Any container pond experts out there?

[WaterLilyFree]

I have a big half barrel sat on my patio waiting to be transformed into a little wildlife pond.

It was filled before Christmas and I have dutifully stacked pots/bricks inside and outside to make it creature-friendly... but waiting for warmer weather to plant it up.

Thing is though, I'm sooo impatient to get going and plant something in it! I KNOW it's not a good time to do it and I should wait but with lockdown boredom ramping up I feel like I don't even care if plants die, I'd still enjoy planting them!

Is there anything I could plant now that wouldn't be 100% doomed to die?! Chuck in some oxygenators to get things started maybe?!

Tips re plants in general welcome too. Definitely want a dwarf lily (that is one plant I will wait until warmer weather before investing in and adding!) but recommendations for some attractive marginals (thinking maybe a dwarf iris, and something else with some height) and oxygenating plants good for container ponds would be v much appreciated!

Not an expert, but love my pond. We have pickerel hyacinths, great height and brilliant for wildlife especially dragonfly

When I started mine, I bought some watercress from the supermarket and used that.

Oooh watercress is a good shout! I grow that in soil most years and it's pretty when it flowers.

Will look up pickerel hyacinths too- thank you!

In my impatience I ended up speaking to a very helpful guy at an online pond plant shop... he directed me to various options that would be ok to put in now (and suitable for a container pond) so I've placed an order. Picked an iris, some horsetail, and something else I can't remember.

Chucked a few oxygenators in that I bought at the local pond shop while buying aquatic compost too.

Quite excited. Even if they all die I can have fun choosing more when it's warmer

Iris are good, and you may even be able to split them later on September/early October, or after they have flowered next spring time. I am always disappointed with my horsetail, perhaps it doesn't like my pond :)