DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] The primary purpose of the invention is to provide a floating planter for the display of tropical and annual flowering plants in water gardens and fish ponds. Additionally, the planter provides shelter for amphibians, shade for the pond, and attractive breeding environment for fish and a safe haven for new hatchlings.

[0031] The present invention is a decorative floating planter simulating a floating tropical island with recesses for above-water pot holders and a floating underside support from which hangers for a pot for an oxygenating underwater plant and a protective netting for surrounding the underwater plant depend. The upper pot holders allow for seasonal changing of the plants by replacing the pots in their cavities. The pots may have either closed bottoms or bottoms with centrally located holes. The island may have passageways downward through the island structure to open into the water, allowing roots from plants in pots with bottom holes to reach into the water. Cavities are formed in the island which function as “Frog Huts” for amphibious creatures. The floating planter is made of a closed cell plastic foam and can be decorated with signs, moss, and other structures shaped and colored to simulate an island paradise. The oxygenating plant acts as cover for fish hatchlings while the netting excludes larger fish.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an environmental perspective view of the floating planter of the present invention. Floating island planter 10 displays potted flowering plants FP and floats in pond P and includes a closed cell plastic foam island 12 having surface nodules 14 which are painted and decorated with simulated moss M to resemble an island paradise. The island 12 has cavities 16 (frog huts) to serve as a home for amphibious animals such as frog F and newts. A large pot receiver 18 (see FIG. 2A) is a recess in the upper central portion of the island 12 and serves as a receptor for a large pot 20. Smaller pot receivers 22 (see FIG. 2A) are recesses distributed around and spaced from the large pot receiver 18 and serve a receptors for small pots 24. The large and small pots contain seasonal plants which may be replaced by removing their pots from their respective pot recesses and replacing them with pots having a new seasonal plant planted therein.

[0033] Referring to FIGS. 2A-2D, there is shown a section view of the island, a detail view of a “Frog Hut” and sign, an elevation view, and a section view similar to that of FIG. 2A with the plant pots exploded outward from their recesses in the floating island planter. The island 12 has an upper exposed surface 26 decorated to resemble a tropical island and an island underside 28 upon which the island floats. The pots 20 and 24 may have solid bottoms, which contain all plant roots, or they may have centrally located openings allowing plant roots to grow through as seen in FIG. 2A. The island 12 may have respective root passages 19 and 23 for large pot 20 and small pots 24 corresponding to the bottom openings to allow the plant roots to grow downward into the water. Recesses 16 in the island upper surface 26 may act as cover for amphibians such as frog F, and signs S are placed nearby.

[0034] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, island 12 is attached to pipe frame 32 generally along the periphery of its bottom side 28. Pipe frame 32 is rectangular in shape and comprises pipe segments 34 attached at four corners by pipe elbow fittings 36. Pipe frame 32 is preferably plastic pipe which, when assembled, is buoyant. Pipe frame 32 provides stability to island 12 and is attached to island 12 by ties 38 fastening around pipe frame pipe segments 32 and through tie fastening bores 39 through the outer periphery of the underside 28 of island 12. The ties may be common zip ties.

[0035] Net 40 is tubular and generally cylindrical or conical in shape, having an upper opening and a lower opening and is supported at its upper opening by net upper sleeve 42 surrounding pipe frame 32. Net 40 may be installed on pipe frame 32 during its assembly or sewn over the pipe frame. Net 44 depends from pipe frame 32 and descends to a lower-end 44 having draw string 46 for closing off the net at the lower-end 44. A weight 48, such as a stone, is placed within net 40 before closing tie string 46, to stabilize the island and maintain the shape of net 40 or anchor the island if the net reaches the bottom of the pond. A submerged pot 50 is suspended from pipe frame 32 by hangers 52 having hooks 54 to engage the pipe frame 32. The pot 50 is suspended within the net 40 and supports the growth of an oxygenating aquatic plant A. The plant A helps oxygenate the water and serves as cover for fish spawning and the resulting hatchlings H. The net keeps the plant in an enclosed mass, resulting in the desired fish cover. The draw string allows for opening of the net for access to the oxygenating plant pot.

[0036] The island 12 may be made of any closed cell plastic foam such as polystyrene or polyurethane. It may be of any desired size and may have any desired number and size of recesses to carry an appropriate number of potted decorative plants. As an example, an island may have a length of about 24 inches and an irregular width of about 18-21 inches with a maximum depth of about 12 inches. The large center planter recess is 8 inches in diameter and 5 inches in depth. The smaller side planter recesses or 4 inches in diameter and 3⅝ inches in depth. There are two “Frog Hut” recesses of about 4 inches in diameter and 4 inches in depth. The signs are cross-made from wood, the cross member being three inches wide and the posts being quarter inch dowels, 6 inches long. Another example has a similarly sized island body with a large center planter recess of 12 inches in diameter and 7 inches in depth, and no smaller recesses. This example has two “Frog Hut” recesses of about 4 inches in diameter and 4 inches in depth.

[0037] The inventive island paradise planter enables the user to have a variety of non-aquatic annual flowering plants along with aquatic plants in a pond or water garden. The planter pots are easily removable for seasonal plantings. Preferably, annual or tropical plants are contained in the removable pots. Examples of such plants are Impatien's, Begonia's and Geraniums. The island provides shade for a pond, which helps prevent algae growth and provides for oxygenation of the water by the submersible plant. The island provides shelter for amphibians such as frogs, newts, etc. The oxygenating plant and net create a desirable place for fish spawning and a safe haven for fish hatchlings. An example of an appropriate oxygenating plant useful in the present invention is the Anacharis plant.

[0038] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.