Ponds present the gardener with a number of growing conditions in a small area. Like many water features, shrubs located near the pond are exposed to lots of water and damp growing conditions. Plants adapted to drier states suffer from root rot and lack of soil air when planted near water features. The best shrubs for around a pond tolerate wet soil.
Sunny Areas
Sunny areas around a pond supply the shrubs cool, wet roots and exposure to summer heat. 1 example of a showy shrub that grows best in sunny wet circumstances is that the “Heat Flash” Cajun hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis “Heat Flash”). This tropical shrub produces large golden-yellow blossoms with dark pink centres over evergreen glassy leaves in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11. This 4- to 6-foot-tall and broad bush blooms from late spring through the summer, but will blossom year round in warm winter areas. “Pleniflora” Japanese kerria (Kerria japonica “Pleniflora”) grows well in USDA zones 4 through 9, producing big fluffy yellow pompom-like flowers in the spring with glowing green toothed leaves. This sun-loving bush reaches 6 to 10 feet tall and broad.
Shady Areas
Shady areas tend to stay cool and the soil dries out slower than sunny areas. Two shade-loving shrubs to get wet areas include “Mr. Goldstrike” aucuba (Aucuba japonica “Mr. Goldstrike”) and variegated Japanese aralia (Fatsia japonica “Hinkley Selection”). “Mr. Goldstrike” aucuba grows best in USDA plant hardiness zones 6 through 10 as an evergreen shrub in full shade. This 4- to 6-foot-tall tree reaches 4 to 5 feet broad producing tiny purple flowers hiding one of the leaves covered with glowing yellow speckles. Variegated Japanese aralia reaches 5 to 8 feet tall in USDA zones 7 through 10 growing as evergreen tree with yellow, green and grapefruit leaves. This shade-lover is mainly grown for its leaves, but creates white flowers clusters and ornamental grasses, which attract birds to the pond.
Water’s Edge
The soil stays constantly wet near the pond’s edge with occasional flooding during rainy seasons. The best shrubs for this particular zone near the water need wet soil to develop well. “Henry’s Garnet” sweetspire (Itea virginica “Henry Garnet”) reaches 5 to 6 ft tall and broad in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9 in full to partial sun. This North American native deciduous shrub produces green spring leaves and fragrant early summertime white flower spikes. The leaves turn reddish-purple from the fall staying on the bush part way through winter. Yellow twig dogwood (Cornus sericea “Flaviramea”) grows best in full to partial sun exposure in USDA plant hardiness zones 2 through 8. This 6- to 8-foot-tall bush disperses 7 to 9 feet wide with green leaves and white flowers throughout the summer and bright yellow stems showing up in the winter following the tree falls its leaves. This North American bush brings birds to the pond with its white berries.
Bare Embankments
Long-term movements of empty banks near the pond are subject to soil erosion when the rain washes the dirt to the pond. Low-growing wide-spreading shrubs can reduce the loss of top soil in these areas. Creeping wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) grows within an evergreen in USDA zones 3 through 8 with glossy green oval leaves, which turn red in chilly weather. This Native American bush reaches only 6 to 12 inches tall while spreading two to three feet wide in full to partial shade. The tiny white summer flowers and scarlet winter berries attract birds to the area. Reeves skimmia (Skimmia reevesiana) is a dwarf evergreen reaching 24 inches tall and spreading two to three feet broad producing a mound of dense branches covered with dark green lance-shaped leathery leaves. In USDA plant hardiness zones 7 through 9, the fragrant white flower clusters turn into clusters of red grapes.