Community Garden Plant List

[Rumi]

This thread will be the place to suggest ideas for plants for the garden. Feel free to add a plant you wish to see grown at any time. This is a great way for anyone who might have commitment hesitation to contribute something little and important.

Part of the discussion in this thread will be the grouping of plants into guilds. Guild design has been discussed in the general Community Garden thread as well as the design thread. Anyone interested in plant guilds can find a lot of information with a Google search. The basic idea is grouping plants together that supplement each other with nutrients, minerals, and protection, and compliment each other's niches in space and time. Think cooperation rather than competition.

7-layer forest garden
upper canopy
lower canopy
shrub layer
herbacious layer
ground cover
root layer
vine layer

For artists, this is the first place to check if you want to draw something. When you have images completed, post them to the Community Garden Artwork thread.
http://magicduel.invisionzone.com/topic/9589-community-garden-artwork/

The following plants have already been suggested:

Strawberries
Grapes
Clematis
Rosebushes
Peaches
Mustard
Jasmine
Borage

Edited April 28, 2011 by Rumi

[The Warrior]

Orchids, for variety of colour

[Rumi]

Ooh yes, I love orchids. I don't know much about cultivating them. I know they are barely supposed to get any water. I think I heard one time that their native habitat is in the canopy of a forest, where they only drink in the forest mist.

If you have some insight into how to cultivate orchids or where they might fit into a guild, please share.

[Pothos]

Might I suggest adding Bob? His blooms would be a great addition.. when he does bloom.

[Rumi]

[quote name='Pothos' timestamp='1304276224' post='83675']
Might I suggest adding Bob? His blooms would be a great addition.. when he does bloom.
[/quote]

I hope you don't mean digging up Bob. I don't know what type of tree Bob is. Perhaps you mean the spawn of Bob. Maybe the next time he blooms we can collect a Bob seed. That would be fun.

A wonderful discussion with Redmyth led to a few new plants, including some herbs.

tomato
potato
eggplant
onion
cabbage
blueberry
fig
peach
plum
lavendar
chamomile

[Redmyth]

[quote name='Rumi' timestamp='1304488714' post='83853']
I hope you don't mean digging up Bob. I don't know what type of tree Bob is. Perhaps you mean the spawn of Bob. Maybe the next time he blooms we can collect a Bob seed. That would be fun.

A wonderful discussion with Redmyth led to a few new plants, including some herbs.

tomato
potato
eggplant
onion
cabbage
blueberry
fig
peach
plum
lavendar
chamomile
[/quote]

Yes rumi that conversation certainly got me thinking about the wonderful healing properties herbs have....

Calendula (French marigold) = Antiseptic
Ivy & Thyme = Expectorants
Lungwort = Coughs but also gastrointestinal and kidney problems.
Lavender = Burns, also aids sleep
Valerian = Herbal sedative.
Milk thistle = Liver tonic
Red clover = Menopausal symptoms
Clary sage = Antiseptic, carminative and astringent plus aids PMS
Garlic = Heart disease

The list goes on and on and its not just herbs, healing properties can be found in many trees, shrubs and vegetable.

[Rumi]

I love that you included the healing properties of the listed herbs. I will try to add ecological information to each plant in the list as well.

[Hedge Munos]

Can we not get creative and create plants?

[Rumi]

I think created plants would be a fine addition. There is a lot involved in plant creation including, but not limited to botanical properties, edible, medicinal, and other uses, ecological niche, habitat, etc.

If you begin to create plants, I will be happy to work with you to develop their nature.

[Hedge Munos]

I will get to work on plant creations.

Perhaps the tree could be a lemon tree? Think on it.

Hedge

[Rumi]

There will be a number of trees, including the central sitting area, beside the pond, in the orchard forest garden, and scattered around in other places where they will fit. Lemon trees are particularly easy to place because they can often be grown as a shrub, rather than a full size tree.

If you are speaking about the tree in the central sitting area, I had a magnolia in mind. It is ever-green, has big beautiful flowers, a nice canopy, and is representative of the place I live.

