Edible Water Gardens

An Edible Garden You Don't Have to Water!

Did you know that many of the plants that we use in our water gardens for decoration and filtration are also very delicious and nutritious? It's true! Check out a few more common plants below. You may already be growing some of these!

Water Lily -- Rhizomes, leaves and flower buds can all be eaten either raw or cooked. The seeds can also be roasted and used as a coffee bean substitute! 

Pickerel Rush -- Young leaf stalks can be eaten. Seeds can be ground and used as flour.

Water Celery (a.k.a. Variegated Dropwort) -- The leaves are edible with a peppery flavor. Use in salads.

Taro (a.ka. Elephant Ear) -- Use the tuber like potatoes, just make sure to cook it before eating -- baked, fried, steamed, or boiled!

Lemon Bacopa -- Use the leaves with their lemony flavor as seasoning in your favorite dish. 

Lotus -- From seeds to tubers, the entire plant is edible.

Cattails -- Young shoots can be cooked and eaten like asparagus. Dried rhizomes can be ground into flour. Young spike heads can be cooked and eaten. Seeds that are cooked are a yummy treat. 

Of course it's important to note that you should use only natural treatments like we recommend at Cool Ponds in your water garden if you plan to eat any of the plants growing there. If you use any chemicals to treat pond problems it is not recommended that you eat the plants at all. ( Yes, chemicals are not good for the fish living in your pond also -- that's why we recommend natural products.) The plant info provided above is a guideline and readers should consume at their own risk.

Looking for a good source for pond plants? We sell a wide range at our store from late April through August.