Plant pallete for streamside planting

October 30, 5:41 PMDes Moines Gardening ExaminerAnne Larson

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Siberian iris (Creative Commons photo)

Plantings are the finishing touch to the  the pondless stream described in "How to build a simple pondless stream." 

When placing plants next to the streambed, a more natural look appears by looking for plants that have a variety of forms, creeping, upright and spreading. Look for variety in times of the year they are most ornamental as well.

While some streamside plants may be subject to damp conditions due to drainage or splash, many of the areas may actually be best suited to plants that can do without supplemental watering. In the case of the feature built in the article cited here, the bottom of the bed near the recirculating reservoir may be the only area subject to periodic wetness.  For this site, Siberian iris is a tough plant that adds verticle structure, early summer bloom and attractive tawny foliage that can be left up in the winter.

See the accompanying slide show for some other ideal candidates for this shady, streamside site. Among the plants suggested are:

• Japanese bloodgrass
• Japanese forest grass
• Amsonia
• Alpine Lady’s mantle
• Coralberry
• Ligularia
• Ferns
• Coralbells
• Cimicifuga
• Lamium