Ponds & Water Gardens

Gardens Ablaze
	Ponds & Water Gardens By doing just a little every day, I can gradually let the task completely overwhelm me.....Ashleigh Brilliant	Featured 5-Star Retailer: Homedepot.com
Related Topics Building a Backyard Pond - Where to Start Choosing a Pond Liner Choosing a Pond Pump Site Map Home Annuals Architectural Elements Backyard Habitat Biennials Bonsai Bulbs Cactus/Xeriscaping Companions Composting Container Gardening Crafts Garden Ornamentation Gargoyles Greenhouses Ground Covers Herbs Insects/Diseases Landscaping Organics Perennials Propagation Recipes Roses Seeds Shade Gardens Shrubs/Hedges Tools Trees Vegetables Vines Weeds Wildflowers Wildlife Shop Gardening 6 Months* No Payments, No Interest - ALL THE TIME - on purchases that total $299 or more!	For those not fortunate enough to live by the sea or other body of water, there is still a way to enjoy the soothing sound of water from the comfort of home, and that is by building a water feature. Ask anyone who already has water in the garden, and they will tell you that it is truly a haven at the end of the day. The sound of water is mesmerizing, and the movement and reflectivity are enchanting. In a very real way, it's therapy - a welcome form of relief after the rigors of a long day in this hectic world. Water gardens can take many shapes and forms, from a simple bowl with a couple of floating plants, to a huge undertaking with tall waterfalls and meandering streams. As with any other outdoor project, cost is directly related to the size of the project, but building your pond can be done in stages to minimize the financial impact if necessary. For experienced gardeners, a water garden is a natural extension of the hobby, but even those with only a passing interest in gardening can still benefit from the peaceful tranquility afforded by even a small water feature. Water is the number one requirement for attracting and keeping wildlife in the garden, and as such, all of us should have a water feature of some sort, even if it's only a birdbath. It would be a dismal world indeed without the singing of birds in the landscape. As an avid gardener myself, I have built my share of water gardens on my property, and have made every mistake there is to make, so I am fairly well-qualified to write about the pitfalls and rewards pertaining to water gardening. I hand dug my first fairly large pond in my back yard, complete with dual waterfalls. One of the waterfalls leaked from the beginning and I never did find where the leak was, but all in all it was a fairly successful pond. My second is an above-ground pond that is still functional, though it needs some work. More on both these ponds with pictures later in this section. The bottom line is, if you want a water feature in your yard, then get educated and get out there and build it. Don't let fear of failure slow you down for one second. I have been a gardener for a long, long time, and nothing else I have done has even come close to being as rewarding as my water gardens, flaws and all. And yes, I do raise fish - Japanese Koi to be exact, and despite all my problems I have had the same fish in my ponds for 10 years now. Fish are remarkably resilient and will forgive many mistakes made by the pond keeper. There is some maintenance involved in keeping a water feature, but proper planning and execution of the project in the beginning should restrict maintenance to just a few minutes on the weekend. Please see the links on the top left for step-by step instructions for planning and implementing a water feature in your own garden. I will be adding pictures and information regularly, so do check back if I haven't yet covered your particular area of interest.	Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer. Throughout our company, our associates are challenged with finding ways in which we can provide the best products for our customers, and a positive impact on the communities in which we operate.
Gardens Ablaze