You can see the colours of Autumn in the pond in the foliage of some plants now. Just as you can in the leaves of many trees now.
Potentilla palustris has red and orange tints to the leaves. Anemopsis californica leaves go yellow as they go over.
Many grasses and reeds like Typha lugdunensis go an attractive pale brown. Butomus umbellatus foliage looks brown & dead and uninviting but can easily be pulled away from the rhizomes by hand. The plant will regrow next Spring.
Most pond plants need all their foliage removing to 6" inches above water level so that it will not fall into the water to decompose - the exceptions are Cyperus involucratus, Eriophorum angustifolium, Equisetum scirpoides, Typha minima.
These will change to the colours of Autumn of oranges and brown and should be left to overwinter like this.
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- Equisetum scirpoides in Autumn colours
We have created a page of images in Tips and Advice so you can see how our plants are looking at the moment. Do not panic that the dead, brown leaves are unusual or mean a pond plant has died.
We have also outlined what to do with many different pond plants when you start your Autumn maintenance including waterlilies that may already have yellowing or dark brown leaves floating on the water surface.
Cut back in Autumn to avoid rotting leaves falling into the water.
Decomposing should happen on the compost heap not at the bottom of the pond!