[Hedge Munos]

[quote]Might I suggest adding Bob? His blooms would be a great addition.. when he does bloom. [/quote]

Bob? No. Bob is original, and he belongs where he is, with Z. He should not be moved. Especially with the new 'Guardians of Bob.'

Yes, a Magnolia would look nice.

Venus Fly Traps and Sweet Gum Trees?

Edited May 30, 2011 by Hedge Munos

[Sharazhad]

[color="#2E8B57"][i]Before we put in plants in the garden, can we consider the environement in which they grow? Different plants require different climates. Venus Fly traps will not survive in the savannah. The Aloe wont do well in a perpetually wet forest - it will rot and die. In otherwords we cant have venus fly traps and Aloes in the same place.[/i][/color]

[TTLexceeded]

I am sorry but i have to ask. Where is the research on the ground of the realm? Where is the research on what plants already exist, in what territories and what they need to grow? Also getting creative and suggesting a plant: Yeah it is a fantasy realm but it does have a [b]reality[/b] and you need to take that in mind. Can i create a meat eating plant which will kill anything that moves around it? If i wanted to create a farm i would just have to say: I want a farm, lets have cows, sheeps etc etc? Plants already exist, creating new plants or implimenting plans from "our realm" I think goes against the concept of MD. Otherwise lets also have a community parking and start discussing on the cars it should have parked.

For the matter of plants my opinion is this: Try and create a garden (though i am against the creation of the garden anyway) using the plants that already exist. Dig them up and move them or plant seeds. Creating plants is weird... How did they came to existance? YOu just imagined them? Damn it... I should start convincing people that MD really needs a strip club and then start imagining strippers. The chances of succeeding would be greater.

[Sharazhad]

[i][color="#2e8b57"]*ignores TTL* as should the rest you Things are RP'd into existance....ask Shem how he got his Dreamcatcher, or how Mya got her wedding rings or Awii on how he became the "rooted philosopher" The garden is not something out of the ordinary and is perfectly realistic . Kudos to Rumi for starting it[/color][/i]
[i][color="#2e8b57"]
[/color][/i]
[i][color="#2e8b57"]
[/color][/i]
[i][color="#2e8b57"]If we are creating a 7 level garden, and the location is the Meeting of the R oads - we should consider the climate that is MD. Perpetual sunlight, occasional rainfall and snow in Christmas. Our plants should have some form of function and the nature of the trees need to be taken into consideration e.g. Pine trees do very well in northern hemisphere, but where I am from they are a threat to the indigenous forest. Why? because it is their nature to send their roots deep into the ground and suck up water, which is a very very precious commodity here and their ability to grow wherever and so quickly chokes out the natural flora. Pine Trees on themselves are not bad trees, but in the right./wrong location they can be helpful or a hindrance.[/color][/i]
[i][color="#2e8b57"]
[/color][/i]
[i][color="#2e8b57"]My suggestion is to decide what we want our garden to do. How will it benefit our community?[/color][/i]
[i][color="#2e8b57"]
[/color][/i]
[i][color="#2e8b57"]If we can answer that, it will make plant selection rather easy. [/color][/i]

[Hedge Munos]

It rarely rains in this realm, correct? Though when it does, it is a rather heavy rain. It would be preferable to have durable plants in our garden. Some herbs would be nice, for medicinal and other purposes. Many common edible plants have been suggested for the garden, but would we 'eat' them or are they just there for beauty and rotting purposes? A compost bin would be nice, as it would nurture our plants and others throughout the realm, such as Bob.

Hedge

[Mallos]

What about blackberry or boysenberry bushes? They do well in the heat and sun, and can survive through quite cold winters. They also taste great.

[Rumi]

The next phase of the garden design is the development and elaboration of each of the elements shown in the design map.

[attachment=3029:meetinggardenmap4-med.jpg]

In addition to the varying infrastructure, each area will have different sets or "guilds" of plants which will define them. A well designed guild will have varied form, a variety of functional interconnections, redundancy of function to provide resilience, and a diverse array of yields. What that will look like will be different for each element.

