This is a fabulous site. I checked the FAQ for my inquiry but didn't see an answer to my question.

I have been reading about creating a simple water feature -- mainly my husband and I just like the sound of water. Our deck is (unfortunately) on the north side of the house, so the shadow of the house doesn't allow for much direct sunlight (there is about 1 hour of blasting rays, then it's shady, but not dark). The plan is to immerse a 60 gal capacity pump, fill the tub with interesting rocks and water, and run a hose through the back of an inherited terra cotta lion's head (with hole in its mouth) hanging above it, so water will trickle down over the rocks and make a comforting sound.

Now I am considering adding a goldfish and plants, but all the advice is to make sure I have 6 hours of direct sun. What are my options? Just a pump in some water over rocks? I don't have unreasonable expectations (no brilliant lotus flowers or lilies). But hey, why not a submersed plant, a floater or two, and maybe some kind of grass or reed. What are my options? I have been looking through books and online, with no answers.

The container has no holes (naturally), is made of some kind of polymer (those new phony pots made to look like ceramic) and holds about 72 quarts of water and the diameter across the top is 24".

Does anyone have some suggestions? Success stories?

we have a whiskey barrell we did that with ad everythig is goig well we have fake plats but 2 real goldfish so far so good!! someone please knock on wood for me!!so it ca be done we keep a real close eye on it though

After changing my search words around, I came up with this website:

http://www.watergarden.com/pages/Pond-in-shade.html

Apparently, there are a few lilies out there that may bloom. I'm still interested in hearing about others' experience with ponds in the shade. I want to it be relaxing, not a huge hassle (and I don't want to kill anything I put in there, either!)

This was posted by someone at Texas A&M on the site
http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/flowers/lily2.html

My question, after seeing this list, then becomes, which of these shade-tolerant plants are suitable for an 18 gallon container?


"Water Plants that Tolerate Shade"

Plants mentioned by Dr. Jerry Parsons on the Weekend Gardener segment televised on August 7, 1998 included:

Aeschynomene fluitans, (Botswana Wonder - or - Large Sensitive Plant)
Cyperus afternifolius , (Umbrella Palm)
Cyperus haspans, (Dwarf Papyrus)
Canna americanallis variegata, (Variegated Water Canna)
Scripus 'zebrinus', (Zebra Rush)
Colocasia esculenta (Green Taro; Violet Stemmed Taro; Cranberry Taro)
Nymphoides cristata, (White Fringe or Painted White Water Snow Flake)

Gardeners associate water plants with full sun and sometimes think water plants won't grow in the shade. They overlook many impressive shade-loving water plants, such as the ones in the following list. Shade that is created by trees presents a special challenge to the water gardener. Trees produce leaves, twigs, branches, and seed. If you want to put a pond where there are a lot of trees, use a netting to reduce the amount of tree debris that will fall in the pond. Another alternative is to invest in a good pond vacuum and have a regular maintenance schedule to remove leaf debris from the pond. Or, install a skimmer box. The water flows through a wire and into a net, which you can remove at the edge of the pond.

Other shade-loving plants suitable for water gardens include:

Acorus calamus (Sweet Flag)
Acorus calamus variegata (Variegated Sweet Flag)
Bacopa monniera (Water Purslane)
Canna americanallis variegata (Variegated Water Canna)
Colocasia esculenta (Green Taro)
Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic' (Black Magic Taro)
Colocasia esculenta (Violet Stemmed Taro)
Colocasia jensii (Black Princess Taro)
Cyperus alternifolius gracillus (Miniature Umbrella Grass)
Elodia canadensis (Anacharis)
Equisetum hyemale (Horsetail)
Iris louisiana 'Dorothy Kay Williams' (Louisiana Iris)
Iris pseudacorus (Yellow Flag Iris)
Iris versicolor (Blue Flag Iris)
Marsilea quadrifolia (Upright Water Clover)
Mentha aquatica (Aquatic Mint)
Menyanthese trifoliata (Bog Bean)
Mimulus ringens (Lavender Monkey Flower)
Myriophyllum aquatica (Parrot Feather)
Neptunia aquatica (Sensitive Plant)
Nymphoides crenata (Painted Yellow Water Snow Flake)
Nymphoides cristata (Painted White Water Snow Flake)
Nymphoides indica (White Water Snow Flake)
Oenanthe javanica 'Flamingo' (Rainbow Water Parsley)
Orontium aquaticum (Golden Club)
Peltandra virginica (Bog Arum)
Pontederia condata (Pickerel Rush)
Sagittaria montevidensis (Ruby-Eyed Arrowhead)
Saururus cernuus (Lizard Tail)
Scirpus montevidensis (Fiber Optics Rush)
Trapa bicornis (Giant Mosaic Plant)

