Large floating island planters for lush ponds and water gardens
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Grow garden favorites hydroponically in your garden pond
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Expands planting options for a one-of-a-kind water garden
Breathtaking gardens that thrive on top of your pond! Revolutionary raft-like planters provide a unique hydroponic environment so you can grow beautiful, ornamental garden favorites. Islandscapes floating planters are the fun and creative way to dramatically increase planting options for existing ponds and water gardens. As plants flourish, they enhance pond health by functioning as living filtration systems. Naturally removes excess nutrients including phosphate, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate to help keep pond water clean and clear. Also provides protective cover for pond fish. Islandscapes are made of recycled bio-mesh bonded by buoyant foam. Pesticide- and herbicide-free and durable enough to withstand hard winter freeze.
Each Islandscape includes: Tether ring for anchor, Islandscape soil blend, and instructions for use.
Garden Islandscape
Biological Benefit*
19-1/2" x 27" x 4"
up to 750 gallon pond
32-1/2" x 22-1/2" x 5-1/2"
up to 1,000 gallon pond
40-1/2" x 31" x 5-1/2"
up to 2,500 gallon pond
56" x 37-1/4" x 7-1/4"
up to 5,000 gallon pond
56" x 47" x 7-1/4"
up to 10,000 gallon pond
*Garden Islandscapes act like living bio-filters for your pond. The larger the Islandscape, the greater the biological benefit in terms of water clarity and ecosystem health.
Attach SafeAnchor to position your Garden Islandscapes in the ideal spot. Soft anchoring system contours to pond bottom and prevents damage to your pond liner. Nitrile and stainless steel construction. 8.5" diameter. Seven pound mooring capacity. For item #'s 34301 and 32678.
Please click on "More Information" for instructions for use.
Instructions for Use
Step 1 - Prepare Your Work Area
Step 2 - Attach Anchor
Step 3 - Add Islandscape Soil Blend
Step 4 - Planting
Step 5 - Launch
Step 1
Prepare Your Work Area
Large, fully planted Islandscapes can be unwieldy to move on dry land. For large Islandscapes, place a tarp at the shoreline or pond edge to create a work area. The slippery surface makes it easier to launch a fully landscaped Islandscape.
Additional Materials Needed:
Metal landscape pins
Small landscape rocks (to adjust buoyancy, if necessary)
Sod, plants, or seed
Anchor block (optional)
Step 2
Attach Anchor (Optional)
Turn the Islandscape upside down. Tie one end of the anchor cord to the stainless steel D-ring on the underside of the Islandscape. Make sure the cord is long enough to reach the bottom of the pond, with enough slack to allow variation in pond water level.
Attach the other end of the anchor cord to a heavy object, such as a cinder block. For ponds with liners, you may want to choose a smoother object. Alternatives: Use of an anchor is optional. You can choose to leave your Islandscape free-floating or anchor it to a point on the shore. This enables you to pull it in for occasional plant maintenance.
Step 3
Add Islandscape Soil Blend
Turn Islandscape right side up.
Push the soil blend firmly into the Wicking Channel (small vertical holes) to eliminate any large air pockets. Leave a small amount of soil blend on top.
Garden Islandscape: If your Islandscape has planting pockets, fill the pockets generously with soil blend, mounding it towards the center. NOTE: Freedom Ponds only recommends using Islandscape Soil Blend for two reasons: It offers superior wicking properties (raising water to a height of 7 inches); and its relative light weight minimizes negative buoyancy. Standard soil mixes are not recommended and use may void manufacturer's warranty.
Step 4
Planting
If using bedding plants, wash or shake off any existing soil to expose roots for planting.
Place plants into the Islandscape soil blend as you would any planting bed. Make sure the roots are below the crown of the plant (the crown is where the plant stem and roots meet). If using seeds, simply press the seeds into the soil blend.
Firmly pat down the soil blend. NOTE: Like any newly planted garden, a freshly planted Islandscape requires some time to establish and "fill in."
Step 5
Launch
Pick up the anchor, or place it on top of the Islandscape. Slide or lift your Islandscape into the water.
Carefully lower the anchor when the Islandscape reaches the desired location in your pond.
