Liners

You have sited your pond, calculated measurements and dug a hole. Now comes the hard part, what type of liner do you use?

 

There are many types of liners available varying in materials, color and of course price. As with many things in life, it is a good idea to get the best quality for your budget as the product will last longer and cause fewer headaches down the road. Liners made of Butyl rubber and PVC or low-density polyethylenes are used in better quality liners. These are available in different thicknesses and some even have a Glad bag type web design to offer added strength. Different colors and liners with pebbles glued to the edges for a natural look is an aesthetically pleasing option for some butyl and PVC liners available on the market. But you’re not done yet. Adding an underlay (a cushioning material to go between liner and earth) is a wise decision to get your pond off to a good start and protect it from punctures and the elements. Purchasing a specific underlay material is not entirely necessary however. Sand and even old carpet scraps can be used with basically the same results.

 

While the aforementioned liners will get the job done for most pond enthusiasts, there are others to choose from. Polythene liners are cheaper but should be avoided if possible. Lacking pliability and prone to becoming brittle and cracking due to sun exposure, polythene is a cheaper option best used only for temporary projects. Geotextiles or “clay-impregnated” liners are on the other end of the spectrum as far as quality and price. Infused with clay, these liners are able to plug small holes and thus sustain minor punctures. While the idea of never having to deal with leaks is a pleasing thought, geotextiles are ideal for larger, wildlife ponds and aren’t necessary for smaller, backyard ponds. 

 

Now that you’ve decided what type of liner is best for your project, you are ready to shop! Remember to add a couple of inches to each dimension before cutting your liner and underlay. It is far better to be left with an overlap than to run out after all your hard work. 

Planning ahead for water features

Like plants, planning for waterfalls and fountains should include a huge consideration in space, because you’ll need it. There needs to be enough room for the fountain’s sprays to land in the surrounding water and enough volume so you can avoid constantly topping off the water. The style and variety of fountain you choose is up to you but it’s important to decide the size of the fountain you want before you finalize the size and shape of the pond. Don’t forget about leaving space for the pumps and plumbing for both waterfalls and fountains. Submersible pumps are a popular choice for pumps but be sure to keep them accessible for occasional maintenance. Fish greatly benefit from the extra oxygen that moving water creates but some plants suffer from too much movement so plan a still water region for these plants.

 

Of course waterfalls, fountains and pumps require electricity as well as any lighting or heating components you might need for your pond. If more lighting or pumps are in your future, be sure to use big enough supply cables and remember to dig big enough ducts under pond edges so cables can be threaded through easily. There are many varieties of electrical fittings that make it easy to do-it-yourself in your wiring endeavors. If you’re unsure about how to the electrical wiring for your project, consider hiring a professional electrician to be safe. There may also be regulations to follow when it comes to electricity in your water garden.

 

After setting up your electrical wires, the next step is supplying water adequately and carefully. Tap water is usually the best and easiest source for filling up water features as well as topping them off. Avoid using tap water for filling up the pond with large amount of water if you have fish because the chlorine can be dangerous. Water features that need constant topping off can be plumbed right into the water supply through a link that is permanent.

Water Garden Containers

If planning and executing the building of a backyard pond sounds too daunting or you’re just looking for something a step up from a bird bath, container water gardening could be for you. Practically any container can be used for your intentions. All you’ll need is some sealant and plenty of imagination. Urethane is a great sealer for wood, concrete and pottery containers. Neoprene paint is more expensive but gets the job done for bonding plastics and woods in doubly layers. Silicone can also be used as a glue for watertight results. Fortunately, all these products can be found at your local hardware or building supply store.

 

If you are looking to fashion a spouting ornament or a waterfall in your container, a pump will be necessary. Because the water flow through a small water feature may be only 50 gallons per hour, the pump itself and the cost will be small. Container pumps are submersible and usually don’t require filtration but usually come with an attachable filter screen. Be sure to support the pump either at the bottom of the container or suction cup it to the side of the container so it’s not just dangling by its cord. The pump should never be allowed to run dry as this will ruin it. Also, these pumps usually can’t withstand freezing due to cracking that will occur.

