River Pond – Aquarium fluviatile
“In the River Pond, river and lake plants such as Hottonia, Hippuris, Myriophyllum, Potamogetones, Sagittaria, Utricularia, etc., are grown. The sides of the pond are covered with 20 different species of Carex.”
Carl Linnaeus, Hortus Upsaliensis 1745
The River Pond was deeper than the Marsh Pond but shallower than the Lake Pond. Different species of sedge grew along its sides, such as bladder sedge Carex vesicaria and cyperus sedge C. pseudocyperus. In the middle of the pond, mare’s tail Hippuris vulgaris, pondweeds Potamogeton-species, and arrowhead Sagittaria sagittifolia flourished.
Linnaeus argued that all cultivation should be based on knowledge of the plants’ natural habitats: climate, soil and humidity. His ponds were the first-ever ecological plantations in a botanical garden.