Beautiful Water Garden Flowers

Some of the prettiest flowers in existance, are water garden flowers. It's fairly easy to create a water garden, even if you don't have the room or budget to create an actual pond. And growing beautiful flowers in your water garden is easy too.

One of the easiest ways to try out a water garden, and experiment with the different types of water garden flowers available, is to create a container water garden. Container water gardens can be made with standard ceramic, clay, plastic or wood pots that are at least 18 inches high, and 24 inches in diameter.

Don't be afraid to get creative with your container water garden either. Try unusual items such as large kitchen bowls or pots, livestock watering troughs, and old bathtubs too. The larger your container is of course, the more room you'll have for trying out various kinds of water garden flowers and plants.

Once you've chosen the container you'll use to create your water garden, you may need to put a liner in it if it's not already sealed. Wooden whiskey barrel containers for instance, need to have a heavy plastic lining put in them so they'll hold the water for your garden. You can usually buy easy lining inserts though, at almost any local garden center or nursery.

Fill your sealed container at least three quarters full of regular water from your hose, then let it sit for 24-48 hours. This will allow you to make sure the container won't leak once your flowers and plants are put in, plus it lets the chlorine evaporate.

You may also need to stack some bricks in the bottom of your container, so the plants and flowers will have something to sit on. Many water garden flowers need to have their base even with the water level in the container, so sitting them on a shelf of some kind raises them to the various heights needed.

Now comes the hard part: Choosing which flowers to put into your water garden. This is difficult because there are so many beautiful water flowers and plants, that you'll be tempted to overfill your new container water garden. Try to start small though, with just three to five water plants and flowers. Here are several excellent suggestions:

1. Water Lilies. These water garden flowers will float on the surface, and help keep algae growth down. The flowers will bloom a couple of inches above the water.

2. Globe Flowers. These will grow about three feet tall and attract butterflies to your water garden.

3. Water Hyacinth. Beautiful lilac colored flowers which bloom about six inches from the water surface.

4. Full Eclipse Water Iris. This water garden flower grows to about three feet in height, and sports beautiful pink, purple and burgundy colored flower blooms.

5. Water Mint. This is a fast growing flowering plant which will cascade over the side of your water garden, and give you tiny light blue flowers.

Putting flowers and plants in your water garden which grow to different heights adds interest, texture and variety. It will also make your water garden more appealing to butterflies, birds, insects, and other beneficial wildlife. Often you'll even find a frog or squirrel have taken up residence in your water garden too!