Islands in the Pond

A watery landscape dotted by small islands is both pleasing to the eye and helpful for wildlife. Islands in a larger pond or waterway help provide resting and nesting places for animals that use the pond, including waterfowl and frogs. In a small pond, planters provide a nutrient recycling and natural filter system for the pond, since plants will use up some of the nutrients produced by koi, extra food, and pond debris.

Why Choose a Pond Island or Planter?

For those who are concerned about plant roots entering the pond liner or for those with a hard pond bottom, it may be difficult to find an appropriate substrate in the pond where plants can grow. Installing a planter or an island provides the plants with a place to grow, safeguards their roots from fish, and prevents the plant roots from going through the bottom of a soft pond liner.

Islands in the Small Pond

Most ponds are relatively small, suitable for an urban garden. For those who like the visual appeal of an island and appreciate its filtration qualities, what are the options? Planters and islands run from under one hundred dollars for a miniature 5 inch pond island into the thousands of dollars for a larger pond island. They tether to the pond and float, covered in vegetation. Companies such as Islandscapes and Biohaven create floating pond islands. These islands provide a refuge for wildlife and an opportunity to create a planted area in the middle of the pond.

Location of the Planter or Pond Island

Place the island in a central location in the pond. If the pond is large enough, islands provide a refuge for water-loving animals. Land predators have a harder time getting to the islands, if they can get there at all. Islands create safer breeding and resting places for aquatic wildlife. Anchor the floating island to a central location in the pond. It makes more sense to anchor it to the center of the pond then to the sides, because a floating island that is anchored to the sides may end up at the edge of the pond.

Locating Plants in a Planter or Island

Generally, the floating pond island comes with one or several holes that the plants can grow in – everything from a single hole to a sundial arrangement. Islands and planters may be suitable for both aquatic and terrestrial plants – check to see if there is a surface substrate or simply a place where the roots of aquatic plants extend into the water. If there are fish in the pond, make sure that the roots of plants are surrounded by a mesh root guard. This way, the plant roots are in the water, but they are not going to be eaten by the fish.

Constructed islands can be part of a small urban pond or part of the restoration of a larger marshland, or other waterway. They provide nesting and feeding refuges for pond animals, especially when they are located far from the edges of the pond. Companies like Biohaven and Islandscapes create floating islands both for habitat and for water quality. Some pond plants are exceptionally good at filtering water, and a larger island can help filter grey water. Pond islands and planters are one of many choices in pond landscaping, and they are a choice that is particularly good for pond filtration, water quality, and wildlife habitat.