The plant list thread will be the primary place to post plant guild ideas, and I encourage anyone who participates to choose a single element and really think about how you might develop it. In addition to yields and ecological niches, consider the nature of each element and how it relates to the realm. I would like to see all the lands represented in garden, whether in form, function, plant species, etc. Feel free to incorporate the species already suggested.

The following areas need plant guilds. This post will be updated as potential guilds are discussed and become recognized guilds.

Orchard Forest Garden
Central Sitting Area
Perennial Flower and Berry Patch
Pond
Corn, Bean, Pumpkin Patch
Culinary & Medicinal Herb Garden

(Grape arbor is already designed and community plots designs will be determined by those who garden them)

[Phantom Orchid]

[quote name='Rumi' timestamp='1304007206' post='83551']
Ooh yes, I love orchids. I don't know much about cultivating them. I know they are barely supposed to get any water. I think I heard one time that their native habitat is in the canopy of a forest, where they only drink in the forest mist.

If you have some insight into how to cultivate orchids or where they might fit into a guild, please share.
[/quote]

Wild orchids are quite particular and demanding - just ask anyone who knows me

Anyways, each species requires a certain ecological niche. Since they require a precise interplay of water dynamics, soil makeup, and companion plants/fungi, it makes make them very good indicators that the overall health of its environment is intact.

Also, Each species evolved with its own pollinator, and some even have flowers shaped so that they trick pollinators (like bees) into having 'sex' with them in order to disperse their pollen.

Quite ingenious if you ask me.

[Brulant]

This is my design entry for the pond area of the Community Garden and Rumi suggested that I repost it here so, first off, let's talk about what a good pond needs.

- Aquatic plants for the following reasons:
1. Supplemental filtration - plants absorb ammonium, nitrates and phosphates.
2. Plants also assimilate other undesirable substances, such as metals, from pond water to improve water quality.
3. Supply food and shelter for fish and other organisms.
4. Compete with algae through the intake of essential nutrients, while shading the pond from light.
5. Helps keep a biological balance.
6. Helps prevent water from overheating.
7. Crops that can be used as mulch for other sections of the garden
8. Consumable foods for people to eat

- Some sort of shore plants. I personally would suggest a shade tree as well as some low-key ground plants for nitrogen recycling and weed competition.

- Trees have several benefits, but far and away the most important one is the shade they offer. A pond exposed to full sun throughout the day will heat up alarmingly, which is no good for anything living in it, be it fish, frog or plant-life. In addition, abundant light helps promote the growth of algae, bringing both blanket weed and green water. With the shelter of a tree, or multiple trees, fish and wildlife can seek out the shade when the rest of the pond is getting too hot and the ponds will stay far more clean.

- Organisms that inhabit the pond. A relatively small ecosystem, moving from "first tier" species such as plankton and algae, to "second tier" herbivorous fish. I believe that the pond would be too small to introduce carnivorous fish. However, even with a seemingly small introduced ecosystem, nature should flesh it out as varying forms of invertebrate and vertebrate come to inhabit the area.

What you have to keep in mind is that all levels of the eco-system have interdependencies on each other. Therefore, to properly maintain a pond, you need to ensure that all levels are properly balanced. In order to do this, each tier of the pond ecosystem should require the tier prior (for example, frogs and fish cannot exist in the ecosystem without larval insects, and plankton cannot live without the microscopic bacteria and plants). While this means that an attack on one tier would devastate the pond, it also means that the pond will not spiral out of control.

- Be large enough that the pond does not need to be micromanaged. I would suggest a 10' radius at a minimum, especially if we want to have large trees.

