Garden Pond Tips: Bringing your pond to life

By Marylene Vestergom

For new homeowners looking to spruce up their backyard design, a fresh garden pond can add character within the first year of installation. For Mary and Robert Williams, living in a new subdivision in Brampton, it was important to quickly introduce some atmosphere.

With the lack of mature trees and vegetation of any kind, our yard was virgin territory. That's why we were quite excited to learn how the addition of a pond could quickly create warmth and a natural gardening habitat," says Mary Williams.

For Toronto's Robert and Judith Kanee, a Mexican retreat provided inspiration for their garden pond. We enjoyed the calming effects of the numerous garden ponds and garden pond fountains at this one particular spa we have stayed at over the years. We decided we had to introduce this feature into our backyard design. There is nothing more relaxing and peaceful than the sound of a garden pond fountain and seeing our Koi swimming amongst the water lilies you just can not beat it.

The how and why of garden ponds

David Antcliffe of Toronto's Ponds in the City understands why homeowners have been leaning towards garden pond features such as garden pond waterfalls.

"If you're looking for an instant presence, then a garden pond makes sense. The added bonus, it's a great relaxer," he says. "Imagine sitting back in your garden and not only being able to appreciate its beauty but the sight and sound of the water from the garden pond fountain is magical."

Maintaining the longevity of your garden pond

Basic garden ponds are available at your local hardware store for under a thousand dollars and in most cases include a prefabricated garden pond, pump and pre-filter, although they can be quite labour-intensive.

For those who are considering investing in their green thumb and are looking for a feature they could use 365 days a year, perhaps one of the hottest trends in garden ponds are those which can develop a naturally balanced ecosystem, just like Mother Nature.

"A balanced ecosystem in a garden pond needs certain ingredients to work effectively," says Antcliffe. "With the installation of an Aquascape Designs Ecosystem, we can guarantee that your garden pond will have crystal clear water and low maintenance without the use of any chemicals."

This safety factor was very important to the Williams family. "We have kids and quite an array of pets that also enjoy the backyard design. I didn?t want to introduce chemicals that could be harmful in any way. I also didn't want to destroy the natural plant life nor the fish we had in the garden pond."

The key to a successful garden pond is a good filtration system. The previous garden pond did not have a balanced ecosystem and we were forever throwing in chemicals to clean the water and rid the air of the foul odour which in turn would kill plant life and even the fish in the garden pond says Mary Williams.

Creating a balanced ecosystem is critical to the success and enjoyment of your garden pond, points out Antcliffe in this basic biology lesson.A natural ecosystem encompasses living plants and animals along with the non-living components of water, air and the sun's energy, all interacting together. You need a pump large enough to turn the water over at a minimum of every two hours. As well, oxygen created by the waterfall along with plants, birds, frogs, fish and the natural growth of beneficial bacteria colonizing on the rocks contribute to providing this important balance to your garden pond.

Why include a garden pond fountain in your backyard design?

According to gardenponds101.com, Pond fountains can dramatically improve the appearance of your pond and their soothing sounds can help create a lovely atmosphere for outdoor relaxation.

Pond fountains can also offer financial benefits. They help with the aeration and circulation of the water, which results in better filtering and cleaning of the pond. They work by being submersed in the water on a plinth, using fountain pipes and a flow adjuster.

 

Garden ponds are a great year-round addition to your backyard design

The Williams family has not looked back since their latest installation. "We had a smaller garden pond and then we ended up with a garden pond fountain with a stream running through it. Last summer, we put in Koi fish and within a week, the Koi jumped upstream just like they would in a natural stream-like setting. It was amazing!"

For garden pond enthusiasts like the Williams and Kanee families, the enjoyment lives on in the winter too. Garden ponds take on a second life with the installation of lights that glow under the snow. And don't worry about the fish a special heater producing a small hole in the ice along with a small pump for oxygen allows the pond to be a safe environment for winter hibernation. You can have all of this without sacrificing the beauty of your backyard design.

For new home owners, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere should not be limited to the interior of their homes. It is important to remember that the backyard design is just as important.

For information on backyard design please take a look at the source for garden ponds and garden pond fountains or consult one of our outdoor articles for more information on general backyard design.