Posts Tagged ‘Water Gardening’

Enjoy the Peace in Your Home!

August 22nd, 2011

There is no element in nature that can appear as dramatic and calming at the same time as water. The sound of a roaring waterfall, a splash in a fountain, the silent whispers of a small stream or the laughing noise of water tumbling over rocks are all soothing music to the ears of gardening enthusiasts. Nothing beats the sight of afternoon sunlight sparkling on the running waterfall, making each droplet look like a precious a diamond, the rippling disturbance created by sweet winds over the surface of a pool or the reflection of the vast blue sky in still water.

Because of the immense satisfaction and peace of mind it provides, water gardening is the most popular form of horticulture. Though the modern horticulture texts consider this challenging and rewarding art as relatively new, the actual practice of it dates back to several hundreds of years. Digging into the historical archives reveals that civilizations everywhere like Egypt, Greece, Mesopotamia, Rome, China and even Arabia practiced this form of gardening to add aesthetic value to their palaces, public regions, homes and places of devotion. The science back then was advanced enough for them to indulge in exotic plant cultivation and maintaining various aquatic species in their water gardens.

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Water Gardening

August 19th, 2011

Choosing the site: The site should be ideally in part sun. This means sun preferably in the morning and shaded in the afternoon. This will keep the pond from getting too warm in the summer months. This will also help keep the algae from getting out of control.Hard or soft liner? In my experience a soft liner works best. The hard liners are pre-formed and not easy to get level. When you are installing a pre-formed liner many of them have built in plant shelves and different levels. Dig the hole larger than the entire surface size of the pond and the total depth. This makes for a lot of digging. Once its dug and the bottom is level, install the liner and start back filling. Try to have more than one person back fill with you, so the liner does not shift. Try to pack it down as you go. Putting some water in the liner will help anchor it in place while you are back filling it. If you live in an area of the country that has freezing temps in the winter, BEWARE: Hard liners can pop out of the ground during the winter months. A soft liner gives you more flexibility. With design, with layout and the edges are easier to hide. When digging for a soft liner install, spray paint the shape of the pond onto the ground, then start digging. This too should be as level as possible, however the soft liner is very forgiving and will bend to any slight bumps or divets.

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Getting Started in Water Gardening

February 28th, 2011

There have been many new trends surfacing in gardening recently, and water gardening is one of the most popular. Water gardening can be in the form of waterfalls, ponds, fountains, and other similar designs. All of these water gardening designs can be enhanced by rock work combinations and lighting, plants, and even fish. Water gardening doesn’t have to be a pond or natural water source either, it can consist of just a plastic tub, or basically anything else that can hold water.

Probably the most important thing to consider when you design your water garden the location where you choose to put it. Since plants and fish both need plenty of sunlight, areas in direct light away from trees and bushes are the most desirable places. This will also help prevent leaves and debris from collecting in the water.

The first step you should take When designing your water garden to decide what size you want your garden to be. This will depend on how much money you are willing to spend because water gardening can get expensive if you opt for a large garden full of plants, rocks, fish, and lights. Also consider the size of your property, and the amount of time you want to spend maintaining your water garden.

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Water Gardens

February 27th, 2010

There are many new trends surfacing in gardening, and water gardening is one of the main new interests. Water gardening can be in the form of waterfalls, ponds, fountains, all of which can be enhanced by rock work combinations and lighting, plants, and fish. Water gardening doesn’t have to be a pond or natural water source either, it can consist of just a plastic tub, basically anything that can hold water.

The most important thing to consider in water gardening is probably the spot chosen. Since plants and fish both need plenty of sunlight, places in direct light away from trees and bushes is the best place. This will also help prevent leaves and debris from collecting in the water.

When planning for a water garden first decide the size you want. This will depend on how much money you are willing to spend because water gardening can get expensive if you opt for a large garden full of plants, rocks, fish, and lights. Also consider the size of our property, and the amount of time you want to spend with maintaining your water garden.

When you choose what type of aquatic plants you wish to have, remember that the plants should only cover about half of the water. Plants can be free floating, submerged, or marginal. Which you choose is all a matter of personal preference. Some plants are good for their scent, some provide more oxygen than others and will keep the pool health, and some are just beautiful. Fish are not only nice to look at but they are also very beneficial. Fish help keep debris at a minimum and help in controlling larva and other insects.

One of the main difficulties in water gardening is keeping water clear of algae. Algae problems are usually caused from too many nutrients in the water from feeding fish too often or from over fertilizing plants. If ponds are made correctly and are maintained properly algae problems and control will be kept at a minimum.

All garden pools regardless of size will need maintenance throughout the year. With proper planning you can ensure a healthy balance between living and decorative features of a water garden that can almost care for itself with simple maintenance inputs from you.

You can get rid of algae by reducing on the nutrients that cause the algae by cutting back on feeding and fertilizing, planting more plants, installing a filter system, or replacing existing water with fresh water. There are some chemicals that can be used, like copper compounds, but overuse can kill plant life and fish.

Water gardening doesn’t take anymore time than regular gardening, but obviously isn’t near the same thing. You may be the type person who couldn’t grow a flower if you tried but would be excellent at water gardening. If you are looking for a way to occupy some time or to beautify your yard, water gardening is an excellent way.

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