So, without further ado, here's my Pond plan. (I've attached images of the plants in the order that I speak of them)

[b]Plants in Guild (Plus a note on Fish)[/b]
- Hardy Lilies: Hardly Lilies are wonderful choices for MD because they both 1) Adore sunlight and heat and 2) Can survive fairly cold and long winters. From this category I would choose Texas Dawns and Pink Grapefruit lilies (mostly because they both bloom quickly and smell nice =).
[attachment=3071:texas_dawn.JPG] [attachment=3072:pink_grapefruit.JPG]

- Nymphaea Alba (White lotus).
[attachment=3120:white lotus.jpeg]

- Floating Plants: Water Hyacinth is one of the most recognizable pond plants and I believe that it would be right at home in our pond.
[attachment=3073:WaterHyacinthWFPR_DcP03.jpg]

- Oxygenating Plant: Anacharis is a quick spreading (sometimes dangerously so) submerged plant that helps keep the pond healthy by recycling nitrogen to use as fertilizer while it's fern-like leaves transpire oxygen. It attracts all sorts of aquatic life, including fish and turtles.
[attachment=3074:anacharis.JPG]

- Marginal Plants: Cardinal Flowers are absolutely gorgeous bright red marginal plants. They like to be planted on the edges of ponds, keeping it's "feet" wet and it's head high and dry. Beyond their aesthetic beauty, Cardinal Flowers benefit the pond by keeping algae at bay. As a color contrast I would also add Black Magic Taro and Pickeral Rush, both of which are easy to grow and are great natural filters.
[attachment=3075:cardinal_flower_2.jpg] [attachment=3076:'Black Magic.jpg] [attachment=3077:Pickerel Rush.jpg]

- Cattails: All ponds need Cattails. Enough said.
[attachment=3078:cattails-21317330.jpg]

- Eleocharis Dulcis (Water Chestnuts)
[attachment=3125:File:Eleocharis_dulcis_Blanco1.jpeg]

- Trees: Trees I would suggest planting include a Willow (preferably Weeping) on the opposite shore of where the Cattails would be concentrated. Willows are great for shade and to sleep under =) I would also like to plant a Mountain Ash and Hawthorn tree for a bit more diversity. All of these trees have a fairly shallow root system and are compact. Good choices for ponds. (The last three pictures are all of Hawthorn in it's different stages)
[attachment=3079:weeping-willow.jpg] [attachment=3124:european-mountain-ash.jpeg] [attachment=3121:hawthorn 2.jpeg][attachment=3122:hawthorn 3.jpeg] [attachment=3123:hawthorn.jpeg]

- Fish: [u][i](Still researching fish)[/i][/u] I'm not exactly 100% sure that we have fish in the Realm, but we have a statue of one, so they much be around somewhere, yeah? Fish (and other aquatic life forms) are a needed addition to almost any pond. A pond with no fish is like a circus with no clowns. It's still a pond, but the experience isn't quite the same. [i](Still researching fish)[/i]


[b]Desired forms of Plants[/b]
Most pond plants just sort of do whatever they want. It's hard to really control what they do besides stopping them from spreading like mad fiends.
1) Keep the oxygenating plants far away from the Lilies
2) Lilies in the middle? Meaning that the oxygenating plants would have to be closer to the edges .
3) Cattails opposite the Willow
4) Marginal plants in small clumps instead of all the way around the entire pond. Too many marginal plants just looks gaudy, and we need room for the oxygenating plants.
5) No marginal plants in front of the water flow into the pond.
6) Filtration plants lining the irrigation ditch that leads into the pond.


[b]Explanation of functional Relationships[/b]
Their relationships can be summarized as thus: Oxygenating plants reduce nitrogen in the water and create oxygen for the fish which need the shade from the Lilies, Willow, and floating plants. The floating plants cut down on algae spread and keep the pond mostly clean which is further helped by the marginal plants filtration. One big happy micro-ecosystem.


[b]List of Yields[/b]
1) There's the obvious yields from the fish: Food, oil, scales, bones… etc.
2) Willow bark contains salicylic acid, which is the active ingredient in Aspirin if my memory serves. Boiling the bark to create a tea would create pain medicine.
3) It smells nice, and, lets face it… who doesn't love ponds?
4) White Lotus contains aporphine, which is closely related to apomorphine. Upon ingesting anything that includes White Lotus, many report a feeling of euphoria. During WWI the extract was used as a replacement anesthetic when the normal opiate anesthetic wasn't available.
5) Mountain Ash will provide food for animals throughout winter.
5) Edible plants (lotus root, water chestnuts, lily blossoms, hawthorn berries, etc etc)
6) Mulch, quite a bit of mulch.
7) A host of crafts can be made from reeds.


