• A rain garden differs from a water garden. Water gardens typically contain ponds and waterfalls. Rain gardens are areas in the landscape designed to manage storm water runoff. A rain garden is typically a depressed area of the landscape with soil that has good drainage and is capable of absorbing a significant amount of moisture.
 

Water Garden

The Water Garden on the south side of the ENMAX Conservatory has been part of the Dorothy Harvie Gardens since their inception. Recently water gardens have become popular in the home landscape as well. The water garden at the Calgary Zoo is home to plants that live both in the water and on the pond edges. Wildlife such as mallard ducks and garter snakes also call this body of water home at various times of the year.

Collection Highlights

Some of the water loving plants that can be seen in this garden include pink flowering rush, cattails, ornamental grasses, willows, ligularia, water iris and marsh marigold. The backdrop of the garden includes amur maple, dogwoods and conifers.  This side of the Enmax Conservatory hosts one of the more spectacular displays of fall colour.

Garden Plants

A water garden is an ecosystem that must have particular balance to keep algae growth at bay.  Aquatic gardens need a combination of several different types of plants to maintain a balanced system.  These plants may be grouped as submergents or oxygenators (e.g. hornwort), emergents (e.g. arrowhead), and floaters (e.g. water lettuce).  Animal life like fish and snails also help control algae.