Add a Water Garden to Your Landscape |
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| By William McRea | ||||
One may wish to create this type of garden for water plants and to breed fish. One may also wish to create a water garden only to hear the pleasant sound of the water fall. It is necessary to decide the reason and theme for your garden as the size of the garden depends on this. A small pond limits the number of fishes or the plants one would like to accommodate. On the basis of the fishes or the plants the waterscape can be loosely categorized into two types: * Koi pond * Water garden The koi pond is made only for the koi fishes. They are a kind of gold fish. Koi fishes are the Japanese versions of goldfish. The koi pond is different from a normal water garden. It limits the plant life inside the waterscape as Koi fish eats some plants. A koi pond needs to be large in size as the fish grows very fast. Experts would recommend a koi pond of not less than 1000 gallons in volume. The depth of the pond should also be at least 3-4 feet deep. The water garden on the other hand contains both fishes and aquatic plants. For the moderate climates, water garden needs least 2 feet of depth. For the colder climes, a depth of at least 12" to 16" of water below the freeze zone is required. The first step to create a water garden is to select the location. The waterscape is truly enjoyable if installed near the home. One can also shrink the pond into a pot and an aquarium can be formed. If one plans to build a larger waterscape then the pond should be positioned in a way to avoid pond overflow during rains. The pond should also be open enough to attract the wildlife including birds and butterflies. Make sure that the water body is not too close to the trees so that the fertilizers, chemicals, and organic debris like falling leaves and garbage dont fall into the pond. The pond should get 4 to 6 hours of direct sun light if it has water lilies and proper shading planned for fish. The regular use of pump to renew the water makes the fish and the plants healthier. The pumps help to keep the filter, fountain, or waterfall running. Water garden can be given the desired shape with proper usage of the available space and planned digging. The selection of plants is equally important as the fishes for the water garden. The popular choices of aqua plants for the water garden include: * Floaters (to prevent water algae) * Oxygenating grasses (to maintain the PH balance) * Bog plants * Deep-water plants (prevents algae and keep the water cool) Fountains make water gardens more beguiling. The process of installation is very simple and the sound of water makes a peaceful diversion. |
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