Garden Ponds

Keeping a Garden pond

A pond is a small body of water, mostly stationary made by man for a recreation, landscape or any other particular purpose. A garden pond is probably the single most attractive wildlife feature that can be added easily to any garden. A well made garden pond will attract a host of creatures from birds to insects and fish and even frogs.

A garden pond can be the very focus of a well laid out garden IF some planning goes into it. It can also be used to stock many varieties of beautiful fish. Some people mistakenly believe that a garden pond is nothing more than a hole in their lawn, and set about digging the hole with little or no idea about what needs to go into a pond. A garden pond looks beautiful only because a lot of planning has gone into it. You will first need to decide what kind of edge the pond should have. Should it be natural or decorative? Would the pond be large enough to accommodate a bridge? Should you use a natural looking or a decorative bridge? A garden pond would look mesmerizing with some well-chosen pieces of furniture. So, what should you choose? Many garden ponds have gurgling fountains or artificial waterfalls built into them. Should you go for this?

These are just some of the considerations that you need to bear upon. But the first important factor in building a garden pond is the land and the terrain. Where you intend to build your water pond, and how much land you are willing to use will decide the kind of garden pond you choose. Ordinary plastic containers that can hold water can also be made into garden ponds. Your budget is also a great decisive factor while you are making your garden pond. It is good to plan out the type of plants that you will be using. If you will be going for more complex designs, it is better to seek professional help.

It is advisable to keep your garden pond away from the shade of any trees, particularly of deciduous trees that shed a lot of their leaves. Water clarity will be more if your garden pond is bigger. Once you choose the suitable area for your garden pond, you need to decide the shape of your garden pond. Top build a garden pond, you will need a hole, a flexible liner or a rigid preformed shell, and some water. Once the shape is decided, put a little mud or a hose as a border to define the shape. If you want to put in plants, you will need to dig in deep enough. Pots will be placed on shelves that have been dug into the side of the garden pond. Wildlife garden ponds can be around 18-20 inches deep, while fishponds can have a depth of almost 2 ft. Varying depths and gently sloping sides will make your garden pond look very attractive. Putting in some irregular stones or shapes and other hiding places will encourage the various visitors to your garden pond.

While adding water, it is better to use purified or treated water. After adding the water, it is best to wait for a few days before you put in any fish. Water ponds look great when there is foliage of clover, day lilies, forget-me-nots, vines and other small evergreens.

To keep your garden pond clean, make sure that all debris is kept away from the water. Debris, even fallen leaves, can decompose making the water smelly and toxic. Pond plants help you to achieve proper water balance and also provide surface cover for the garden pond. If these are not there, algae will bloom prolifically in the water. The pond plants effectively starve algae thus curbing their growth. It is also important to keep the pond premises safe for any children who may inadvertently stray near the garden pond.

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