Peaceful,
refreshing, serene...the sound of water
has the power to destress, bring relaxation
and calm.
Enjoy both the calming sounds and the
beautiful sight of a water feature that
fits your unique setting. Water features
are today's hottest trend in landscaping.
They are environmentally friendly and
completely customized to be installed
anywhere. Relax alongside a water garden
and experience a tranquility that transcends
today's stressful world.
Many
people think that water gardening is
difficult. Water gardens look so exotic.
But nothing could be further from the
truth: We would recommend water gardening
to a rank beginner, although we might
think twice before suggesting growing
something as common as hybrid tea roses.
Ponds, waterfalls, fountains, and container
water gardens all add a rich dimension
to your landscape, whether as the focal
point the rest of the yard is designed
around, or a beautiful way to add the
soothing sounds of moving water to your
outdoor living environment.
Few things can add to a backyard's
ambiance like a water feature. From
a simple pond to an elaborate waterfall,
water features offer beauty, tranquility,
and even a boost to wildlife and the
environment. The frogs will love you
for building them a water hole to play
in and you will love the entertainment
you get from watching them!
Garden
Ponds
First
Things First: Choose A Location
An ideal location in your landscape
for a pond/waterfall is near a patio,
where you can enjoy its soothing sounds.
However, almost any location is acceptable.
Just make sure that your pond can be
viewed and heard by you and your guests
from sitting aeas and other viewpoints.
Look for an area that offers a slope
as slopes are perfect for use as a backdrop
and foundation in constructing your
waterfall.
Before getting started with the design
of your pond you will need to determine
where you want to locate it. The location
and setting will help you in determining
what size to build it. Fit the pond
to the setting. Don't build Lake Erie
in a backyard with only a small plot
to work within, and don't build a bucket
sized pond in the middle of a field.
Again, fit the pond to the setting.
TIP:
A little good advice from your local
water gardening expert can go a long
way.
If you know you are a Do-It-Yourselfer
and have determined
what type of pond you want and where
you will locate it, and would like to
skip straight to the step-by-step instructions
for building a pond
click here.
NOTE: If you have even the slightest
suspiscion that you will be digging
near buried cables make sure to call
your local utility companies to have
the location of these cables marked.
The
Main Ingredients
of
a Garden Pond - You
need a pond or container, water, aquatic
snails, fish, and plants. If you choose
to incorporate a fountain or waterfall
you will need a pump, tubing and a source
for electricity. Creating a pond or
any type of water feature doesn't take
much and even the smallest ones will
draw your guests and children to peer
into its mystery. Water gardens are
simply irresistible!
Choose
a Pond Type - There
are two types of garden ponds. Water
gardens are either still or active.
Fountains and waterfalls add sparkle
and splash to a garden, being noisy
and full of flash. Some fountains or
waterfalls don't disturb the water too
much, and thus many plants will perform
fine if the splashing isn't too disruptive,
or if they are located away from the
fountain. Some aquatic plants prefer
calm water, with the exception of watercress,
which seems to prefer moving water.
Free
Style (Liner) or Preformed Mold? You
will need to decide whether to use a
preformed mold or a flexible liner to
contain the body of water in your pond.
 |
Preformed.
In their simplest form, a water
feature may consist of an easily
installed, inexpensive 'preformed'
pond mold. Preformed ponds are manufactured
from rigid black plastic or fiberglass
in many sizes and shapes. |
Most preformed
ponds are one-piece, but some
of the larger ones come in sections
that are assembled on site. Many preformed
molds come in pond
kits which include all of the
equipment you will need to build your
pond.
 |
If you would like
to give the appearance of an even
larger pond but still stick with
the simplicity of preformed units,
consider placing two of them side
by side and then concealing the
intersection with a stone or wood
bridge. |
Preformed waterfalls and streams are
also available for combining with the
pond.
NOTE: We will not
be providing intructions here for building
a pond using a preformed liner or pond
kit as there will be step by step instructions
provided with the kit. However, if you
decide to go with a kit, you should
review all of the information provided
here as some of it may apply.
Using
a Flexible Liner - Lined
ponds consist of an excavated hole that
is covered with a special pond liner,
and can be made in pretty much any size
and shape. Lined ponds offer a lot more
flexibility in design, both for the
pond and any stream beds or waterfalls
you would like to incorporate, and are
also more suitable for fish and more
extensive underwater plantings. Using
a flexible liner allows you to use your
own creative ability to design the pond
that you want and see in your minds
eye. So, if you would like to explore
the possibility of building your own
pond using a flexible liner you can
find step-by-step
instructions here.
Adding
a Waterfall, Fountain, & Lighting
 |
Waterfalls
can be simple or elaborate, designed
to empty into a single pool or pond
of water, originating from a flowing
stream and falling through several
tiers, or cascading dramatically
from many feet above the ground.
Step-by-step instructions for building
a waterfall for your pond can be
found here. |
 |
Fountains
of all shapes, sizes and
themes may be self-contained or
installed in your pond to add sparkle,
flash, and noise in your outdoor
living environment. |
 |
Lighting
- Enhance the nightime
exprience of your pond with lighting.
Incorporate underwater lighting
for an amazing and dramatic effect.
Use suttle lighting effects around
the perimeter of your pond to illuminate
plants and rocks. Floating lights
are quite the novelty! |
 |
Planting
Your Water Garden
- Growing plants in your water garden
is easy and there are only a few
simple steps you must follow. |
 |
Fish?
Find
information about the various types
of fish for your water garden and
how to raise and care for them here. |
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Pond
Maintenance
Container
Water Gardening
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Wetland
Gardens
|
From this
To this!
|
Wetland
Gardens -
If you have a naturally occurring
wet spot in your yard, or a low
swale or drainageway with heavy
clay soils, you can easily and inexpensively
turn this liability into a wetland
paradise asset! Even if you don't
have a naturally wet spot, you can
establish an area in your yard to
grow many of the beautiful plants
associated with wetlands. Information
on wetland gardens can be found
here. |