[b]List of Needs/Dangers[/b]
Many of the pond plants that I have picked out are incredibly invasive. It will take a constant watchful eye in order to keep the pond in check and looking nice. Other than that, many of the plants I have chosen don't require much more than planting them. Supporting the growth of the trees in their early stages would perhaps be the most time consuming thing.

By invasive, I mean two different things. Anacharis and Water Hyacinth both spread and multiply rapidly. Anacharis can quickly take over the entire underwater space of a pond, which chokes everything living on the surface. Water Hyacinth does a similar thing, but on the surface of a pond. Both of these plants would need to be weeded and controlled. If not controlled, the "invasive" plants would spread down the irrigation ditch and take over the rest of the garden. They are both prolific and resilient.

Trees can be a danger to a pond (deep roots that break down the pond, stealing water, poisoning fish, etc), but I have not chosen any that will be. The worst our trees will do to the pond is drop their leaves into it come Autumn. Obviously those will need to be cleaned out, but it's not that horrible of a chore =)


[b]Relation of guild to the Realm[/b]
1) I was thinking that the Willow could come from a cutting/the pollen/seeds of The Willow located on Willow's walk.
2) The Cattails could be transplanted from Raven's Peace in Loreroot.
3) I would suggest placing rocks around the edge of the pond from the beaches in Golemus.
4) Coat the bottom of the pond with sand from Necrovion. I hear that there's sand there.
Ideally, all four main lands would be represented in the pond, but Necrovion and Golemus are a bit of a stretch.

To me, however, the pond best represents Marind Bell. A place for people to gather, simple beauty, and cultivated class. If I had to choose one land that the pond represented, it would definitely be Marind Bell.

[b]Construction of the Pond[/b]
1) The Pond needs to have several different depths of water, so a multi-tier system would have to be dug into the ground, with the deepest tier being in the middle.
2) It would be beneficial to the rest of the Garden if the pond was at a lower level than the irrigation ditch, that way there would be a steady disturbance of the surface water (from the small waterfall that this would create), and no plants could escape up the ditch into other sections of the garden.
3a) The windmill construction should be finished first.
3b) The aerating system needs to be protected from plant growth with a screen over the exit.
4) We should probably plant the trees before we fill the pond, just to give them a little bit of a head start.
5) Fill the pond
6) The other plants are planted into baskets that are then sunk to the proper depth of water for said plant. This should be an easy step once the tier system is done and the pond is filled.

Edited August 11, 2011 by Brulant

[Amoran Kalamanira Kol]

Plant suggestions, if they have not already been suggested:

[u]7-layer forest garden[/u]
[b]upper canopy:[/b]
-Pecan trees
-Willow trees
-Apple trees
-Peach trees
-Pine trees
-Maple trees
-Birch trees
[b]lower canopy[/b]
-'Japanese maples'
-Plum trees
-Crepe Myrtles
[b]shrub layer[/b]
-Hibiscus
-Gold Leaf Spirea
-Azaleas
-Dwarf Crepe Myrtle
[b]herbacious layer[/b]
-French lavender
-Basil
-Sage
-White sage
-Mint either spearmint or peppermint.
-Ornamental Peppers
-Chamomile
-Dwarf Hibiscus
-Catnip
-Cat mint
-Dill
-Thyme
[b]ground cover
root layer
vine layer[/b]

I will add more suggestions to the list when I think of more.

Edited July 24, 2011 by Amoran Kalamanira Kol

[Phantom Orchid]

[center][size="5"][font="Arial Black"]Magic Herb Spiral[/font][/size]


[img]http://www.ebsqart.com/Art/12947/344071/SpiralPentacle_275_275.jpg[/img][/center]


The outer border of the herb garden is set with a circle of memory stones inscribed with runes(advanced magic), and interspersed with plantings of red flowers (geraniums, nasturtiums, etc.) for protection against outside influences.

