A Colorful DIY Water Garden for Your Patio
See how to turn a standard stock tank into a customized container garden for floating and potted aquatic plants
With a metal stock tank, some cinder blocks and aquatic plants, it’s possible to have your own serene water garden without the high cost, space or time investment we typically associate with them.
Tools and Materials
- Metal stock tank (this one is 4 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet). Gray says you could try a different size or even an oversize bucket. “You just want an opening in the top to be significant,” she says.
- Painters tape
- Measuring tape
- Fine-grit (120 to 180) sandpaper
- Plain newsprint paper
- Primer spray paint
- Spray paint. Gray suggests going with a high-quality brand for the finish coat, if you can, but don’t worry about it with the primer.
- Cinder blocks as needed to serve as a plant stand inside the tank
In the following excerpt from the book, Gray shows how to prep and paint a metal stock tank for a water garden.
From “Potted: Make Your Own Stylish Containers” (Timber Press, 2017; $19.95) by Annette Goliti Gutierrez and Mary Gray
1. Tape off paint lines. To create a two-tone paint job, mask off the areas of the tank you won’t be painting. First, decide where you want to apply color. We decided to leave a few inches at the top and bottom unpainted and used the natural ridges on the tank as our guides. If your tank doesn’t have ridges, simply measure from the top and mark every few inches to ensure a straight line. Then go around the tank slowly with painters tape, pressing the tape down firmly as you work. Do the same for the bottom edge.
From “Potted: Make Your Own Stylish Containers” (Timber Press, 2017; $19.95) by Annette Goliti Gutierrez and Mary Gray
1. Tape off paint lines. To create a two-tone paint job, mask off the areas of the tank you won’t be painting. First, decide where you want to apply color. We decided to leave a few inches at the top and bottom unpainted and used the natural ridges on the tank as our guides. If your tank doesn’t have ridges, simply measure from the top and mark every few inches to ensure a straight line. Then go around the tank slowly with painters tape, pressing the tape down firmly as you work. Do the same for the bottom edge.
2. Sand the area being painted. Lightly sand the entire surface that will be painted so the paint will adhere to the metal.
3. Mask off areas that won’t be painted. Just below the first paint line, begin taping newsprint around the bottom and top areas that will not be painted.
Be sure the seal is snug so there will be no overspray on the unpainted spaces.
4. Spray on primer. In a well-ventilated area, spray one light, even coat of primer, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Stay far enough away from the tank so that the paint doesn’t go on too thick and cause drip marks. Follow the primer manufacturer’s instructions for dry time before proceeding.
Tip: If drip marks do occur on the primer or finishing coat, wait until the surface is completely dry, then gently go over the drip with a fresh piece of fine-grit sandpaper to remove it. Lightly respray the repaired area.
Tip: If drip marks do occur on the primer or finishing coat, wait until the surface is completely dry, then gently go over the drip with a fresh piece of fine-grit sandpaper to remove it. Lightly respray the repaired area.
5. Spray-paint the tank. In the same well-ventilated area, spray the paint onto the primed tank. As with the primer, spray lightly — it is better to underspray and repaint than to spray too thickly and have drip marks. Use two coats to get an even effect. Allow the first coat to dry to the touch before applying the second. Remove the newsprint and the tape as soon as the paint is dry to the touch. If you wait too long, the tape may pull off the dried paint. Allow the tank to dry completely.
Place the cinder block in the trough as a stand for positioning potted plants. Fill with water, then kick back and enjoy the tranquility your new water garden brings. ♦︎
Place the cinder block in the trough as a stand for positioning potted plants. Fill with water, then kick back and enjoy the tranquility your new water garden brings. ♦︎
Plants and Maintenance
We spoke with Gray in more detail about how to plant and maintain the stock tank garden.
This tank is filled with low-maintenance aquatic plants. Some sit in planters on cinder blocks, and others float on the water’s surface.
We spoke with Gray in more detail about how to plant and maintain the stock tank garden.
This tank is filled with low-maintenance aquatic plants. Some sit in planters on cinder blocks, and others float on the water’s surface.
- Floating plants: Water hyacinth and water lettuce. These are common plants that are easy to grow — and they grow fast. “You’ll end up splitting them up and giving them to your friends,” Gray says.
- Potted plants: Dwarf papyrus, water canna and taro. These grow in heavy clay soil.
Small mosquito fish swim in the planter, feeding on mosquito larvae. While beneficial in the garden setting, these exotic fish can be considered invasive in natural settings. Please check with your regional Fish and Wildlife Service and never release them outside a confined garden setting.
This garden prefers sun to partial shade, preferably afternoon shade if you live in a cold climate. Simply replenish the water as it evaporates.
In climates that experience freezing temperatures, you will need to break up the fountain until spring, but mild-winter gardeners can enjoy it year-round.
This garden prefers sun to partial shade, preferably afternoon shade if you live in a cold climate. Simply replenish the water as it evaporates.
In climates that experience freezing temperatures, you will need to break up the fountain until spring, but mild-winter gardeners can enjoy it year-round.
The book’s cover showcases some of the other DIY container projects. More info
More
13 Pond Plants That Will Bring Your Aquatic Garden to Life
See other ways to grow a garden in a container
Browse photos of stock tanks in the landscape
More
13 Pond Plants That Will Bring Your Aquatic Garden to Life
See other ways to grow a garden in a container
Browse photos of stock tanks in the landscape
In their new book, Potted, Annette Goliti Gutierrez and Mary Gray, founders and owners of the L.A. garden boutique of the same name, show how to make more than 20 contemporary and stylish indoor and outdoor planters using affordable, easy-to-find products, including a simple portable water tank, available at livestock supply stores.
How to Make a Colorful Stock Tank Garden
This stock tank garden gets added style and shine from a custom application you can do at home. It’s an accessible project for anyone with a little outdoor space. “You really only need to know how to paint,” Gray says. You can paint it to match your home or garden, or use it as a contrasting accent piece. “Part of the fun of DIY is taking the idea and making it your own,” she says.