Garden Ponds Garden Nursery Landscaping Guide
Garden Ponds Decorating Your Garden
By Rodger G Allenby
Garden ponds add a little mystery to the garden. Most gardens
are full of growing plants with one or two garden gnomes. Some
may have a small table top fountain, with water splashing about.
More people these days, like to include a little hideaway pond
with fish and living water plants, to relax on a Sunday afternoon.
Away from phones and bad news. There is always something relaxing
about watching fish swim around your pond.
One of the major decisions you need to make about a new pond,
is where in your garden do you want to install it? Will you install
it yourself, or arrange for a landscaping company to install it
for you? Do you want to include fish and live water plants?
These are some of the decisions you need to make when considering
garden ponds.
Peaceful Getaway Spot In Your Backyard
Dressing up an existing garden in more unusual ways takes a little
innovation and sometimes, plenty of money and professional help.
However, there’s one garden element which can make a dramatic
difference, which you can do yourself with just a little effort
and not much expense.
Garden ponds add a peaceful little getaway spot right in your
own backyard. With a proper selection of water plants to populate
your pond, you can have a little exotica as well.
Think About Your Layout
It’s important to scope out the best location and lay out the
approximate size. For example, if you intend to have your garden
pond serve as a spot to relax on a garden chair, work out your
layout on paper or the PC so there’s plenty of room for your chairs,
a little bistro table for morning coffee, or whatever you intend.
You can buy the garden pond forms at any nursery and most big
home improvement centers. These forms are lightweight plastic,
usually black and available in a variety of sizes and shapes,
made to lend a natural look with an irregular, but pleasing shape.
Easy To Build Your Little Pond
These are relatively inexpensive. You simply dig your hole of
sufficient size, install the pond form and fill in around the
edges with dirt. Some manufacturers recommend black plastic sheeting
as edging.
You can also easily make your own custom garden pond. Dig a hole
to the desired depth and shape with a regular garden spade. Rather
than dig your pond at a uniform depth, make the sides slope like
a natural pond.
Adding Water Plants For Better Effect
This not only looks more realistic, but also allows you to plant
water plants around the edges, enhancing the effect. Layer the
bottom of your pond-to-be with gravel, and pour in cement, using
a trowel to spread the cement around the bottom and edges. Allow
the cement to cure. You can then paint the cement to suit your
taste.
If you want your garden pond to be inhabited with fish, consult
your nursery on which types of fish are best suited to your situation.
Koi ponds are quite popular, but you’ll need a larger size pond.
You’ll also need a water filtration system to provide oxygen and
avoid rapid algae growth.
Getting Advice From Your Local Nursery
If plants are what you fancy, plan your plantings carefully before
you begin. Here again, your nurseryman can help with suggestions
on number and types of plants and ornamental grasses. There are
also water plants which root at the bottom of the garden pond
and produce flowers which float on the surface.
These man-made ponds need minimal maintenance, well worth the
effort when compared with the added enjoyment you’ll derive. Best
of all, installing a garden pond, complete with its occupants,
requires no more than a weekend’s worth of effort.
A Pond Installed In Your Backyard
There are companies who will install a garden pond for you and
even supply the water plants and fish. This may cut the time you
need for installation and you can get back to the installation
company if there are any problems. This solution may be more convenient
for many people, as you may not have the time or the confidence
to ensure your pond is perfect and there are no long term maintenance
problems.
To ensure you receive good service, get a number of quotes from
different companies, before you make a final decision. You may
also ask your friends if they had a pond installed in their garden
and if they were happy with the installation company.
Making A Decision About Placement
Your main concern may be where you want to place your garden
pond. Do you want it to be the centerpiece of your yard, or do
you want it to be close to your garden? You may consider these
options before you decide about pond installation.
You may even ask the installer for advice. Most often, the installation
company is a landscaping business, so you may get landscaping
advice about where you should place your pond.
Getting ideas may be your perfect way to create your hideaway
with garden ponds.
About the Author:
Rodger G Allenby has written a number of articles on gardening
and landscaping including Mum
Flowers, Table
Top Fountains, Garden
Supplies, Green
Lawn, Grass
Seed, Bird
Baths, Hummingbird
Feeders, Gardening
Tools, Backyard
Putting Green, Backyard
Ideas, Backyard
Landscaping Pictures, Outdoor
Fire Pit, Underground
Pet Fence, Backyard
Fences, Above
Ground Storage Tank.
Keep a lookout for more of his articles on this website.
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