I am fixing up an old farm that my family has owned in Virginia (zone 7A). We had a lot of clearing and grading work that needed to happen so we decided to dig a pond which is L shaped around the old silo. This area has a very dense clay which is ideal. For reference to the left of the picture is the spillway. The depth at the deepest part will be 12ft and I put a tree and some old concrete for fish habitat. Rest of the depth is closer to 6ft. Curious if there is anything else I should do before it fills up? The contractor is going to seed this week around/in the pond area for soil retention. I was looking into non-invasive aquatic plantings (I would like to have fish and will probably stock it in the spring with trout (I don't expect them to make it through the winter) Should I put a patch of gravel down to help with spawning?

Curious what everyone's favorite plantings are and when (and where) I should plant them. ChatGPT gave me the following recommendations but wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts on what I should avoid and what I should prioritize. I've heard its best to put some these in pots in the ground to limit growth.

* **Iris versicolor (Blue Flag Iris)** — a classic marginal / shallow edge native iris.
* **Sagittaria rigida (Arrowhead)** — emergent arrowhead species (roots underwater, leaves above).
* **Coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum)** — submerged plant, good for oxygenation.
* **Nymphoides aquatica (Banana Floating‑Heart)** — a floating-leaf / rooted floating type; use cautiously (don’t let it dominate).
* **Carex vulpinoidea (Fox Sedge)** — good sedge for moist edges or shallow margins.
* **Swamp Loosestrife (Decodon verticillatus)** — a shrub-type wetland species; nice for edges but check vigor.
* **Lizard’s Tail (Saururus cernuus)** — tall, showy marginal plant (umbrella-like flower spike)
* **Thalia dealbata (Hardy Water Canna)** — margin / shallow aquatic ornamental (check native vs non-native status for your area)

I would assume the best place to purchase is a local nursery but see that I can also order some of these online. I would assume I would plant as the water level gets close to the shore.  


1 acre pond progress and suggested vegetation