There are many sizes and types of water gardens. Using the right plants and flowers, you can create your own water garden paradise.
Creating a water garden will provide a peaceful, tranquil getaway for your senses. There's nothing more calming after a hard day than the sound of flowing water and beautiful fragrant flowers. A water garden will also attract an abundance of wildlife to your own little paradise. Creating a water garden can be as simple as a low-cost whiskey barrel, or as elaborate as a pond with waterfalls and many exotic plants. You can design your water garden according to how much you want to spend, and the look you want to achieve.
Most plants in your water garden will need five to six hours of full sun each day. Keeping this in mind, choose a sunny, level location for your water garden. Try to avoid locating it near trees, since the leaves will fall in and decompose.
You may want to consider adding fish to your garden pond when it is complete. You will need to decide this before digging the foundation of your pond. If you live in an area where the climate is cold in the fall and winter, your water garden will need to be at least 2 1/2 feet deep in order to allow plants and fish to survive all year round.
Your water garden can be lined with preformed Fiberglas, flexible EPDM rubber, or PVC plastic. A flexible rubber liner won't crack and will usually outlast any other liner. The simplest and most cost efficient water garden comes in a kit which contains the liner, pump, and most of the other materials you will need. Putting a layer of sand under the liner will keep it in place and provide a layer of protection from rocks and other sharp objects in the ground.
A pump will circulate the water and keep it from becoming stagnant. It will also add much needed oxygen for the fish, and it will cut down the amount of mosquito larvae in the water. A good quality pump will last a long time, and it will do a good job of recirculating and aerating the water.
Plants in and around your water garden are not only beautiful, but they serve a much needed purpose. They provide shade, which cuts down on algae growth, and they oxygenate the water for proper ecological balance. Water loving plants such as cattail, bamboo, and water iris should be planted in containers to prevent overcrowding. Water lilies are very popular for their beautiful, fragrant blossoms, and they are quite hardy. Other popular plants you may want to consider are lotus, water hyacinth, and Japanese iris. You can landscape with your favorite flowers around the perimeter of your water garden.
Water gardening can be a great hobby and a source of pleasure for young and old alike. It can add beauty and value to your property and give you a relaxing place to let your cares drift away.
