Water Garden Ponds - Pointers, Tips and Ideas

Water garden ponds are some of the trendiest features of a back yard these days, and if you'd like to have one, you might be a little baffled about what to do to build one.

You might want to pay a pro to build and install your water garden, or you might be able to do this on your own.

There are some things that you need to know about water gardening before you just jump in and start digging.

What makes it a "garden?"

What makes water garden ponds, well, water gardens? The element that sets a water garden apart from a pond is the fact that there is some kind of running water. Whether it's in the form of a small fountain or a big, beautiful waterfall, the thing that will turn your average pond into a water garden is the running water element.

That being said, you can build a water garden that is small, such as the size of a whiskey barrel, or you can build one that is the centerpiece of your yard. If you're planning to make a larger water garden pond and add fish, you may want to consider your types of liners. For instance, a hard shell liner only costs a couple of hundred dollars, but come up to sizes of 5' by 6'. However, if you're looking for an unusual design of a water garden, you may want to consider a soft liner, which costs more, but lasts for up to 30 years and can be molded to any shape you want.

Size determines elements

The size of your water garden pond will usually determine what sort of elements you're going to have in it. Remember that ponds can be their very own eco-system, so if you're hoping to add fish and a waterfall as a way of attracting other types of wildlife, you'll want to ensure that you have a depth of at least two feet to help the fish winter over. For this type of water garden, you might want to consider a larger size molding.

If, however, you're simply interested in adding the aspect of flowing water to your patio or deck and like the look of water plants, then a small water garden made out of a whiskey barrel or large bowl or pot might do very nicely. In fact, you can create a water garden simply and easily and it won't cost you much, or you can buy a kit with everything you need. These are often wonderful for table top or patio water gardens.

Things you should consider

Once you've decided on your water garden pond and you have set a budget, it's time to choose the perfect spot and do some research. For instance, how deep do you want your water garden to be? How much maintenance do you want to have to do? Are you going to have the time and energy to help keep your pond healthy and thriving? Are you simply looking for a water feature, or would you like to create something that looks as if it were meant to be there?

If you're not a professional, it might be a little scary to install water garden ponds all by yourself, but you can get plenty of advice from pros and even a little help when you know where to look. Sometimes, even your big box hardware stores will be able to give you helpful tips for everything from digging your pond to installing it and which plants to use for the first year.

You might also want to consult some pros when it comes to choosing pumps and other elements to your water garden ponds. For instance, if you're planting in a place that is far away from your home, you may need to run the electricity separately, and this could be a big job for one person if you're not experienced.

In the end, no matter how large or small your project, a well planned water garden pond can add peace, tranquility and value to your home when it's done right, so take your time and do some research and planning and you'll have a beautiful water garden pond to spend time around before you know it.

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