It seems that wherever you go these days fields, forests and wetlands are being scraped away to make room for more new development. Whether it’s for a new residential development, a manufacturing site, or the many stores and restaurants that we like to frequent, the fact is, nature is being pushed away from us every day. Not that progress is bad, where would we live, work and shop if it weren’t for new development? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the average homeowner could do something to improve nature? If we could only provide a bit of nature in each and every backyard, wouldn’t the birds and the bees be much happier?
Well, now that you mention it, there is something that can be done to bring a little nature into every backyard in town. This nature movement that I am speaking of is called the water garden lifestyle. That’s right, I said water garden. Right about now I suppose you are asking yourself “what is a water garden?” Well, a water garden is naturally balanced, backyard sized, ecosystem pond and waterfall that is decorated inside and out with wonderful plants. A water garden is what you make of it. It could be large enough to fill the backyard and eliminate your lawn mowing duties, or small enough to tuck into the corner and accent one of your existing flower beds. Whether large or small, the key to having and keeping a water garden in your yard is balance. If constructed correctly, a water garden can have sparkling clear water and a beautifully flowing waterfall without the use of chemicals. By using the correct combination of flowing water, rocks, gravel, plants and biological filtration, Mother Nature will take over and maintain your pond for you the natural way. Imagine the joy that the birds, frogs, turtles and countless other backyard wildlife will feel when they discover that there is a wetland paradise located in your neighborhood. Imagine the chorus of songbirds that could be heard on any given day if everyone had a water garden in their backyard. We could have a drastic impact on the environment and add a fantastic centerpiece to our landscapes at the same time. Here is the big bonus, not only does the water garden lifestyle enhance the quality of life for the local wildlife, it also greatly enhances your life. Humans are closely linked to water; we need water in our daily lives to even survive. A significant portion of the human body is water. Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water. Blood contains 83% water, body fat contains 25% water and bone has 22% water. Water is an essential nutrient that is involved in every function of the body. It helps transport nutrients and waste products in and out of cells and it is necessary for all digestive, absorption, circulatory, and excretory functions, as well as for the utilization of the water-soluble vitamins. It is also needed for the maintenance of proper body temperature. You can live without food for several weeks, but you can only go for a few days without water. Perhaps this is why water has such a magically calming effect on us. People can’t walk by a lake, stream, river or even a pond without pausing to look and listen. A water garden will change the way that you live in your yard. The wonderful sights and sounds of the water garden will draw you outside to be near your own piece of paradise. After a hard days work, you will long to sit near your pond and soak in nature. The sound of the water flowing over the rocks will touch your soul and wash away the stresses of the day. The sights of your beautiful Koi and goldfish playfully swimming through the blooming water lilies will thrill your senses for hours on end. Sit, relax, enjoy.
Did I say Koi and goldfish? I know what you’re thinking, “I certainly don’t need a pet to care for”. Don’t worry, although you may end up naming them, these fish are not your responsibility to care for. Mother Nature takes care of them for you, just as she does all of her other inhabitants. These fish are an integral part of the balanced ecosystem in your pond. The fish help to keep your pond neat and tidy by feeding on the algae and debris that they find naturally in the water. You don’t need to feed them and you don’t need to bring them in when it gets cold. Mother Nature takes care of all of that for you. You simply get to enjoy their company and marvel at their beauty.
You may be wondering how all of the other animals will find your pond. Well, believe it or not, shortly after the installation of your wonderful water paradise, you will have caught the attention of the wildlife no matter how secluded your yard is. I think that they are a lot like us; they are drawn to water as a life source. You will have all types of songbirds coming to your pond regularly to drink from the cool clear running water and to wash themselves in the always fresh bird bath that is your stream and waterfall. The frogs will move in and happily swim in your water and sun themselves on the rocks and lily pads. They are not as common as the birds and frogs, but many happy pond owners have reported that the turtles have moved in as well. With all of this talk of wildlife being attracted to your pond, I’m sure that the question “will this attract mosquitoes?” has crossed your mind. Well never fear, you will not see an increase in the mosquito population due to your pond. Mosquitoes need calm, stagnant water to breed, your pond is continually moving. Also, any mosquitoes that dare get close to the water will most likely be eaten by the fish, frogs, turtles or birds. Rest assured that while this is a water garden sanctuary for wildlife, it is not a mosquito breeding ground. Large or small, your water garden will be a sanctuary for at least some of the wildlife that we are displacing every day. Why not take the plunge and bring a little nature back into your life?
The plants in and around your pond are an integral factor in the balanced ecosystem as well. They act as filters and cleaners of the water, removing any contaminants and nutrients from the water as they live and thrive. The best part about aquatic plants is the ease of maintenance, they never need to be watered or fertilized, and your ecosystem pond takes care of that for you. You are free to spend your time soaking in the beauty. If you are a gardener, you will love the opportunities that the water garden affords you to expand and enhance your current gardens. Now you have the perfect area for all of those beautiful creeping and crawling rock garden plants, not to mention potential new planting areas for annual and perennial flowers of your choice.
Along with all of these benefits, your water garden will also save water as the average water garden uses less water per year than the patch of lawn that it replaces. Also, you will no longer need to worry about cutting or fertilizing that part of your yard.
More and more people every year are bringing nature back into their yards through the installation of a water garden. Water gardens have been ranked in the same category as decks and patios as the most sought after residential landscape improvement. I have yet to meet a water garden owner who has not fallen completely in love with the lifestyle and how drastically it has improved their yard and how they use it. Don’t spend another summer sitting on your deck or patio staring at your lawn, liven up your yard and your lifestyle with the introduction of water and see how special life can be at home.
We are a full service landscape construction company specializing in water garden construction. We are a member of the nationally recognized Certified Aquascape Contractors and we hold ourselves to the highest quality and artistic standards possible. We always strive for complete customer satisfaction. We are in this business to stay. “Ponds are our Passion”, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.