Garden Ponds
By on Feb 21, 2008
At the end of a long day, coming home to a garden pond dotted with flowering plants, fish and the sound of splashing water is a wonderful treat.
A well-made garden pond will last you for years, providing visual interest for your backyard all year round. Installing a garden pond can be tricky, so it is best to do some research before you get started. You may even consider having a landscaper or a garden pond consultant help you.
You should first consider the size of the garden pond in relation to the rest of your backyard. Balance and proportion is important. A small pond will be "lost" in a large backyard, and a large garden pond will overwhelm everything else. At this point, you should be considering where you would like to place your garden pond. Large trees will block sunlight. As your garden pond will need four to six hours of sunlight a day, a spot away from trees is best. Their leaves and branches would also be a problem if they fell into the garden pond.
Keep in mind that the lowest spot in your backyard is not the best place for a pond as all sorts of runoff will soil the water. The spot should be leveled, however, as a garden pond on a slope will require professional help with the installation.
There are a few things you should consider. Your garden pond will need a pump to ensure that your water features, like a waterfall or fountain, can work. Moving water provides visual interest, creates a soothing sound and keeps the water oxygenated, which is important for fish and plants in the pond.
Author Catriona Erler recommends that for an ecologically balanced garden pond you will need, using a nine-square-foot pond as an example, two oxygenating plants, one water lily, two fish, 12 water snails (they eat algae and plant materials) and one bog plant. The pond should also be deep enough for the fish to survive the winter.
Your pond must be fairly close to an electrical outlet. It will also need to be close to an outside faucet so that water can be added easily to the pond. At the same time, the pond can't be too close to your home as it is a source of dampness.
Design is important. Do you want a natural garden pond or a formal one? Raised above ground or connected to your deck? Read home and garden magazines, as well as books on backyard ponds, to see what design is best for you. Remember that the larger the garden pond, as well as the more fish and plants it has, the more maintenance time it requires each week.
Ponds can be designed to attract wildlife like frogs, butterflies and birds. Frogs and birds are fun and beneficial as they will eat mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus. Frogs like garden ponds where water flows in and out and is shady. Birds like bushes with tightly packed branches near ponds and birdhouses to nest in. Butterflies need nectar for energy, so you will need flowers like borage, alyssum and heliotrope.
Cost, in any project, is a consideration. At a minimum, a pond will require a liner, biofiltre, pump, fountain and plants. A plastic or rubber liner gives you more leeway in design whereas a fiberglass liner has a set size. You can buy pond and waterfall kits. Look for warranties on the kits and any materials you use. If your pond requires brick or stone work, you should hire a professional landscaper.
If you have small children, you will have to ensure they are only near the pond when supervised. The recent tragic incident involving the drowning of a toddler in a backyard pool is just another example of the need for safety precautions. As well, you will not be able to use standard fertilizers or pesticides as they will affect the pond's plants and animals. Consult your local garden centre as to what would work best.
A garden pond is a delightful addition to any backyard. Do your homework and you will have many enjoyable years with your garden pond.
Resources:
For garden pond supplies:
Home Depot: www.homedepot.ca
Sheridan Nurseries, see water garden FAQ as well, (416) 798-7970: Sheridan Nurseries
Pond installers:
For information on native plants for in and around your pond:
Additional information:
New Complete Home Landscaping, Catriona Tudor Erler, (Creative Homeowner, 2005)
Water garden books: www.watergardenersinternational.org/books.html
