Water Gardens and Koi Ponds

Water gardens and/or koi ponds are a great way to transform your backyard into a home oasis. Nobody needs to be sold on the relaxing power of trickling water. In fact, a water garden engages all the senses: the relaxing sound of water, the pleasant smell of plant life, the gentle touch of pond surrounds, the stunning sight of swimming fish and a rippled pond surface (and the taste of a vacation spot at your very own home).

Koi Ponds and Other Fish Ponds
Fish are attractive to look at and bring movement into a water garden. As they eat they help control other organisms such as mosquito larvae and plant pests. Fish will also help fertilize the aquatic plants with their excreta and provide carbon dioxide through their respiration to aid photosynthesis. On the other hand, koi fish also eat pond plant life. This limits the available plant life you can grow in your pond. It also means you'll need to build a larger pond—at least 1,000 gallons and three feet deep. Most water gardens should be at least this big, anyway. The most common mistake homeowners make is to build their pond too small.

If you have fish of any kind, then a good filtration system is a must. Additionally you will need a pump to circulate the water and a fountain to create bubbles so the fish can breathe. Floating plants will also protect baby fish and keep the pond cool and algae-resistant by shading the water from direct sunlight. Other elements of a healthy pond may include pumps, waterfalls, lights around or inside the pool, and other special equipment to keep it clean.

Water Garden Ponds
A simple water garden requires much less maintenance. In fact, once you have your plants set up, you can basically just sit back and enjoy them. With plants it is not necessary to add a filtration system or a fountain, unless you choose to for aesthetic reasons. A water garden or pond may be the initial focal point around your landscape design or you may add it later to enhance your enjoyment of your yard. Either way, becoming a pond enthusiast will add a satisfying new dimension to your life and your home.

Water Garden Plants
Water gardens are actually pretty easy to grow, but they're also hard to control and should be carefully planned. In no time at all, a small water garden pond can be overrun with plant life. Again, the larger the pond, the better the design and look you'll probably have. There's almost no limit to your plant options, but some of the more common choices are water lily, water crowfoot, water violet, monkey tail, hortwort, water mint, iris, and water hyacinth. One of the best ideas is to use marginal plants that will stay around the edges of your pond and provide an artful border to contain your primary garden plants in the center of your pond.

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