Waterlilies and other aquatic plants can be planted successfully at any time from early spring into the summer. It is preferable to plant in early spring as then it is possible to achieve a good display during the succeeding summer. Aquatics planted during the summer rarely achieve full maturity until the following year.

All aquatic plants enjoy a heavy soil, so use a clay-loam soil from the garden or a proper formulated aquatic planting compost. When collecting soil from the garden, ensure that it is weed-free and does not contain any other organic debris that may decompose and pollute the water. It should not be from land that has been recently dressed with artificial fertilizer as this is likely to be very soluble and leach out into the pond water, thereby providing ideal conditions for the establishment of green water discoloring algae.

Waterlilies and other aquatic plants should always be fed using a slow release aquatic plant fertilizer in either a tablet or sachet, which during the growing season can be pushed into the compost next to the plant. Plant waterlilies and marginal aquatics in the same manner as when potting other plants into pots, but ideally use proper aquatic planting baskets.

Although marginal plants will grow in traditional pots, they will not prosper in the same way as when cultivated in planting baskets. Always plant a single species or variety in one container. Never consider mixed plantings as these will end in a tangle with one species or variety almost certain to dominate. Once planted, top-dress the compost in the baskets with fine gravel to prevent fish from stirring up the compost in their search for aquatic insect larvae.

Submerged aquatics are planted in a similar fashion, except that many more are used in a container. The larger sized planting basket will accommodate ten or twelve bunches, for most submerged aquatic plants are sold as bunches of leafy cuttings fastened together with a lead strip. Be sure to bury the fastening in the compost when planting. If left above the surface of the soil, the lead rots through the stems of the cuttings. These then detach and come floating to the surface of the water. Top-dress the planted baskets with well-washed fine gravel.