University of Wisconsin-Madison

Pond Garden

The Pond Garden is filtered via a “biofilter,” an area of deep gravel providing shallow planting for marginal water plants. Water is constantly forced through the biofilter, and the roots of the plants take up harmful nitrates, nitrites, phosphorous and other deleterious elements and reenters the pond clean. A number of colorful koi (ornamental carp) make their home in the pond. The deep water is planted with water lilies and lined with moisture loving plants. The Pond Edge wrapping around the north side acts as a native perennial border displaying long lasting resilient plants that are easy to care for.

PictureCommon NameScientific NamePlant Name
Plant name: Acrocona Norway Spruce Picea abies cv. AcroconaAcrocona Norway SprucePicea abies cv. AcroconaAcrocona Norway Spruce
Picea abies cv. Acrocona
Plant name: All Gold Japanese Forest Grass Hakonechloa macra cv. All GoldAll Gold Japanese Forest GrassHakonechloa macra cv. All GoldAll Gold Japanese Forest Grass
Hakonechloa macra cv. All Gold
Plant name: Big Deal Pink Astilbe Astilbe arendsii cv. Big Deal PinkBig Deal Pink AstilbeAstilbe arendsii cv. Big Deal PinkBig Deal Pink Astilbe
Astilbe arendsii cv. Big Deal Pink
Plant name: Broadleaf Cattail Typha latifolia Broadleaf Cattail Typha latifolia Broadleaf Cattail
Typha latifolia
Plant name: Cupplant Silphium perfoliatum CupplantSilphium perfoliatum Cupplant
Silphium perfoliatum
Plant name: Gooseneck Loosestrife Lysimachia clethroides Gooseneck LoosestrifeLysimachia clethroides Gooseneck Loosestrife
Lysimachia clethroides
Plant name: Great Blue Lobelia Lobelia siphilitica Great Blue LobeliaLobelia siphilitica Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Plant name: Hexe Dwarf Sedge Carex Humilis cv. HexeHexe Dwarf SedgeCarex Humilis cv. HexeHexe Dwarf Sedge
Carex Humilis cv. Hexe
Plant name: Ice Dance Japanese Sedge carex morrowii cv. Ice DanceIce Dance Japanese Sedgecarex morrowii cv. Ice DanceIce Dance Japanese Sedge
carex morrowii cv. Ice Dance
Plant name: Little Spire Russian Sage Perovskia atriplicifolia cv. Little SpireLittle Spire Russian SagePerovskia atriplicifolia cv. Little SpireLittle Spire Russian Sage
Perovskia atriplicifolia cv. Little Spire
Plant name: Mix Tape Meadow Cranesbill Geranium pratense cv. Mix TapeMix Tape Meadow CranesbillGeranium pratense cv. Mix TapeMix Tape Meadow Cranesbill
Geranium pratense cv. Mix Tape
Plant name: Northwind Switch Grass Panicum virgatum cv. NorthwindNorthwind Switch GrassPanicum virgatum cv. NorthwindNorthwind Switch Grass
Panicum virgatum cv. Northwind
Plant name: Sea Lavender Limonium latifolium Sea LavenderLimonium latifolium Sea Lavender
Limonium latifolium
Plant name: Sunrise Water Lily Nymphaea cv. SunriseSunrise Water LilyNymphaea cv. SunriseSunrise Water Lily
Nymphaea cv. Sunrise
Plant name: Virginalis Water Lily Nymphaea cv. VirginalisVirginalis Water LilyNymphaea cv. VirginalisVirginalis Water Lily
Nymphaea cv. Virginalis
Plant name: Virginia Mountain mint Pycnanthemum virginianum Virginia Mountain mintPycnanthemum virginianum Virginia Mountain mint
Pycnanthemum virginianum