Garden ponds
Garden ponds are static water ponds and can function together with waterfalls, cascades and fountains. Water is an integral part of the natural landscape and a versatile element that provides for better garden microclimate. Adding a garden pond to your landscape adds color, light and movement and functions as a great recreation area. In order to build a pond in your garden,filter systems, biological water treatment and professional maintenance are necessary.
Ponds are artificial water featuresthat come in different sizes and configurations (natural outlines or strict geometry), different water volume and pond area, range of materials; can be used for decorative and swimming purposes or function as a fishpond. You can choose among liner ponds (allow for customization of the pond shape), preformed (with restricted forms and sizes) or concrete ones, which have solid long-lasting foundation, but come with high cost and challenging construction.
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Ponds shoreline can be decorated with natural or artificial stones, wood, pebble, tiles or pebble-dash. Materials should work to connect a pool with perimeter plantings (spurge, sedge, blue flag iris, marsh marigold and flowering rush). Plants should be moisture-loving, compatible with the size of the pond and integrated nicely into the setting. Shorelines can also be decorated with small architectural forms and flower beds.
Artificial ponds with strict geometry work great in formal gardens, being the center of an outdoor space. Placing such pond near the house highlights architecture of the building. Ponds can also be elevated, which makes them easier to maintain. In a landscape gardenartificial pondcan have asymmetrical forms with smooth shoreline. Such plants as weeping willows, dogwood and spiraea japonica, as well as herbaceous perennials, like astilbe, dicentra, monarda and hostaare usually planted around the shores of such ponds.
Pond fish
Main fishponds’ purpose is fish breeding and catching. For comfortable fish feeding and spawning, as well as wintering over, ponds should have appropriate depth. Most of the time garden pond should not be exposed to the sun, otherwise the algae will create unfavorable for fish conditions and water will become overgrown.Safe for aquatic habitats filter systems are used to avoid water featurecontamination. Getting rid of garden pond sludge is a necessary spring procedure. Sludge can be then used as a fertilizer for plants.
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Well maintained pond allows to introduce fish, which helps to control mosquito larvae and other aquatic insects, adds aesthetic beauty to your outdoor space (graceful fantails are stunning) and is a great opportunity for fishing. Big fish needs big artificialponds. Another thing to consider is herbaceous and predatory fish compatibility.
You can choose ornamental pond fish (Koi carp or crucian carps of various colors), or go for sterlet, silver carpand grass carpsfor fishing purposes. Another options to introduce fish to your pond are pikes,sturgeon or tench. Silver carps and grass carpshelp to get rid of organic sediments, preventing decay.
Pond plants
Depending on water requirements, pond plantsare planted at different depth.Willow-leaved loosestrife, water forget-me-not and blue flag iris are planted at the shoreline zones. Bulrush, flowering rush, flag-root andsagittaria- in shallow water. Submerged plants (lotus, water lilies and yellow pond-lilies) and floating plants (frogbit, water chestnut, bladderwort and water hyacinths) are suitable for deep water planting. Submerged plants prefer still water, their roots being placed in mud line while the leaves and flowers are on the surface. Floating pondplants do not need to be secured in mud line, their roots are floating in water mass, absorbing necessary minerals.
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Late spring till autumn is the best time for planting water plants.Such factors as water temperature and water depth should also be taken into account. Choose plastic or mouldedcontainers, line them with sacking to prevent soil escaping and use special aquatic compost, putting a thick layer of gravel on top. Special care should be taken to keep plants healthy. They need proper nutrients and enough space and depth to grow and flourish.
