How to Make a Tabletop Water Garden

A container water garden creates its own ecosystem.

A container water garden creates its own ecosystem.

A tabletop water garden will bring a spot of green to your home during the winter months, or provide a refreshing aquatic feature outside during the summer. You can choose from a range of aquatic plants that will provide a dramatic outdoor garden, or select a few miniature plants for a charming tabletop display in a glass bowl indoors. Because each water garden creates its own small ecosystem, making a water garden is a fascinating educational project for children and adults.


Choose a container of appropriate size and composition for your intended display surface. For example, a tureen or punch bowl would be appropriate indoors on a dining table. Glass is ideal for an indoor water garden because you can see the workings of your miniature ecosystem. For outdoor use, choose a sturdier material such as glazed pottery, stone or concrete. Clean the container and rinse it thoroughly to remove all traces of soap or other cleansers.


Place a layer of charcoal pieces on the bottom of the pot. Cover the charcoal with a layer of small pebbles or aquarium gravel.


Add soil to a plastic pot that is short enough to be submerged beneath the water surface. Plant an emergent plant specimen in the pot and pack the soil down firmly. Set the pot on top of the gravel layer on the bottom of the garden container and cover the soil with pebbles. The top of the plant will emerge from the water while the roots and pot remain beneath the water.


Set the submerged plant specimens with their roots spread on top of the gravel. Be careful not to damage the roots as you arrange them. Cover the roots with gravel or pebbles, keeping the size of the gravel proportionate with the roots, and add pebbles around the base of the plants to hold them upright.


Fill the container three-quarters full with purified or distilled water, adding the water slowly so as not to dislodge the gravel. Add rocks and floating plants as you fill to create a pleasing display.


Place the container where it will receive bright light for at least six hours a day. Avoid direct sunlight, which may overheat the water. Allow the water to stand for 24 hours before adding fish.


Add small fish, if desired. A few goldfish or mosquitofish will help keep your garden clean by eating insect larvae and algae, and they will also provide fertilizer to support plant growth. Feed the fish once a day, or as directed on the food package instructions. If you are not sure about how many fish to add for the size container you have, consult with your local aquarium store.

Things You Will Need

  • Waterproof container
  • Charcoal in small pieces
  • Aquarium gravel
  • Pebbles
  • Plastic pot
  • Potting soil or topsoil
  • Emergent plant
  • Submerged plants
  • Rocks
  • Floating plants
  • Purified or distilled water
  • Fish (optional)


  • Emergent plants, such as dwarf papyrus and corkscrew rush, add interesting height to your garden because their roots form in soil underwater while their tops grow above the surface. Submerged plants such as wild celery and parrot feather grow mostly underwater. Floating plants such as water lettuce float on top of the water with their roots hanging down. Selecting plants from each category adds visual interest and creates a more complete ecosystem.
  • Aquatic plants spread rapidly, so you may need only two or three specimens of submerged and floating plants. Check with your local garden center or extension service for specific advice about how many plants to purchase.
  • To maintain your water garden, thin the plants as needed and add purified water to replace the water that has evaporated, keeping the water level constant. If the water gets cloudy, remove the fish and place them in a separate container of water that has been standing for 24 hours. Remove the plants and gravel and set aside. Clean the container and rinse thoroughly. Replace the charcoal, gravel and plants. Fill the container with purified or distilled water and allow the container garden to stand for 24 hours before returning the fish to the container.
  • Purified or distilled bottled water can be purchased at most grocery stores. You can also use tap water that has been filtered through a reverse osmosis home filtration system.


  • Aquatic plants may be very invasive when introduced into native waterways. Do not throw plants you remove or thin from your water garden into creeks or lakes. Dispose of excess plants in the trash or a compost pile, or use in mulch for your yard.

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