BioNova SwimPond

Exotic Flair with an Iris

Iris is a genus of several hundred species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, which is also the name for the rainbow’s Greek goddess, Iris. As well as being the scientific name, iris is also widely used as a common name for all its related species.

Shocks of Color with a Cardinal Flower

The cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows up to four feet tall. It is found in wet places that include rivers and streambanks. The flowers are usually vibrant red, have five arching petals that can grow up to 2 inches across. These petals are produced on tall spikes from the summer to the fall, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies to add a pollinator-friendly vibe to your aquatic wonderland.

Subtle but Sweet Forget-Me-Not

The water forget-me-not (Myosotis scirpioides) grows straight upward and bears small flowers that start pink as buds, but become blue when fully open. The center of the pistil is yellow with white veins streaked throughout. Its long style distinguishes the plant. This is a great plant for tucking into streams and waterfalls to fill in small gaps with bits of color. You can easily remove the sediment trapped by the shallow roots through pruning.

Add Height with Pickerel Rush

Pickerel rush (Pontederia cordata) are suitable for nearly every pond. The purple flowers have yellow markings, which may assist in attracting bees for pollination. As Native American cultures have demonstrated, the seeds can be eaten like nuts, and the young leaf-stalks cooked as greens. This plant blooms throughout the summer with tall spikes and broad leaves that sway in the breezes.

Distinctive Shapes with Arrow Arum

Arrow arum (Peltandra virginica) has an elegant and attractive design. Although Arrow Arum lacks flowers and buds it provides a rigid structure. It is striking enough to stand alone or can be planted in large quantities. Also, the plant is unpalatable when eaten raw. However, Native Americans used most parts of the plant for food, cooking it for hours first to make it safe to eat. It also has use beyond being an ornamental plant or used to stabilize sediments in small water bodies.

Let Your Imagination Free: Aquatic Plants for a Natural Swimming Pool

These are just a handful of examples of aquatic plants for natural swimming pools. BioNova aquatic plant specialists can provide guidance for choosing the best plants for your climate; native plants tend to have the hardiness for withstanding regional temperature ranges. Whatever you choose, you’ll have an ecologically-friendly waterscape in your backyard you can be proud to swim in and show off!

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Plant Purification

The increased surface area of the water provides aquatic vegetation the space it needs to flourish. Most (if not all) of the aquatic plants listed exist in any pond in a park, preserve, or forest. Here are the plant types in question:

• Algae – This is the most basic form an aquatic plant can take. This simple organism has been around for hundreds of millions of years. The smallest form of this organism is microscopic and referred to as planktonic algae. Its primitive nature doesn’t detract from its filtration elegance, however. In a natural swimming pool, algae is an essential part of creating what we call “living water.” The living aquatic environment we are developing relies on healthy, controlled growth of phytoplankton and other producers in the microbial lifecycle. We keep this aquatic plan workhorse under control with the other aquatic plants listed below.

• Floating Plants – Floating plants are not attached to the bottom of a water body and can be small, floating foliage like duckweed or large in diameter like water hyacinth. Most floating plants have roots that dangle in the water to absorb nutrients. Floating plants can grow out of control and clog skimmers, so it’s important that they are contained properly for maximum benefit. The right plant right in the right place is the general rule of thumb, as one plant that performs well in one area may not do as well in another in terms of sunlight availability or water turbulence.

• Submerged plants – Submerged plants are rooted in media or pots below the water surface. Some portions may stick above the water, but most of the plant mass remains beneath the surface. Moreover, the soft, fleshy stems of submerged plants generally do not come above the water. Floating fronds offer habitat to tadpoles and other critters to mature.

• Emergent plants – Emergent plants are rooted plants often along the shoreline that stand above the surface, like cattails. These stems are a lot firmer to help stand the plant up straight. The taller types of grasses, rushes, and reeds offer habitat for frogs and shelter for dragonflies. Using these wisely in a regeneration zone adds vertical interest sightlines and even more biodiversity to an organic pool.

• Marginal plants – As the name suggests, these plants grow in a pond’s margins. They share nutrients with other terrestrial plants nearby. Marginal plants prefer to have their roots and crown wet, so they grow in continuously saturated soil. These plants have the ability to filter and clean water as well as soak up pollutants. Additionally, they are necessary for other herpetological (toads, newts, salamanders, etc.) animals who depend on them for shelter from heat and predators.

When you think of aquatic plants in a natural swimming pool, think about the different roles each type play. The BioNova® BioSwimPond design utilizes several aquatic plants types in natural swimming pools’ regeneration zones. To build an effective regeneration zone, the right quantity of each plant must be used. Let the BioNova® certified landscapers and aquatic engineers craft the perfect regeneration zone for you in a BioSwimPond!

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