A small pond in the shade is better for fish than in the sun where it would overheat. I suggest rosy red minnows since they stay small and are easy to find and very cheap. Goldfish would only be okay as very small babies in such a small pond.

There are some plants that will survive in shade but few will thrive. How well plants do at your pond can't be predicted until you try it. You say there's an hour of direct sun daily. That should be enough to keep many plants alive. Here are my comments about the plants listed. I have my own plant list at http://www.fishpondinfo.com/plants/marginal.htm
Also, my tub pond page is at http://www.fishpondinfo.com/tubpond.htm

The following are tropicals that may work for a tub pond:
Aeschynomene fluitans, (Botswana Wonder - or - Large Sensitive Plant)
Cyperus afternifolius , (Umbrella Palm)
Cyperus haspans, (Dwarf Papyrus)
Colocasia esculenta (Green Taro; Violet Stemmed Taro; Cranberry Taro)
Nymphoides cristata, (White Fringe or Painted White Water Snow Flake)

This is a tropical that will probably be too big for your pond:
Canna americanallis variegata, (Variegated Water Canna)

This is a hardy plant that if confined to a smaller pot, may be okay for a tub pond:
Scripus 'zebrinus', (Zebra Rush)

That takes care of the first section. I will divide the next section into tropicals too big for your pond, tropicals okay for your pond, hardy plants too big for your pond, and hardy plants okay for your pond. By hardy, I'm assuming no colder than Zone 6 or so. By "too big," I'm saying that they will soon fill up a small pot and take up more room than you like. But, you can use them if you keep them in small pots and repot often. In addition, I have put a ** before plants that I think need more sun than you may have at your pond.

Tropicals that should be okay for your pond:

Bacopa monniera (Water Purslane)
Cyperus alternifolius gracillus (Miniature Umbrella Grass)
Neptunia aquatica (Sensitive Plant)
Nymphoides crenata (Painted Yellow Water Snow Flake) - semi-hardy
Nymphoides cristata (Painted White Water Snow Flake) - seni-hardy
Nymphoides indica (White Water Snow Flake) - semi-hardy
Sagittaria montevidensis (Ruby-Eyed Arrowhead)
Trapa bicornis (Giant Mosaic Plant)

Tropicals probably too big for your pond:

**Canna americanallis variegata (Variegated Water Canna)
Colocasia esculenta (Green Taro)
Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic' (Black Magic Taro)
Colocasia esculenta (Violet Stemmed Taro)
Colocasia jensii (Black Princess Taro)

Hardy plants probably too big for your pond:

Acorus calamus (Sweet Flag)
Acorus calamus variegata (Variegated Sweet Flag)
**Iris pseudacorus (Yellow Flag Iris)
**Iris versicolor (Blue Flag Iris)
**Iris louisiana 'Dorothy Kay Williams' (Louisiana Iris)
Saururus cernuus (Lizard Tail)
** Pontederia condata (Pickerel Rush)

Hardy plants probably okay for your pond:

Equisetum hyemale (Horsetail)
**Elodia canadensis (Anacharis) - submerged plant
Marsilea quadrifolia (Upright Water Clover)
Mentha aquatica (Aquatic Mint) - may grow out of hand
Menyanthese trifoliata (Bog Bean)
Mimulus ringens (Lavender Monkey Flower) - overwinter on land
Myriophyllum aquatica (Parrot Feather) - semi-hardy, may grow out of hand
Oenanthe javanica 'Flamingo' (Rainbow Water Parsley) - may grow out of hand
Orontium aquaticum (Golden Club)
Peltandra virginica (Bog Arum)
Scirpus montevidensis (Fiber Optics Rush) - spike rush

Thanks so much for all the info. I'll get started and report the results.
Beth