The inside border is a mound of Lorerootian soil with herbs planted in a spiral and inlaid with crystals (for energy).

And at the peak of the spiral is an alter to the Goddess of the Moon.

[img]http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq169/lunasantini/goddess.jpg[/img]


The following are planted in lower, most frequently harvested/highest yielding, portion of the herb spiral:

[list]

[*] Angelica - Enchantments and potions
[*] Thyme - Used in ritual to produce trance/illusion.
[*] Rosemary - Memory, sleep air, intellect, purification, love, power, healing
[*] Sage - Fertility, vitality, wisdom
[*] Vervain/Verbena - For love potions. It shall be dug only with a gold coin or a stag's horn
[*] Catnip - Maintaining healthy relationships and setting boundaries
[*] Basil - Carried to attract coins; gives one courage
[*] Mint - Vitality, luck, briskness
[*] Yarrow - Used for a wound poultice with plantain leaves
[*] Dill - Culinary spice. Medicine for colic
[*] Cumin - Used for love potions
[*] Feverfew - Used for relieving head aches
[*] Parsley - Culinary herb. Parsley seed goes 9 times to the Underworld and back before it comes up, which is why germination is less than one hundred percent
[/list]
For protection from spells: dill, garlic, leek clovers, mugwort
For ritual cleansing and purification: Mugwort, Nettle, Plantain, Fennel, Chamomile, Water cress

The middle layer is made up of potentially toxic flowers and herbs, suitably used for advanced magic:

[list]

[*] Henbane - Love potion; poisonous plant - use with caution. A close relative of Thorn Apple and nightshade, henbane is used in the preparation of flying ointments.
[*] Rue - Protection, health, clarity of thinking, performing rituals, mindfulness
[*] Hemlock - Dig under moonlight. deadly poison. Fool's Parsley
[*] Monkshood - Beautiful purple flower spikes. Used with belladonna to make a flying ointment, and in combination with water parsnip, cinquefoil, and deadly nightshade to make an ointment of the imagination. Used to contact the dead (and others in the Underworld)
[*] Mandrake - The twisted, elaborate roots look like a human, and the plant screams when pulled out of the ground (it shall always be harvested with a special scythe. Used for astral projection
[*] Opium Poppy - Sleep / dream magick
[*] Deadly Nightshade / Belladona - It has purple/red flowers and poisonous berries. Used to dilate pupils for beauty and seduction
[*] Thorn Apple / Jimson Weed - This plant has hallucinogenic effects. The juice from these fruits is used to make a deadly poison
[*] Morning Glory - Wrapped around a person 9 times to bind a spell. Strongest under a full moon
[/list]
The top layer is made of up flowers and herbs used in advanced ritual practice and best suited for moonlight*; evening primrose, moonflower, and white rose.
[i]* The planting, care, and use of these plants is strictly guarded by the clergy of the Children of the Eclipse.[/i]

[b]Harvesting yields:[/b] It is best to collect an odd number of sprigs from each plant, (ie. 3 for few branches sprigs, 7 for many branching ones. When roots are harvested, permission must be requested, and offerings shall be made, to each plant taken.

[b]Processing needs:[/b] Pruning knife, scythe (advanced harvesting), digging stick or antler to harvest roots. Fiber may be used for to tie bundles of herbs for drying purposes (preferably in the shade under a tree with maximum ventilation). Soapstone mortar and pestle to grind herbs.

[b]To brew potions:[/b] Three kinds of wood and the proper amount of heat shall be used to boil the water in the cauldron. Other materials may be required depending on what is being concocted.

[img]http://www.themagickeeper.com/bmz_cache/a/a4d2d091f68cdd69df056021a90081fc.image.220x195.JPG[/img]

Also, periodic soil amending will be necessary, requiring the import of fertile Lorerootian soil once every year. Alternatively, or additionally, composted material may be used for soil enrichment, and soil from various lands may be used to influence the energetics of certain plants.

