Garden Pond Ideas
Incorporating a pond in your garden pond ideas can bring absolute
delight. Water lilies, cattails, colorful fish, frogs, and other creatures can
add to the sights and sounds of your garden. By adding comfortable seating,
your garden pond can become a focal point in your yard.
Many people don't have the room or the time to care for a large pond, complete with islands, stepping stones, waterfalls, bridges, and such. However, small ponds, containing just a few plants and a couple of fish can also bring delight to a gardener. Using a half whiskey barrel can work just as well as a fancier container.
First, line the barrel with pond lining, and
add a pump to recirculate the water. Add aquatic plants such as water lilies,
cattails, or other plants one at a time, using bricks or other stable material
to adjust the height of the plants in the water as needed. If you leave the
plants in their pots, it's easier to rearrange them as needed.
For water lilies and other flowering water garden blooms,
you'll need at least six hours of sunshine per day. However, if you live in a
hot climate and want to add fish to your water garden, you may need to provide
shade to keep the water from getting too hot. If you do decide to add fish;
remember that you'll likely be viewing them from the top of your water garden.
A beautiful fish seen through the side of a clear glass fish tank may not be so
colorful when you can only see it from above.
Fish for the Garden
Pond
Many aquarium fish don't do well outdoors. Some need
specific temperatures; others require brackish or saltwater that can be
difficult to maintain outside. Although most people automatically think of koi
when considering fish for their pond, koi can be expensive. Goldfish, such as
comet goldfish and fantail goldfish are far less expensive, hardy, and can be
quite colorful. If the lining for your pond is light instead of dark, you may
also want to add Chinese black moors. These fish will show up well against a
blue lining, or even light-colored rocks at the bottom of the pool.
Mosquito fish and other larvae-eating fish are a good idea
for most man-made ponds. Although they're not colorful, these fish feed
voraciously on mosquito larvae, thereby cutting down on the number of
mosquitoes in your yard. If you have no room or desire for mosquito fish, make
your pond unattractive to mosquitoes by having a fountain, waterfall, or other
feature that disturbs the top of the water. Mosquitoes like to lay their eggs
in still water.
For fish that thrive in your area, head to the local bait
store. Employees will likely know which fish do best in your area, and which
would prefer a warmer or colder climate. Although they may find it odd that
you're inquiring about baitfish to keep alive in a backyard pond.
A Pond as Part of a
Larger Design
Unless your yard has been designed to accommodate a pond,
placing one in the middle of your lawn will likely seem awkward. Water-loving
plants, such as cattails, willows, daylilies, and winterberry garden pond ideas shrubs can all be
planted alongside ponds. Rocks, boulders, and pathways should be incorporated
into the planning. Seating, such as benches, chairs, and hammocks all need to
be planned out before the pond is dug.
Farther away from the pond, larger shrubs, bushes, and trees
can surround or partially hide the pond, turning it into a feature of the
landscape instead of a puddle in the middle of the lawn.
However, before starting any work, walk around your yard.
Look at what's already there. Where do you have full sun? Where is the shade
located? What trees, fences, or other items may need to be removed? Once you've
figured out what you have, design what you'd like on paper.
With good design and planning, a pond looks like a natural part
of the landscape. If you've ever wanted garden pond ideas, why not start by
browsing the internet for ideas today? It may become a wonderful hobby that you
enjoy for the rest of your life.
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