HOSTA!!!
Mix in some compost and topsoil in the clay soil when you plant whatever you choose to plant.
We live on a wooded ravine, so lots of leaves. In addition to having a skimmer, we put a thin black net over the pond to catch falling fall leaves.

Dog,
What zone are you?
I am zone 8a, so I can only give you suggestions as to
that zone.
I have Gorgeous EE in giant pots around my pond, they love it.
Also, Confederate Jasmine "Madison" is in a pot turned on its side, (its on a hill), and it loves it and stays evergreen.
Ronnie is right on with the hosta idea.
Creeping Jenny LOVES shade and water, it will spread nice for you and stays evergreen, it turns red in winter.
Water lettuce in the pond will probably do well for you. It really doesn't like too much sun.
Well, that's it for now, you will find out what does well for you in shade.

I have a "woodland" area in the front yard after living in Wooded areas in Wisconsin for 25 years. Most of the current woodland was planted with non natives when we bought the property but I have been trying to change at least some of it back for a while. Not knowing location makes it hard to recommend much so I suggest you contact the Master Gardeners at the State College or university supported Co-operative Extension nearest to you or check the internet for their wild flower or native plant suggestions.

In general I would recommend ferns, bracken, Trillium, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Solomon seal, Ephemerals for spring bloom, Hepatica, wild violets and as much chopped or shredded leaves as you can manage for mulch and for soil improvement. There are many native plants that can do well in a woodland but the blossoms may not be as prolific or long lasting as you might want. You might want to incorporate some shrubs as well as dome small under story trees suitable for your location.

In trips into undeveloped areas I have found enormous numbers of wild flowers blooming as well as some you don't want to take hold. Many will try to take over. So check to avoid invasive plants such as Virginia Creeper and other ivies. Trees such as Catalpa, Hawthorn and Red-bud are very invasive. Ground covers such as winter creeper are a pain to control. Do not collect from the woods without permission from the landowners or investigating what is protected.

I am in heavy clay soil on the edge of pine forest. I have hosta and EEs both in and around my stream. I have lariope too (not IN the artificial stream). I believe it took several years to establish, but right now it is putting out nice purple flowers. My main color both in out of water is from impatiens. In zone 7 they will self seed.

The first autumn that I used a thin black net over my pond I caught two little birds (one was drowned) and a snake (also dead) so now I use a much thicker black net from H.D. or Lowes.
Just sayin'... Min

red buds and virginia creeper are agressive not invasive.....inorder to be invasive they have to be exotic and have the ability to spread rapidly

red buds and virginia creeper are agressive not invasive.....inorder to be invasive they have to be exotic and have the ability to spread rapidly

Hey there, Dude. Perhaps in your location that may be true. In my location they are a big problem. Gardenweb covers a big area. Here they were not a problem until retailers began selling them as ornamental plants to homeowners who didn't have any idea what the plants could do. I have spent hundreds of dollars and much time and labor trying to control the spread and destruction they cause.

Your definition of exotic may be the problem. There is a big difference in exotic, botanically exotic, geographically exotic and ecologically exotic. The aggressiveness of the plant depends on local conditions. An aggressive plant in one location may very well be invasive in another. Add noxious to the mix and it is a big problem.

Take Virginia Creeper for example. In the sandy pine growth of the Eastern shore it holds the soil, reduces evaporation of water and is advantageous. In the moist clay of most of Indiana and Illinois it becomes a thick smothering blanket that rapidly pushes out native species. It's habit of holding moisture close to the ground, which is so good in sandy areas causes such problems as root rot and fungus growth. It will climb trees penetrating the bark and allowing insects and disease to attack the tree, killing it..

That is why I suggested the OP contact the local Co-operative Extension office. They can give correct info on ecologically correct plants for that area and warn against the plant thugs.

We're in zone 7b/8 in Raleigh NC. I have several hosta and Solomon's seal that need dividing and creeping Jenny that is spreading in other areas of the garden, so it sounds like I've got a good start.

The main issue we're having at this point is clearing the water. Some of the clay got into the pond (pre-formed plastic, about 300 gal) and is taking a while to settle. We wrapped burlap around the pump intake and have set up a milk crate with more burlap and polyfill on the edge of the pond to filter out additional clay.
Any advice on how long it will take for the water to clear?
We have a small pump (300 gal/hr) which I am now realizing may be undersized (advice?). Our main goal with the pond is plants, frogs and a few goldfish. We aren't interested in a waterfall or spray fountain.
Thanks for all of the help!

I am just west of you in Pittsboro so the plants I listed will work fine. I doubt the burlap will do much good but the polyfill should catch a lot of stuff. But fine plant roots can really help. I have a long stream that can clear things in between an hour and a day. Therefore directing your pump flow towards a mass of roots that have expanded beyond pots might help.

Quilt batting is safer for your pump than polyfill. Loose fibers can wrap around the shaft and cause stalling and burn out of the pump motor.

An in-pond filter is not particularly good for clay, especially if it is not enclosed. Clay particles are extremely fine and wash or settle out of filter material almost as fast as it is caught. It needs an enclosed catch basin below the main water flow and a material that will actually trap the particles to work. A sponge type filter that often comes with pumps and filters would be a better choice than burlap. It would need very frequent cleaning. You might try using a flocculant if you don't wish to use a better filter system.

what I am trying to say is that the word invasive implies that a species is non native.......red buds and virginia creeper are native they are meant to exist in your landscape. The fact that you are pulling them out shows that you can not conceive of their ecological importance.....they are supporting lepidoptera species and thus the basis of a larger food chain.

Greenthumbzdude, I have been a gardener for more than fifty years. I have gardened in a very wide variety of locations including your own. I was a Master Gardener for twenty years. I am aware of the proper definitions, plant appropriateness and the differences in their ecological values and deficits.

When a plant such as Virginia Creeper grows from a neighbors yard under and over their privacy fence, rotting out the posts on it's way, invades planted areas smothering valuable shrubs and other plantings that may also support moths and butterflies, crosses the yard and climbs up the house lifting the siding from underneath, climbs trees, smothers and kills them, shades out any and all grasses, then it is an invasive plant and is not appropriate for that local area.

In a number of places it is considered a noxious weed due to its extremely rapid growth, as much as 50 feet in a season, in all directions. Each and every node that touches the ground has the potential to become a new plant. Not every plant that grows in a particular place should be allowed to stay there. Virginia Creeper is not threatened nor is the species it supports threatened by preventing it's spread in inappropriate locations such as small gardens and subdivisions.

If Redbuds did not reproduce at a prodigious rate they would be acceptable as a yard tree. However, when they go from one or two to 150 or more in a 10x30 foot area, they are insupportable. In a very large wooded area, acres and acres, they don't have a chance to grow like that due to competition from other plants and a lot of shade. It does not matter that they can grow in an area if it forces out other plants that are just as valuable as a species. They are best as an understory tree not a jungle.

I won't recommend plants that I know have the possibility of becoming thugs. That is why I suggested the Master Gardeners and the Co-operative Extension. They have lists of plants that are appropriate to the local area and the conditions they are intended for. They know what they are doing and will give both pros and cons if necessary.