Water Garden Questions And Answers. Whats Water Gardening All About???

Adding a water feature to your yard can bring an abundance of interest
to your outdoor space. Water will invite wildlife to your garden which may
otherwise have little interest. The presence of water has many sensory
advantages as well. In-fact ; it has been clinically proven that sun light
reflected off water into the back of your eyes on a regular basis can
significantly reduce stress and the effect that stress has on the entire
body. The sound of moving water can for many people be a perfect
sedative after a trying day. Household pets also enjoy drinking from
ponds as they are free of chlorine and teeming with beneficial micro-life.

Water features can be as small as a table top fountain or deck barrel
and they can be as large as a swimming pool. Actually the only limits to
the size of a man made pond is the space in-which it is located and
the depth of your wallet. Rubber liner can be fused together using
seam tape to meet any size requirement and is usually warranted for
up to 20 years.

Pump and filter systems
come in many forms and sizes and are easily matched to the amount
of water you will be moving and the numbers of fish you will keep if any.

Of courses with most good things comes a responsibility. Water
features should be located in a place that is safe from people or pets
from falling in and in some instances local government may require
that it be surrounded by some type of fencing
(we have found this to be rare ).

Any water feature with the exception of a bog should be moving and
not stagnant . Moving water is essential in keeping mosquito larva
at a minimum. Moving water helps to aerate the water for fish and
also generates both sound and rippling water which casts reflections of
the sun or cleverly placed landscape lighting. Underwater lighting
is also a great touch. It enables you to see your fish at night and also
projects light up and out of the water onto the undersides of
surrounding plants, trees or statuary.

Bogs contain very little visible water but when connected to your
pond can dramatically effect the water clarity in a good way. They
also make it possible to grow extra-large marginal pond plants like
gunnera because the bulb is planted directly into the mud instead
of trying to grow in a free standing aquatic plant pot which will
tip-over with the first good breeze. Bogs also create a haven
for frogs and lizards that might not go to the pond for
fear of being consumed by fish.

If you do keep fish water testing will also be a must. Four basic tests
should be done biweekly... pH , salinity , nitrates & ammonia. These
tests are easily conducted using standard over the counter tests. If local
stop in we test for free.

For more information on these and other water garden topics go to our
'tips & tricks' page. Or contact Us.

Where can I have a watergarden? How do I start one?
What do I do when Winter comes?

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