Fountains, natural pools or streams add a charm if they are designed according to the rules of the art
Water is life in a garden. A simple garden pond with a few fish, some adapted plants and a modest waterfall that will bring the crystal clear and refreshing noise, and your decor is set. In addition, your water point will be the meeting place for birds who will come to drink there. With a little luck, frogs will surprise you by taking up residence there. And no, mosquitoes will not swarm because their larvae will serve as fresh food for the fish. Adopt a pond for your greatest pleasure.
1. Take care of the quality of the liner
A small pond, even a shallow one, is easy to install yourself. It will be necessary to dig a pit, with a deeper hole towards the center so that the fish find refuge there in winter. You can use the collected soil to raise one side to create a waterfall and integrate the pond pump.
Garden centers sell special cloths to retain water called liners , like swimming pools . Choose the best quality, it will save you a lot of worries. A tarpaulin can be pierced by the action of a large root which seeks freshness and it is then very difficult to repair when your pelvis is implanted.
2. Install pond waterfalls
If you like running water, the realization of a small waterfall is easily affordable, even for beginners. There are pumps on the market that lift the water in a closed circuit. To power them, however, an electrical point will be needed.
The installation must comply with certain safety rules because water and electricity do not mix. If you are unsure, call a professional for your peace of mind and opt for accident insurance.
3. Think about oxygenation
Small pumps can be associated with decorative subjects that will replace a central water jet. This frog makes a clever nod to the aquatic world and does not shock by its presence.
If you don’t have a plant or a fish, oxygenation of the water is mandatory to obtain a transparent mirror. The pebbles used must be suitable for the aquatic environment. Try to use stones and pebbles close to those in your area for a natural effect.
4. Make a stream run
If you dream of a stream, why not create one? To do this, you will have to play with the difference in level of the land, which you can adjust thanks to the cut / fill of the route if your garden is too flat. Depending on the length of the stream, you will need a more or less powerful return pump. The tarpaulin should be made in one piece if possible. If fittings are required, take care of the welds.
Consider asking a landscaper if you are unsure of yourself. Plant the banks to soften the contours and make a bed of pebbles on which the water will bounce.
5. Opt for a self-supporting basin
This type of basin, made of reinforced plastic, allows a realization without particular difficulty, except the fact of digging the hole where it will take place. The soil should be completely removed or spread over the land if it is of good quality.
The secrets of a successful installation? Good leveling of the bottom soil is essential and a compacted sand bed approximately 15 to 20 cm thick. Like swimming pools, there are many shapes. Square or rectangular, these basins can be perfectly integrated into a terrace.
6. Place a fountain
Nothing is more romantic than a fountain under a fig tree for example. It is certainly the simplest of arrangements. A small garden pond that you can build in concrete blocks with a waterproof coating, a high point pillar with hose and closed circuit pump, if you are not lucky enough to have a spring, and the magic is installed.
Consider insulating pipes for the winter in case of frost. A shut-off valve on the water inlet will then be welcome and allows the installation to be purged.
7. Dare to use natural pools
If you like to swim in fresh, pure water, the natural pool is for you. Sufficient surface area is however necessary to accommodate the swimming pool while the surrounding filter pool must be planted but independent.
This arrangement can be considered by a well-informed handyman but will be more surely successful by a professional. Natural swimming pools offer the advantage of being devoid of any harmful product for ecological swimming.
8. Raising fish
Fish and water are inseparable. You will find beautiful resistant specimens in garden centers, unless you are amateurs and buy codified subjects such as koi carp. Pond fish are very pleasant animals, they will quickly recognize your step and come begging for their food.
Outdoor pools are closed, unnatural spaces. They therefore do not provide sufficient food for the fish during the first years. We will have to replace nature. Mosquito larvae are sure to be devoured in a fish pond.
9. Protect yourself from herons
Great predators in ponds where fish swim, herons can quickly become a nuisance. There are loud “scarers” that mimic the heron’s cry, but they quickly become unbearable when placed near the house. Reserve this type of fight near ponds located far from homes.
These birds are solitary hunters. You can therefore install a heron statue to intimidate any visitors. Some bamboo and a net in case of stubborn herons can be used inexpensively.
10. Take care of the location of the pool
Before any final installation, think about the location of this small, special and ecological space. Choosing a partially shaded place will be the intrinsic condition to avoid pollution of the pond by green algae, which develop very quickly in the summer sun. Evaporation will also be limited.
Trees, even if they are a solution, lose their leaves in autumn and can thus upset the delicate water balance, and become detrimental to the survival of fish. Also avoid pine trees or other conifers. You should then clean your pelvis by removing the thorns, which are too acidic.
11. Fall back on the basins for the terraces
You do not feel the soul of a terrassier? You don’t have a garden? Opt for a pretty overflow basin with a closed circuit pump. There are very pretty models that will give you the pleasure of the rustling sound of the waterfall. It is quite possible to insert it on a terrace, with large bundles of bamboo. A little discreet lighting for summer evenings, and the decor comes to life.
12. Choosing the right border plantings
In order to integrate an outdoor pond into the garden, plant dense vegetation around it. The discovery, at the bend of a path among the plants, can enhance the pleasure of having a water point.
The ferns are allies of choice and small ground cover as Helxine. To add flowers, opt for saxifrage and hostas. Many plants such as Japanese maples appreciate the ambient humidity of your waterhole and provide shelter for wildlife.
13. Hanging up an above-ground pool Rarer
Beautiful wooden pools can remain visible and do not require heavy work apart from a level floor and a resistant surface. Be careful with the terraces because a modest basin filled with water is heavy. You must think about it before any installation and learn about the constraints of lift.
If you do not opt for oxygenated water by a pump or pond plants, you will need to change the water quite often. Think of an easy evacuation to the garden. In urban terraces, it is forbidden to discharge water into rainwater.
14. Soften the contours
Whether it uses a drawing with curved or rectilinear shapes, a basin will only be beautiful if its contours are concealed by plants. Here, the great acanthus hides the overflow water tank during the pump operating season.
Hostas with lush foliage or small ophiopogons with thin linear leaves in the soil reserves: the choices are multiple to meet all your desires. Simply use suitable plants and consider watering them all the same …
15. Install a Japanese river
Bamboos are associated with Japanese gardens and Japanese ponds. They take place naturally in an aquatic arrangement. Here, graphic plants like Imperata ‘Red Baron’ with red endings and other undulating grasses give the land a very special personality and create a pronounced Asian vibe. The stones play a big role in it.
In Japanese gardens, rocks have a precise meaning: they represent images of Japanese culture and must be placed in strategic places.
High Quality Koi
High Quality Koi From Top Japanese Breeders Page 2