 

The rules and guidelines for keeping fish in a pond and a water container differ greatly. Because air temperatures and sunlight affect the water containers much more than a vast pond, choosing fish takes some consideration. Goldfish, for example, are cold water fish and would get stressed out and may even die due to higher water temperatures and the constant rise and fall of water temperature from day to night. Thus, tropical fish are a popular alternative. In most cases, water containers are dismantled during the winter at which time the tropical fish can be moved to an inside aquarium.

 

Popular fish choices for water containers include smaller species of the semi-tropical and tropical variety such as mosquito fish, white clouds, guppies, swordtails and Chinese algae eaters. Beta and Siamese Fighting Fish are also popular choices, although they live in solitary by nature. A general rule of thumb for stocking fish in water containers is on fish per gallon to avoid over-stocking. Containers are usually too small to provide enough food for the fish so be sure to feed them lightly with floating food that can be netted out if not eaten so as to avoid mucking up the water.

Imitating Nature

As if planning and building a pond isn’t difficult enough, actually making it natural or as close to natural as possible can be even tougher. The best way to erect a believable copy-cat of nature is to do just that, imitate nature. Keep the following facts in mind when planning your backyard water garden to keep things simpler and more efficient.

 

Water, in rivers for example, flows constantly. Of course your stream will not be as big and as powerful as a river but you can still give the effect of water running in from one end and out from the other. Water could rise from a cluster of rocks for example or from under a large boulder or slab. This will give the impression of a buried stream and it will appear to run out of the garden in the same fashion.

 

Water streams generally cut into hillsides. Water won’t run over the top of soil. For a believable look, dig a channel into the landscape for the water to run through.

 

Waterfall cascades will equal the slope of the slopes surrounding it. If you have a minor slope with a major Niagara sized fall, the effect will be uneven looking and unbelievable. Consider a series of smaller falls that will be proportionate to the surrounding slopes. The cluster of falls will create enough water movement and noise to be a focal point.

 

Watercourses follow the lowest points of the land. Water naturally flows downhill, cutting a channel into the earth. To avoid the collection of leaves and pollution at the lowest point of your streams, position your streams in low spots but not at the lowest. Bog plants will be the most suitable in the lowest point of your garden.

Choosing a Liner

You have sited your pond, calculated measurements and dug a hole. Now comes the hard part, what type of liner do you use?

 

There are many types of liners available varying in materials, color and of course price. As with many things in life, it is a good idea to get the best quality for your budget as the product will last longer and cause fewer headaches down the road. Liners made of Butyl rubber and PVC or low-density polyethylenes are used in better quality liners. These are available in different thicknesses and some even have a Glad bag type web design to offer added strength. Different colors and liners with pebbles glued to the edges for a natural look is an aesthetically pleasing option for some butyl and PVC liners available on the market. But you’re not done yet. Adding an underlay (a cushioning material to go between liner and earth) is a wise decision to get your pond off to a good start and protect it from punctures and the elements. Purchasing a specific underlay material is not entirely necessary however. Sand and even old carpet scraps can be used with basically the same results. 

 

While the aforementioned liners will get the job done for most pond enthusiasts, there are others to choose from. Polythene liners are cheaper but should be avoided if possible. Lacking pliability and prone to becoming brittle and cracking due to sun exposure, polythene is a cheaper option best used only for temporary projects. Geotextiles or “clay-impregnated” liners are on the other end of the spectrum as far as quality and price. Infused with clay, these liners are able to plug small holes and thus sustain minor punctures. While the idea of never having to deal with leaks is a pleasing thought, geotextiles are ideal for larger, wildlife ponds and aren’t necessary for smaller, backyard ponds.  

