How To DIY An Easy Water Garden In The Desert

Written by Praveen and Lavanya Nadimpalli. Pictures by Praveen and Lavanya Nadimpalli.

Add A Water Feature To Your Garden

The addition of a water feature to any garden creates an atmosphere of tranquility and cool. It is especially appreciated in the hot desert heat by both gardeners and the critters that will visit. Water gardens attract birds, bees, and also more dragonflies.

Making a water garden does not have to be complicated or break the bank. In fact, this article shares how to DIY an easy water garden in the desert using very few materials and no complicated setup. You will need 5 simple items.

A large decorative pot
A smaller planting pot
Water
Fertilizer tabs
One or more water lilies

The History And Significance of Water Lilies

Water lilies have always amazed me since my childhood. You see them depicted in the Hindu temple sculptures and idols. They are portrayed in yogic and tantric images, yantras, and scriptures. Why do water lilies have this special place? In my quest for the ancient Indian knowledge, I realized there is a deep relation of ancient thought and nature. Ancient Indians observed nature and its connection to the human body. The water lily is the only plant in nature that produces flowers directly from the roots. In yogic philosophy, the water lily root represents Muladhara, more commonly known as the root chakra and the flower represents the Sahasrara which is the crown chakra. The stem of the flower represents the flow of Kundalini. The very thin veins of the stem represents sushumna Nadi, an energy channel through which the Kundalini energy flows upwards. When a Hindu god idol holds a water Lily it represents this kundalini energy through which a yogi attains mokhsa( enlightenment) and that particular God can guide you

Why we use Water Lilies in Our Water Gardens

Water lilies are very easy to grown, even in very hot climates. There are two species of water lilies, tropical water lily, and hardy water lily. The hardy water lily is also known as perennial water lily or winter hardy lily. The hardy water lily is recommended for climates that are not tropical and have cold winters because they can tolerate the cold winters. The difference is the structure of roots. Tropical water lilies have fibrous roots and no rhizome or tuber. Hardy water lilies have a rhizome.

Hardy water lilies come in a variety of attractive colors such as white, yellow, pink, purple, peach/orange, and changeable

Putting together Your DIY Water Garden In the Desert

Chose a spot that gets dappled shade to position your water garden. While full is sun is fine for hardy water lilies, because of the high temperatures of our desert heat, dappled shade is best.
Start with a container that is eighteen to twenty-four inches deep. The width of the pot should be greater than two feet. Some options are glazed garden pottery with no holes, resin-styled wine barrows, animal feeding troughs, or any other creative container that has the correct depth. The same criteria apply for planting in a pond.
Hardy water lilies are best planted in a heavy clay garden soil as a potting mix is too light and will float away.
Plant in a container that is at least six inches deep. A one-gallon nursery pot works well.
It should be planted with the crown (the growing end up) towards the middle of the pot on a 45-degree angle. Do not cover the crown with soil as this could kill the rhizome.
If the tuber has not leafed out as yet, place it in a bucket and cover with approximately one foot of water and keep in the shade until a few leaves start to appear. The young leaves do not handle the sun well when planted so shallowly, however one foot of water is much less weight on them. If it already has leafed out, it can be placed in the larger decorative container that will hold your water garden.
Multiple plants should be placed at least two feet apart.
The hardy water lily prefers stagnant water. The use of a water fountain is not recommended. If planting in a pond, place it furthest from the pump or any type of fountain.
They are heavy feeders. Fertilize with a pond fertilizer tab, according to packaging instructions to encourage more flowers. Only fertilize once there are more than five leaves.
A few small goldfish or minnows adds to the charm of this simple DIY water garden in the desert and will take care of mosquitos.
In late fall or early winter, cut back the foliage at the rhizome and leave the rhizome in the water.
When the plant becomes too big for the water garden, remove the smaller growing pot and divide the rhizome. It can be used to start another water garden or share it with a friend.