I sure did, very nice. I'm just making a pond myself so it's always nice to see others for ideas.

I have a small pond with no shelves for plants. Can you provide instructions on how you made you floating planters and how you put the plants in it? Also - could they be used for the lillies? Thank you for the beautiful pics.

Very NicE!

Wow, you have a lot of plants floating around in those planters, lots of different combos! Great job! They look very healthy, too.

Brenda

I don't want to steal anybody's thunder. These floating baskets were created by nosambos (Lisa) and she was kind enough to share her directions on this forum a few summers ago. I searched for the thread but apparently it is no longer on the forum.

I hope you don't mind, Lisa, if I repeat your directions for those who are asking.

Buy the hanging baskets with the cocoa fiber lining at a nursery, or sometimes Marc's sell them. I remove the hanging chains. Take a swimming pool noodle (Big Lots and Marc's sell them sometimes for $.99) and cut it so it fits around the top of the basket. Cover it with terry cloth or any other fabric. (I prefer mine without the cloth cover). I use computer ties to attach the noodle around the top of the basket. I filled mine with the compacted moss you find at any garden center. You put a small amount in the bottom of the basket and it swells up when the water touches it. Then I just plopped the marginals, watercress and impatients in the basket and put it in the pond. Don't know if it would work for lilies. You may want to experiment to see if it does, and let us know. I use bungee cords to anchor them to the rocks around the pond so they don't block the skimmer.

Jenny

Jenny, your pond and planters look great! I really like the blue noodles; can't find any here yet, but will keep looking. Thanks for reposting Lisa's floating planter plans. I had just started looking for them when I paused to check out your pictures--glad I did :)
BTW, your purple spiked flowers appear to be liatris. A perennial favorite of hummers and butterflies. That's a really nice selection you've got!
Linda

Jenny, Your pond is looking great and I love your water lilies and perennials. Your floating planters are so lush and full. I planted mine using potting soil, but want to switch to the compacted moss and definitely need to put more plants in them. When I asked at the garden centers for "compacted moss" they didn't know what I was talking about. Is the moss you used spaghnum moss?

Jenny, what did you use there to corral your floating plants? It looks like a hula hoop. Thanks!

This is such a wonderful idea! I took this idea and modified it to my needs for a non-functioning fountain where I work. Here is what I did.

I purchased 1/2 inch water pipe (barely over $1 at Home Depot), 90 degree elbows, noodles, fishing line and plastic cross stitch canvas.

I placed the canvas on a flat surface, placing elbows at the corners. The distance between the elbows is the length I cut my noodles.

I then cut my pipe sections 1 inch longer to allow 1/2 inch on each side for the space the elbows would take up.

I slid the noodles onto the pipe, then stitched/tied the noodles to the plastic canvas with fishing line and even ran a line through the bottom so they could be anchored in place.

I then placed a thin layer of spanish moss in the bottom, placed my plants, then snugged them in with more spanish moss. How lovely they looked. I would guess that the cost was $3 each or less. I could never have afforded those expensive ones they offer on line.

I am now thinking about making a larger one - using a full noodle on each side and half noodles for the ends.

Thanks again for sharing your pictures and Lisa's instructions.

Great idea and instructions, Arvilla! Very easy to understand and picture in my mind. Thanks for sharing! :)

Brenda

I made something similar only I used Silk Flower hard foam wreath forms from the dollar store. I wrapped the coca mat edges over the foam form, sewed it on and ran the thread(heavy carpet thread)underneath from 6 or 8 different directions.

I put aquatic earth (fullers earth) in one and planted creeping jenny in it. The other I've put watercress seeds in. I hope they sprout as they are pretty old seeds. If they don't I'll go get fresh ones.

Here's what they look like. The closer one is the one for the watercress and the one in the big pond is the creeping jenny:

{{gwi:177203}}

Anne

I'm bumping this thread for the new guys like me! The floating planters are so cool and the instructions are great!! There are some very creative people out there.
Jerrie

Thanks everyone for all the compliments. My floating baskets aren't doing too good this year. Don't know if it's the weather or my koi (now that they are bigger they are able to tip the basket with their body just enough to nibble. They remind me of deer they don't eat the whole plant just enough to stress it out). I heard a rumor it could be my water is too clean. Pond is in it's third year so it may be fully cycled now.

