What part does water play in our yards

Water Gardening is playing an ever increasing role in our yards and it's easy to see why. They aren’t that difficult to set up or maintain and really the biggest reason is they bring tranquility to our yard. As a result water gardens are one of the fastest growing trends in gardening and outdoor living. All you need to begin water gardening is a container that will hold water! It can be small or large, ambitious or modest, but for sure it will be fun!

At first glance, it may seem that water gardening is too much work for the average gardener or too complex, but that is just not the truth. Once a water garden is set up, it requires less work than a regular garden to maintain, no watering, and no weeding. They are hard to resist.

A pond can be anything from a teacup to a natural bottom lake but generally, the larger the water garden, the more stable the environment is for the plants and fish in it. I personally have one that is sort of round and only 5 feet across but a 5' x 8' water garden is a good size, however no matter how big you make it, once you have the water garden bug, it will never be big enough. The real question is what size fits in your yard and will be in proportion to everything else?

Here are some points to consider.

1. Clear Water
Probably the main thing that all of us want is clear water. I believe this is best achieved by the pond finding its natural balance. This is done by letting the plants and fish, along with the good algae and beneficial bacteria work together to reproduce a natural setting. Though filters can be used to help keep the water clean they also can help grow the beneficial bacteria. They are sometimes a must for small ponds.

2. How about fish
It is not necessary to have fancy fish or snails; you can have just as much pleasure from having gold fish in your pond. You can buy large ones from your garden center that are meant for your pond. If you want to have some Koi fish that is great, they are a lot more colorful but whatever fish you use be sure to not feed them very much if at all. Feeding them contributes to excess nutrients in the water from their waste and they aren’t encouraged to feed off the natural food that is in the pond like algae.

3. What about the plants
Most people want at least one water lily and that is great but it is best to combine different plants mixing the tall, slender, spiky shapes of the fine-leaved marginal plant like the yellow flag iris with the broad-leaved foliage of say an arrow head plant. You can get great ideas from your garden center that will fit your pond. Most water plants require very little care. Once they are established, all you need to do is remove dead leaves and fertilize them regularly with special water plant fertilizer tablets or stakes.

If you are looking for information on how to install a pond in your back yard check out Installing a garden pond with a flexible liner at homerenewall.com where you will find step by step information.

At the end of the day, are you feeling tired, worn out and stressed? As humans, we are always seeking water to clean, refresh and rejuvenate ourselves. But we are only now learning about the benefits of stress relief and relaxation you will gain from just hearing the sounds of water created in your own backyard. Especially if you are relaxing on a comfortable chair or lounger from Teaks n More where you will find teak wood outdoor furniture that fits you lifestyle.

Water Gardening "by the Yard"