The top edge of the Islandscape should sit three to five inches above the water. As a general rule, if half the thickness of the Islandscape is floating above water, your Islandscape is floating optimally. If the Islandscape floats unevenly or rides too high, you can add landscape rocks evenly spaced across the top of the Islandscape. The landscape rocks can be removed in a week or so after the plant roots have grown through the media and to the water below. NOTE: The bottom of the bedding pocket and the Wicking Channels must be in contact with the water so that water wicks up through the soil blend. Confirm that the soil blend is appropriately moist after launch. You may adjust buoyancy by adding or removing rock on top of the Islandscape.
Step 6
Ongoing Maintenance
Periodically check to confirm that the soil blend is moist. Make sure the plants are receiving adequate amounts of water but are not water logged. You may need to adjust the buoyancy of your Islandscape by adding or removing landscape rocks.
Whether you choose to prune your Islandscape or allow it to grow naturally is a matter of personal choice.
After raining, your Islandscape may occasionally float lower in the water. It will resume its normal position in a day or two.
Small Islandscapes do not represent a safety issue that we know of. Larger ones could represent a boating hazard and we recommend that they be well marked so as to be visible under all conditions. We recommend that you do not walk on them, or swim adjacent or underneath them. Roots that grow through Islandscapes could represent a serious swimming or diving issue.
Yes, but fertilize very, very carefully. In fact, it is usually best not to fertilize. After all, it is frequently nutrients in fertilizer that cause water quality problems in the first place. If you must fertilize, use a product that is designed for the wet conditions associated with hydroponic settings. Normal fertilizer can break down too quickly and burn island plants, where a specially designed wetland fertilizer is designed to release slowly. For perspective, wetlands are actually biofilters that incorporate large volumes of plant and microbial life, which typically compete aggressively to sequester whatever nutrients filter through. Your Islandscape is designed to function the same way, and keeping its plant and microbial community hungry and searching for nutrients will result in a healthier waterway.
Can I move an Islandscape from one pond to another? Are there other ways to adjust Islandscapes to achieve the effect I want?
A.
Islandscapes are easily moved. Pull them onto a tarp on a fairly level shoreline, let them drain for an hour or so, then carry them to the new location. If you are going to transport your wet island be sure to carefully cover the entire island to prevent plant dessication. You can use a tether cable to attach an anchor to your island, or attach additional Islandscapes to each other to create larger islands or Islandscape archipelagos.
Can Islandscapes be used to grow herbs or veggies or maybe fruit?
A.
Yes. In fact, doing so can be a lot of fun. You also have the option of growing some really exotic succulents like watercress or wild ginger. Others have successfully grown tomato, raspberry, asparagus, american speedwell and monkey flower on their Islandscapes.
Do I have to use the proprietary Islandscapes Planting Mix?
A.
Yes, you must use the Islandscapes Planting Mix for the warranty on your island to remain valid. Islandscapes Planting Mix has been specially designed to work with Islandscapes. It keeps your Islandscape buoyant, while delivering appropriate moisture to the plant roots. Furthermore, it will not leak out of the island matrix. Regular soil is not recommended as it may cause your Islandscape to sink.
No. However, Islandscapes do attract fish and nymphs and other insects that consume mosquito larvae. Also, carnivorous plants that eat mosquitos occur on wild islands would most likely readily grow on Islandscapes.
You can either buy a bigger island, or join many smaller Islandscapes together with tethers. The number of islands you can join together is limited only by the space you have available.
In the event that you want to weed your island - or tend your plants (for instance, to thin or prune them) - you can both wade out to the island and do it in place, or you can move the island to shore. For the latter, it would make sense to tether the island to a point on the shore but alternatively you can use a pole (or similar) to gently pull a small island in.
Many bodies of water carry an unnaturally high nutrient load, due to runoff containing lawn and garden fertilizers etc. This can result in a wide range of serious water quality problems. Islandscapes represent a holistic way to mine these nutrients out of the waterway and convert them into a beautiful and wildlife enhancing floating garden habitat.
Your Islandscape is warranted free of manufacturing defects for five years - but will last for much longer. Keeping your Islandscape away from direct exposure to UV rays is the best way to ensure the longevity of your island. Protect foam nodules and the matrix itself by planting with foliage, sod, or turf all the way to the water line.
How long will it take for my Islandscape to mature into a beautiful floating garden?
A.
No more than one season. In fact, many experienced gardeners report that their islands develop faster than conventional gardens. Islandscapes typically green up sooner in the spring and stay green longer in the fall due to the thermal effect of water.