Don't know if any of you read Nosambos (Lisa's) post earler this month so I am linking it to mine. She is so creative she can turn anything that floats into a planter as you can see from her post. I just love visiting her pond because I never know what she has created that is going to surprise me.

I got 4 large sheets of styrofoam pads from work. They are about 3 ft long by 1 1/2 ft wide. I am planning on connecting them together with computer cable ties. I am going to try to make a large floating impatiens, watercress island out of them by cutting holes in the pads and placing punctured styrofoam cups in the holes (hopefully this will make them koi proof), then placing impatiens and watercress bare root in the styrofoam cups. It may work unless my koi decide to tip it over. (They completely destroyed one floating basket of watercress in a day). I will post pics if it does work. I am just wondering if I should surround it by pond noodles to make it more stable. Only problem will be getting it in and out of the pond. My pond is in full sun and my fish have no shade other than the floating planters you see in the post here. As they are getting bigger their shade is getting smaller.

Jenny

Here is a link that might be useful: Nosambos floating watercress idea

Fantastic idea! was just browsing last night and found your pictures. got back on line tonight to show them to my sis and could not find them, almost had a fit 'cause "computer had eaten them" but finally located them will be putting some together in near future(when weather here in NW Alabama decides what I CAN do. I love the blue noodles too. Is the maroon or red-looking vine a type of wandering jew or what is it? Did you use regular Impatiens or the New Guinea Variety? Will try to get some pix of my ponds on before long.

pondenannie:

I really couldn't tell you what that red plant is. I have been surfing the web trying to find it. I bought it at a nursery in the marginal plant section. I was just trying to go with contrasting colors when I planted my baskets. Every year I buy a flat of impatiens (not New Guinea) and just plop them around the pond plants to fill in the basket. I carry my baskets down the basement every winter and keep them under grow lights in a wading pool. I have impatiens blooming as we speak. Looks like I won't need to buy them this year. However, since my baskets are three years old I am going to need to replant them. Unfortunately the roots have grown around the wires of the basket. I may need a hatchet to get them out. lol I also buy cocoa fiber liners every year at Big Lots. I keep a good supply of them on hand for when my fancy to make a new basket arises, or my old ones rot out which they do over time. If I saved the stakes that came in the plants when I bought them (which I am prone to do) I will let you know what the plant is. If not maybe someone on the forum will chime in if they know. Can't wait to see pix of your ponds.

Jenny

Jennie, had to share the news. Found my first blooms in my ponds for this year! I think it is Acorus (best I remember) green and yellow striped plant. Not a big showy bloom but it is blooming just the same. Actually looks like the pistil in some other blossoms but I got so excited when I saw them I almost fell in pond. Boy that would have scared the babies out of my fishes. LOL Got some big fat goldfish in upper pond, hope to have a few babies anyhow. Fish are about 7 or 8 inches long. Will try to get grandson to help me get pix transferred and posted this weekend.

Am still working on cleaning ponds got sick last fall and didn't get them cleaned out so got a mess this spring what with a HUGE Bradford Pear within reach of the upper pond. (And I thought I really liked it. Not any more. Too much work involved in cleaning up after it.) Get it cleaned up and I can start on rock work on big lower pond. OH MY ACHIN' BONES!!!!! AH the sweet satisfaction!!!!!!

Ann in Cordova AL

Congratulations Ann on your first pond blooms. Glad you would have scared the babies out of your fish and not something else. lol I still haven't seen my fish yet this year. It's too cold. I don't want to start the waterfall or filter until I see them moving around. I don't want to pump cold water to the bottom of the pond where they are hibernating. I was able to clean up my lilies in the top pond though. Spring cleaning is for the birds, but it has to be done. Right now my pond is a beautiful green. lol

Hope to see some pics soon.

Jenny

Nice!

We have a few floating planters too and also build our own floating island.

They add so much to the pond and the fish just love them and hide undreneath out of the sun and away from preds. We like the floating islands a bit more than the floating planters as they seem to look more natural...our plants completely hide the island!

Thanks for sharing your ideas they give us more fun things to try!

Here is a link that might be useful: How To Build A Floating Island

Can someone please tell what the "hula hoop thing" around the lily (or maybe water lettuce) is for? Does that contain it to a certain area maybe?

Great idea basevinyl!! Thank you for responding to my question!! :)