Plants are a very valuable and important part of any water garden.

They offer shade which helps keep the water temperature down and cuts down on light that algae needs to grow. They offer shelter to the fish in the pond, giving them a place to hide when they feel threatened. They absorb the nitrates in the water, helping the fish and the ecosystem.
Marginal plants also add color and character to the pond. Please remove all dead plant life. As the leaves and stems decay, they serve as contaminates that will lead to poor health and death of pond life, they also look ugly.
See also Diseases, Plant Fertilizer, Pots And Soil
Check out Pondutah.com for more plant fun in our very special section, "Plant of the Month"! Check out our Pond Suppliers section while you're there.
Looking for pond plants in Utah? Visit these websites:
Desert Water Gardens
Glover Nursery
and for greatinfogreat info on gardening in general, visit Larry Sager.comSagers.com