 

Now that you’ve decided what type of liner is best for your project, you are ready to shop! Remember to add a couple of inches to each dimension before cutting your liner and underlay. It is far better to be left with an overlap than to run out after all your hard work.  

Waterfalls

Waterfalls are a genuine part of a natural water setting, the stream, and creek and often in water ponds that are created naturally. Including the formation of a waterfall of some type in your water garden is a feature that you are going to truly enjoy. The soil that you remove from where you are going to build your water garden can be used to build up a back or side of the water garden to create a waterfall. Many types of water garden pond liners that are premade, fabricated will include some type of lip on the pond liner that you can use to allow water to flow into the pond.

To create a waterfall you need to have a source of water, this could be a hose taken from the pond, up through the soil and then pumped back into the pond if you like. This source of water could be another pool of water, or it could be a natural stream or spring that leads into your water garden.

more about Waterfalls

Water Gardens – Three Reasons to Consider It!

Have you ever been to a home that has a water garden in the landscape? Often you will find various sizes of natural ponds that are also a water garden. I can’t lie to you, creating your water garden is going to be a little difficult, it is a project that does take some planning, a budget, and a little creativity to build the water garden that you will enjoy for years to come.

The water garden surrounding the pond water is a beautiful site all summer long. A water garden adds beauty and nature to your landscape. No other addition to the landscape is as unique and a refreshing as the water garden.  click here for the three reasons to consider a water garden

Water Garden Styles

I thought the elections just ended, but I guess it is non-stop campaigning these days - bummer again

Water is one the most basic elements of nature, and it is only natural that a gardener would add water to the landscape for pure enjoyment. Many water gardeners do not have the same needs that gardeners through history have had. Water gardens in the past were created out of necessity as a method of having additional water sources for their vegetable and flower gardens. Today, many water gardens are created and built for pure pleasure of raising fish, watching the water and for listening to the water ripple in the landscape.

In some formal water gardens, the use of ancient is used to create a fabulous atmosphere that is an area that you can relax and meditate at. The earliest of water features and water gardens combined the pictures of the Egyptian deserts, and the flowing rivers of the rivers Nile, Tigris and various others.

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Water Garden Design

long article today in honor of the ending of daylight savings time - bummer

The planning of a water garden or the extension of a water garden is an important stage that will affect how your water garden ‘grows’ and ‘lives’ over the next several years. The over all design of your water garden is important in considering how you water flows in and out of the garden. If you have this feature, how your water will be cleaned, if need be, and where you are going to be able to plant flowers, and use other types of detailing in the water garden such as sun catchers, statues, water fountains and such.

The water garden is to be an eye-catching part of your gardens. If you are designing a garden as a center of various other gardens, including colors or similar type textured flowers in the water garden as in your other gardens, it will be a success. The water garden is about graceful water movements; the stillness or the sounds of the water are an added bonus.

Formal water gardens will use materials that make the water garden finely detailed, such as thick straight lines and defined paths around the water garden. The stonework and the detailing of the water garden should match through out the formal water garden. If you start your water garden using red stones, these same red stones should be used in the path of the formal water gardens.

lots more of Water Garden Design

Tips on Bog Ponds

(Happy Halloween!)

back to bogging

A bog pond is a ‘tiny’ body of water in your garden or in your landscape that creates a space that will draw wildlife to your area. All animals need water and when you create a bog pond that keeps water available to them in times of drought or even in high heat, you will create a spot that you can enjoy watching the animals come and play.

You most likely already have a place picked out for your bog pond, but to make sure, you should not pick an area that is in full shade because you can have mold and bacteria growing in water that does not get any sunlight at all. You will want at least partial sun during the day to keep molds and bacteria at bay. You also might want to consider keeping our bog pond away from the near tree line because trees right on top of the pond will make a pile of leaves in your water when the fall months come.

more on building Bog Ponds