Early spring...before the planting season
This water garden wasn't planned, it just "happened". It is made from leftovers and castaways. The water tub is a leftover horse water trough from when we lived on a farm. The rocks were unearthed when we dug a water line. The frog was a castaway from a fountain that it just didn't quite fit. The only real expense was the fountain head that we picked up at the local Wal-Mart for about $50
Rose Moss (Portulaca)...An excellent choice for instant color

Even the sand under these rocks was from another time. I brought several pick-up loads from the farm when we moved here. It was too poor for growing flowers but made an excellent medium for setting the rocks. I added some good composted soil around the crevices and tucked in the plants wherever they fit.
Early summer..A water lilly is already blooming in the tub
The Hibiscus added a big splash of color as the sedums and succulents established themselves.
A few small annuals to fill the gaps

Note the real frog in the shadows in the bottom right corner. A water garden attracts lots of wild critters. The toads and bullfrogs set up residence. Robins and Cardinals often came to sip the water from the frog's mouth. And along came winter

It doesn't get cold enough in our part of Texas to freeze this solid very often. The fountain kept the water open for the fish.

Jackson and Perkins

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