Landscaping Ideas: Ponds
Ahh!
Life is wonderful with your lovely partner, children, picket fence
and your dog, Spot. Your dream home couldn’t be anymore cozy. But perhaps
that’s the rub? Your home needs a bit of style – a miniature upgrade, if you will.
Well, the best way to dress up your home is by dressing up the area surrounding
your home. Why not try landscaping? There are landscaping ideas everywhere you
look — literally. Be nosy. Look at your neighbor’s lot, go for a walk and see
what other people have done. Search for landscaping ideas online. There are
tons of images on landscaping and landscaping pictures that could give you
creative inspiration you might need to make your home the envy of your
neighborhood. But, like anything, keep your finances in check and be realistic
about your goals.
So you've noticed a lovely pond in your neighbor's yard that makes you feel so...serene. Here's what to do about making your yard more tranquil.
Building a Pond
Building a pond is very easy to accomplish, even for the beginner do-it-yourselfer!
Supplies
a small plastic pond liner : these are preformed so that you just place them in the ground
a small water garden pump
a carpenter's level
sand
outdoor water fountain tubing and statuary
Getting The Right Size Water Pump
To get the right size water pump, you'll need to know how much water your pond liner holds. If it doesn't state the size on the packaging when you purchase the pond liner, you can calculate the water volume using some simple formulas. To measure the cubic feet of a rectangular pond, simply multiple the length in feet by the width in feet by the depth in feet. If you have a circular pond, multiple 3.14 (pi) by alf the diameter in feet by half the diamater in feet by dpth in feet. You'll need to know that there are approximately 7.5 gallons of water in a cubic foot, so multiple the cubic feet by 7.5 to get the total number of gallons in your pond liner.
Also, most water pump manufacturers suggest that the water in your pond be turned between half a time per hour and one time per hour. So make sure that the pump you get is powerful enough to meet these suggestions.
Aquatic Plants And Water Stones
Once you have your water pump installed, it's time to decorate your beautiful pond! Aquatic plants, stones and garden statuary is the perfect place to begin. Place rocks in and around your pond. When purchasing plants, choose species that are native to your area. This will bring wildlife to your backyard. You can get floating aquatic plants like water lilies or you can submerge a few potted aquatic plants that fish can feast on. To get more information on native plant species in your area, visit the Backyard Wildlife Habitat website. It has some truly beautiful ideas for how to landscape your pond.
Lastly, who can resist a whimsical garden gnome overlooking your serene pond?
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Love your pond? Visit our Landscaping forum and share your water fountain and pond tips with other gardeners! |
