Water gardens are of varied type and none is more fascinating that one laid out alongside a trickling stream of water.

When gardening alongside a small stream it is important to consider the issue of what happens when a stream overflows during heavy rain storms. Deep rooted plants will not be noticeably affected but those plants with finer roots will benefit from rocks placed alongside the banks of the stream to prevent them from being washed away. Once the rocks are in place the plants are planted between them.

Suitable waterside plants are hostas, day lilies, and Japanese and Siberian irises. The white, salmon and pink shades of the Astilbe arendsi massed amongst the Japanese irises will look stunning and can be enjoyed over many seasons.

At the immediate water’s edge planting with moisture-loving forget-me-nots, self-seeding swamp marigolds, and the hardy primrose, will soon reveal how enchanting gardening alongside a small stream can be.

One of the plants that looks the most natural in a damp area of the garden is the fern and a range of different ferns planted about the sides of a small stream will enhance its beauty. The ferns should be planted in a somewhat scattered fashion so they look as natural as possible.

Ferns, which are perennials, are easy to grow in moist, shady areas and give the garden a classy look. Since they are not flowering plants, ferns make an ideal rich green backdrop for other more colourful plants.

The elegant Blechnum spicant, with its long, glossy fronds is a native British fern, and is ideal for a water garden. The Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) is another popular option with its excellent upright shape.

Alex, a keen gardener, writes and builds websites on a number of topics including computer hardware. Latest websites are about cheap external hard drives and the stylish pink laptop computer.

Thanks To : BabyForMom.com