The stillness of a shaded area can often be complemented by moving water. A small waterfall or stream will create a point of interest and bring life to an otherwise still, quiet, shady corner of a garden.
In the shade, water features never get very warm, but they don't get as cold as pools in the open, particularly in cooler climates. Pond life in a shaded pond will be different to one in full sun.
Location
Water always settles to a flat surface, so the slope of the land will always limit what you can do. Without additional force (from a pump), water cannot be made to flow up-hill. Water will always tend to collect rubbish, and the more rubbish it collects, the more difficult it is to keep clean. Consider what leaves, dust or other rubbish might find their way into the water and what might wash in from erosion uphill from the water feature. This is especially important if you want to have a pond near trees.
Although generally water gardens work best sited at the lowest point in the garden, as this is where water would naturally collect in the landscape, the exceptions are formal water gardens. Formal water gardens do not attempt to emulate a natural landscape – in which case they can be sited anywhere, and raised above the general ground level.
Waterfalls and streams, in particular, need to look natural, and so should be sited along the natural contours.
If you are planning a natural style water garden, remember that the lowest point in the garden may be a frost pocket where the temperatures may get very cold, and be potentially harmful to both plants and fish.
Look carefully at how much sun and shade the pond will receive - most water plants need a reasonable amount of direct sunlight to grow well, so you will need to use plant species that will flourish in shade or semi-shade. The upside is that ponds situated in a partially shaded garden tend not to be prone to algae. However trees will drop leaves and twigs and these could fall into the pond if the trees are very close. Some people use a pool skimmer to remove debris from the pond surface and this can be a good way to maintain your pond.
Remember also that tree roots can damage the pond too.
Cascades and fountains will need a pump and so they need to be located near a power source.
Evaporation rate
Although less of a problem is a shaded or partially shaded position, the rate of evaporation from the pond depends mainly on its surface area. A broad, shallow pond in an open area will lose water at a faster rate and experience greater temperature fluctuations than a water feature that is deeper with a smaller surface area. It is important that you have some way for water to be automatically added as levels drop, or that you regularly check water levels, and top them up manually (e.g. with a hose).
Water depth
The depth of the water garden depends on its purpose. If you plan to keep fish and/or grow water lilies, it will need to be around 60cm deep so that fish and plants are not affected by temperature fluctuations. If you are going to grow bog plants then you might only need a depth of around 10-20cm.
To add flexibility to your design, create areas of different depth in your water feature. This will allow you to provide a range of different environments to suit different plant and animal types (e.g. frogs).
Safety
Adding water features to your gardens can pose a safety risk, particularly if you have young children, or if other children can easily access your garden. Even very small shallow ponds pose a danger to babies and toddlers, as it is possible for them to drown in only 5 or 6cm of water. It may be necessary to provide suitable fencing around your garden so that you can control access to any areas where you have water features.
In smaller ponds, a frame with heavy duty metal mesh can be set just below the water’s surface. This will minimise the visual impact of the mesh frame and allow most plants to grow through it. This will have an additional benefit if you have fish, as it will provide them some protection against predators such as birds. The mesh will corrode (rust) after a period in the water, and will need to be replaced at intervals.
There are pool fencing regulations in many areas and these must be considered when landscaping the surrounds. A tall tree suitable for a child to climb cannot be planted next to the fence, as it will assist a child to climb the fence and have access to the water. Check your local council by-laws.
WATER PLANTS FOR SHADED PONDS
There are shade tolerant water plants and even shade tolerant water lilies (mainly the apricot through to reddish orange colours but also purples and whites for tropical species) that you can grow in a shaded water garden. It just takes careful selection – when you select water lilies for your pond talk with a water plant expert and be guided by their suggestions.
Some shade tolerant water plant species include – there cultural requirements and climatic conditions vary, so check that they are suited to your region:
Acorus spp.
Aponogeton distachyos (Water Hawthorn)
Bacopa caroliana
Calocasia spp.
Cypress alternifolius (Umbrella Palm)
Egeria densa (Leafy Elodea)
Houttuynia cordata var. variegata (Chameleon Plant)
Hydrocotyl verticillata (Water Pennywort) (Can be weedy)
Iris pseudacorus
Iris versicolor
Iris vinicolor
Juncus spp.
Lobelia fulgens (Cardinal Flower)
Ludwigia palustris
Mentha aquatica (Water Mint)
Myriophyllum aquatica (Parrot's Feather)
Neptunia (Sensitive Plant)
Nymphaea Helvola (Dwarf Yellow Water lily)
Orontium aquaticum (Golden Club)
Ranunculus inundatus (River Buttercup)
Ranunculus lingua (Spearwort)
Vallisneria americana (Ribbon grass)
Zantedeschia aethiopica (Arum lily)
Edge plants
Several forms are commonly used for pond-side plantings a d the list below are all shade or semi-shade tolerant:
Large bold leaf shapes (eg. Bergenias, Gunnera, Hosta)
Upright strap leaves (e.g. Doryanthes, iris)
Umbrella-shaped plants (e.g. tree ferns, palms)
Weeping plants (e.g. dwarf weeping maples
Upright clumping plants (e.g. ferns)
Small-leaved mat plants to fill in the gaps (e.g. violets, Cotula, Pratia)
