it from that river shop .

 

@Plantminded if it is going to be at ground level, this is definitely a better option

Mine is sat on top of the remains of a huge root of a leyland tree...

Have it at ground level is better for wildlife as well.

 

That was my thinking @CostasK, I just hope it doesn't look like a baby's bath .

 

I found this pond plant supplier and liked the look of their range, ethics and prices and thought you might be interested @CostasK and @fairygirl. I've placed an order so will report back .

Home Page - Water Garden Plants

With apologies to other members, this thread has gone off topic . I’ll start a new thread.

 

Water hawthorn is for shadier spots @CostasK , so if the pond's in a sunnier spot it probably won't do well.
I'll take a look at your new thread @Plantminded

 

This is Erysimum Red Jep, a perennial wallflower, planted a few weeks ago, starting to flower. I'm not sure whether it's late or early .