Ponds are another form of water feature. Ponds can incorporate streams, waterfalls or decorative sprays of water. They can look natural, sculpted, formal or stylized. Before you start building a pond, consider the time and effort you are willing to invest as well as cost. Don’t skimp on price when building a pond because cutting corners can create future disasters that will be frustrating and expensive. Consider calling in a designer if you want something special. Also, realize that in addition to the cost of installing the pond, there will be maintenance: pumps will wear out, liners can tear and wear out over time, concrete can crack – especially if it was not installed carefully. 

You will need to give a pond daily or at least weekly care. For the first year or two, before a pond reaches balance, it requires relatively low maintenance. Ironically, once the pond reaches balance, it requires more effort to keep water from getting too acid, fish from becoming too numerous, algae from accumulating, and mulm (the dark brown cloudy material that settles to the bottom as organic matter deteriorates) from collecting on the bottom and in filters. If you don’t have fish, you need to make sure you are not breeding mosquitoes. If you want a planted water garden, you’ll need to be careful about the chemicals you use. And if you do have fish, although they will help with the mosquito issue by eating larvae, your aquatic friends will introduce a whole list of other considerations to handle. If you are willing to commit to caring for a pond, there are no garden features to compare with the peace and beauty this water garden can offer.

There are a number of wonderful water plants whose growth cannot be equaled by the land-lovers.  Water lilies come in all sizes and colors.  There are even varieties with variegated pads striped and splashed with purples, white and pinks. The stately lotus with its huge mellow leaves and gigantic flowers, lives up to it mystical reputation.  Delicate parrot’s feather not only decorates the surface of a pond, it aerates the water for the fish.  Bog irises are serene with their kaleidoscopic colors and sword-like foliage. Marsallia (the four-leaf clovers) give a light airy look while cattails grow tall and graceful producing stalks that can’t help but bring out the child in us. And if you haven’t been totally mesmerized by the magical forms of the water plants, you can check out all the shapes and colors available in fish!

Water plants grow very quickly and can provide surprises daily.  Watching fish – be they koi, goldfish, mosquito fish or any other kind of pond fish — can be more fascinating and soothing than TV or an hour in effective therapy! Ponds have a lot to offer both as a resource for wildlife, a focal point in the landscape and a therapy aid with visual and audio relaxants.

Water features add a lot to our surroundings.  Be realistic about how much time and energy you will have to devote to yours.  A badly maintained water feature is ugly and a health hazard.  Ponds are not for folks seeking low maintenance.  But if you choose the right feature for your style of garden and your lifestyle, you may very well find your water feature becomes your favorite part of your garden.