I have noticed that my Islandscape will occasionally lean to one side or the other. Why is this and what can I do to solve the problem?
A.
As with all floating entities, Islandscapes will - on occasion - lean to one side or the other. The potential causes of this are varied; for small islands, it may be as simple as having a frog or a turtle jump on and off the island. For large islands, leaning may reflect the possiblity that plants or grasses on one side of the island have soaked up water at a quicker rate than those on the opposite side. In all cases, however, the solutions to redress a leaning island are quite simple. They include anchoring islands together; adding a counterbalance such as a small piece of ornamental driftwood or a small decorative stone to the high side of the island; or, in the case of a sod island, trimming some of the sod off the low lying side of the island (to help reduce the uptake of water and thereby reduce the weight on that side).
Is it important or useful to anchor my Islandscape in one spot? If so, how are they anchored?
A.
A disadvantage of leaving your Islandscape unanchored is that if your pond water level changes your Islandscape may hang up against a shoreline, or can move to block your pond skimmer. We recommend positioning your island in an optimal spot by tying an anchor cord or rope to the single "D" ring that comes attached to the underside of your Islandscape.
Must I innoculate my Islandscape with beneficial microbes for it to work at improving water quality?
A.
No, your Islandscape will attract beneficial microbes that are most likely already present within your waterway. Your Islandscape will also provide water quality benefits as it filters suspended solids and colloidals from the water. However, your island is likely to be even more effective at competing with algae if you do dose it with beneficial bacteria for which many of our dealers are sources. To innoculate an Islandscape, simply add bacteria on the upstream or windward side of the Islandscape, so the microbes filter into the island.
What time of the year is best for launching an Islandscape?
A.
Islandscapes can be launched any time of the year. In fact, placing them in position on top of an ice covered waterway is a method we have tested with success. Another effective approach is fall seeding of islands which positions them for a nice green-up the following spring. But as you might expect, launching an island in the spring or summer means that your island can green up and add to your waterscape quickly. Islandscapes have also been launched with just a sod covering, so they were immediately green, in Canada literally just a few days before ice-up. All of these methods work. Incidentally, root growth on bluegrass covered sod islands, in a reasonably well aerated waterway, averaged slightly over one half inch per day during summer months. However, once roots grew through the island thickness and were accessible to fish, the bluegrass sod roots were aggressively grazed. The bluegrass on the island flourished despite this grazing.
If the water in your pond is well aerated, almost any plant suitable for your planting zone will grow on an Islandscape. If your water is not well aerated, or if you are not sure, we recommend riparian plants that are naturally adapted to low oxygen conditions. Many nurseries have wetland plants available.
Islandscapes attract and bond suspended solids and colloidals into the island matrix where they will ultimately become soil and plants and beneficial microbes and gas. Some of these solids will also be sequestered into other life forms like damsel fly nymphs and fish. If you plan to use your Islandscape as primary bio-filtration, the island can be removed from your pond and the matrix rinsed off, which will keep the Islandscape orifices open and able to collect more of the suspended solids and other fine debris that reduce your water clarity. This can be done as often as every two months.
Will an Islandscape ultimately grow and cover my entire pond?
A.
Evidence from the wild suggests that while this is a possiblity, it will take a long time. If you desire greater coverage of your pond, the quickest way to achieve this is to purchase another Islandscape.
Will ducks or geese graze on my planted Islandscape? Will fish graze on plant roots that grow through the island?
A.
A carefully designed planting strategy can either encourage or discourage grazing by waterfowl, and root grazing by certain fish species. With thoughtful plant selection Islandscapes can assist you in the stewardship of your waterway. You can use your Islandscape to lure waterfowl away from other sites, to feed fish, or to provide more secure nest sites for waterfowl.
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 "Garden Islandscapes")
Breathtaking gardens that thrive on top of your pond! Revolutionary raft-like planters provide a unique hydroponic environment so you can grow beautiful, ornamental garden favorites. Islandscapes floating planters are the fun and creative way to dramatically increase planting options for existing ponds and water gardens. As plants flourish, they enhance pond health by functioning as living filtration systems. Naturally removes excess nutrients including phosphate, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate to help keep pond water clean and clear. Also provides protective cover for pond fish. Islandscapes are made of recycled bio-mesh bonded by buoyant foam. Pesticide- and herbicide-free and durable enough to withstand hard winter freeze.
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