[MoM]

hmmmm I'd like to get a little creative here and talk about a plant, that will be related to MD...
basically, it's a plant that disguises itself from most people out of fear, but it has a scent to powerful to be hidden...
the more important thing is : if, by the scent, you spot the plant, and give it water (aka from the water drowsers guild) it will stop hidding, thus it will no longer try to cover the smell, and the forest gets filled with :
a scent that heals vitality! The smell just gives the person a sense of satisfaction and re-newed vigor... I doubt it'll actually happen (though it'll be a great way to start actually using the water resource) but via RP, it is quite possible =)
also, we need a name for this plant... now that's tricky... Scentimillion =) cz it's scent is worth millions

Edit : tell me what you think, basically the way the plant 'looks' is like an oridinary plant - if it's not invisible... it's basically the scent that makes it stand out...

Edited August 1, 2011 by MoM

[Rumi]

Brulant's plant guild entry is incredibly well done and an excellent example for anyone considering making a plant guild design submission. I encourage anyone interested to examine his design and add any ideas or suggestions you might have. The following are my observations and suggestions.

[quote name='Brulant' timestamp='1311478946' post='88725']
- Aquatic plants for the following reasons:
1. Supplemental filtration - plants absorb ammonium, nitrates and phosphates.
2. Plants also assimilate other undesirable substances, such as metals, from pond water to improve water quality.
3. Supply food and shelter for fish and other organisms.
4. Compete with algae through the intake of essential nutrients, while shading the pond from light.
5. Helps keep a biological balance.
6. Helps prevent water from overheating.
[/quote]
7. Mulch crops
8. Food (for people)


[quote name='Brulant' timestamp='1311478946' post='88725']
- Some sort of shore plants. I personally would suggest a shade tree as well as some low-key ground plants for nitrogen recycling and weed competition.
[/quote]
You might also consider wetland plants that don't actually touch the shore, but surround a pond and drink in water in pond water through the earth


[quote name='Brulant' timestamp='1311478946' post='88725']
- Organisms that inhabit the pond. A relatively small ecosystem, moving from "first tier" species such as plankton and algae, to "second tier" herbivorous fish. I believe that the pond would be too small to introduce carnivorous fish. However, even with a seemingly small introduced ecosystem, nature should flesh it out as varying forms of invertebrate and vertebrate come to inhabit the area.
[/quote]
I think the development of a pond ecosystem which supports first level carnivores is a worthwhile goal. First level carnivores can be a reliable food source. The same with small crustaceans


[quote name='Brulant' timestamp='1311478946' post='88725']
- Hardy Lilies: Hardly Lilies are wonderful choices for MD because they both 1) Adore sunlight and heat and 2) Can survive fairly cold and long winters. From this category I would choose Texas Dawns and Pink Grapefruit lilies (mostly because they both bloom quickly and smell nice =).
[attachment=3071:texas_dawn.JPG] [attachment=3072:pink_grapefruit.JPG]
[/quote]
Excellent choice. I would also like to see some type of lotus.


[quote name='Brulant' timestamp='1311478946' post='88725']
- Floating Plants: Water Hyacinth is one of the most recognizable pond plants and I believe that it would be right at home in our pond.
[attachment=3073:WaterHyacinthWFPR_DcP03.jpg]
[/quote]
I think duckweed or some other small form floating plant would balance the hyacinth nicely.


[quote name='Brulant' timestamp='1311478946' post='88725']
- Oxygenating Plant: Anacharis is a quick spreading (sometimes dangerously so) submerged plant that helps keep the pond healthy by recycling nitrogen to use as fertilizer while it's fern-like leaves transpire oxygen. It attracts all sorts of aquatic life, including fish and turtles.
[attachment=3074:anacharis.JPG]

- Marginal Plants: Cardinal Flowers are absolutely gorgeous bright red marginal plants. They like to be planted on the edges of ponds, keeping it's "feet" wet and it's head high and dry. Beyond their aesthetic beauty, Cardinal Flowers benefit the pond by keeping algae at bay. As a color contrast I would also add Black Magic Taro and Pickeral Rush, both of which are easy to grow and are great natural filters.
[attachment=3075:cardinal_flower_2.jpg] [attachment=3076:\'Black Magic.jpg] [attachment=3077:Pickerel Rush.jpg]

- Cattails: All ponds need Cattails. Enough said.
[attachment=3078:cattails-21317330.jpg]
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Consider adding wetland plants, as mentioned above. Also, think about strong filtration plants, particularly other reeds and rushes. One particularly notable plant would be papyrus. Food plants? Watercress? Water chestnut?


