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The Pond Garden at Greenbank Farm

Program Contact: Loren Imes
(360) 639-6059 • loren.imes@wsu.edu

pond_gardenThe pond at Greenbank Farm is fragile and the garden surrounding it must be environmentally friendly as well as visitor friendly. Considerations for plant selection include tolerance to wind, cold, and drought. In addition, care must be taken to select only non-invasive plants.

Pond Garden Plantings

Shrubs

  • Cistus skanbergii (Rock rose; blooms pink, opens to white)
  • Cornus sericea ‘Kelseyi’ (Red osier dogwood)
  • Euonymus alatus ‘Chicago Fire’ (Burning bush)
  • Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’ (False holly)
  • Osmanthus delavayi (Slow growing, medium-sized, white blooms)

Grasses

  • Calamagrostis brachytricha (Korean feather reed grass, 4 ft)
  • Carex flagellifera (Bronze sedge)
  • Carex testacea (Orange New Zealand sedge)
  • Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’ (Grows to 7 ft tall)
  • Miscanthus sinensis ‘Yaku Jima’ (Low growing)
  • Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘ Moudry’ (Fountain grass, 2 ft)

Ferns

  • Dryopteris filix-mas (Robust, dry area, sun)
  • Osmunda regalis (Large fern; grows in water)

Filler Plants; Seasonal Color

  • Astelia (Silver gray; similar to phormium)
  • Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ (Bright red flowers)
  • Camassia (Non-poisonous variety)
  • Euphorbia (Non-invasive variety; winter interest)
  • Hemerocallis (Daylilies)
  • H. ‘Avant Garde’ (Vigorous, heavy bloomer; 26” high)
  • H. ‘Canadian Border Patrol’ (Midseason; 30” high; evergreen foliage)
  • H. ‘Casting the Runes’
  • H. ‘Custard Candy’ (Midseason; 24” high; dormant foliage)
  • H. ‘Festive Art’ (Early midseason; 28” high; evergreen foliage)
  • H. ‘Flamenco Queen’ (36” high; dormant foliage)
  • H. ‘Palace Pearls’
  • H. ‘Red Grace’ (Midseason; 34” high; semi-evergreen foliage)
  • H. ‘Struthers Ball’
  • Iris (Non-invasive varieties)
  • I. foetidissima ‘Gladwin’
  • I. ‘Gerald Darby’
  • I. sibirica ‘Caesar’s Brother’
  • Juniperus horizontalis ‘Wiltonii’ (Blue rug juniper; low growing; 4-6” H, 6-8’ W)
  • Kniphofia ‘Yellow Fire’ (Red-hot poker)
  • Rubus pentalobus (Emerald green ground cover to 1 ft high)
  • Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
  • Thymus serpyllum ‘Coccineus (Thyme with pink flowers)
  • Thymus serpyllum ‘Aureus’ (Golden thyme)

Garden Tips

Use an arrangement of boulders as a focal point.

Assess safety issues.

Control weeds by keeping them cut down until new plants take over and/or by placing several sheets of newspaper around plants and covering the paper with mulch.

Mark all utility lines before digging.