[quote name='Brulant' timestamp='1311478946' post='88725']
- A Willow: I would suggest planting a Willow (preferably Weeping) on the opposite shore of where the Cattails would be concentrated. Willows are great for shade and to sleep under =)
[attachment=3079:weeping-willow.jpg]
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More trees, and different types


[quote name='Brulant' timestamp='1311478946' post='88725']
- Fish: I'm not exactly 100% sure that we have fish in the Realm, but we have a statue of one, so they much be around somewhere, yeah? Fish (and other aquatic life forms) are a needed addition to almost any pond. A pond with no fish is like a circus with no clowns. It's still a pond, but the experience isn't quite the same.
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I'd say the statue of a fish indicates to me that fish are known to exist. You might come up with a few fishy candidates. Mosquitofish make for an excellent herbivore and provide an additional functional yield.


[quote name='Brulant' timestamp='1311478946' post='88725']
1) Keep the oxygenating plants far away from the Lilies
2) Lilies in the middle? Meaning that the oxygenating plants would have to be closer to the edges .
3) Cattails opposite the Willow
4) Marginal plants in small clumps instead of all the way around the entire pond. Too many marginal plants just looks gaudy, and we need room for the oxygenating plants.
5) No marginal plants in front of the water flow into the pond.
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6) Reeds and other filtration plants should line the water flow into the pond


[quote name='Brulant' timestamp='1311478946' post='88725']
Their relationships can be summarized as thus: Oxygenating plants reduce nitrogen in the water and create oxygen for the fish which need the shade from the Lilies, Willow, and floating plants. The floating plants cut down on algae spread and keep the pond mostly clean which is further helped by the marginal plants filtration. One big happy micro-ecosystem.
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[quote name='Brulant' timestamp='1311478946' post='88725']
1) There's the obvious yields from the fish: Food, oil, scales, bones… etc.
2) Willow bark contains salicylic acid, which is the active ingredient in Aspirin if my memory serves. Boiling the bark to create a tea would create pain medicine.
3) It smells nice, and, lets face it… who doesn't love ponds?
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4) Edible plants
5) Flowers
6) Mulch
7) A host of crafts can be made from reeds

Anything else?


[quote name='Brulant' timestamp='1311478946' post='88725']
Many of the pond plants that I have picked out are incredibly invasive. It will take a constant watchful eye in order to keep the pond in check and looking nice. Other than that, many of the plants I have chosen don't require much more than planting them. Supporting the Willow's growth in it's early stages would perhaps be the most time consuming thing.
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'Invasive' denotes a human quality, or more specifically a human action. It refers to a relative or subjective trait, rather than an absolute or object trait. How might you more specifically describe the 'invasive' species you have outlined? Are they persistent? prolific? resilient? opportunistic? What qualities do they have that helps them hold their own ground and expand into others?


[quote name='Brulant' timestamp='1311478946' post='88725']
1) I was thinking that the Willow could come from a cutting/the pollen of The Willow located on Willow's walk.
2)The Cattails could be transplanted from Raven's Peace in Loreroot.
3) I would suggest placing rocks around the edge of the pond from the beaches in Golemus.
4) Coat the bottom of the pond with sand from Necrovion. I hear that there's sand there.
Ideally, all four main lands would be represented in the pond, but Necrovion and Golemus are a bit of a stretch.
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Does any land stand out for you as strongly represented by the pond?

Edited August 20, 2011 by Rumi

[Brulant]

First update of my submission is done, I figured I'd just update the original post rather than repost another massive list again
More updates planned as I continue to learn more about ponds.