WATER GARDEN
Article by : Spandana jakkula
INTRODUCTION :
Water garden or aquatic garden, is a term sometimes used for gardens, or parts of gardens, where any type of water feature is a principal or dominant element. The primary focus is on plants, but they will sometimes also house waterfowl, or ornamental fish, in which case it may be called a fish pond.
Water gardening is gardening that is concerned with growing plants adapted to lakes, rivers and ponds, often specifically to their shallow margins.
Elements such as fountains, statues, artificial waterfalls, boulders, underwater lighting, lining treatments, edging details, watercourses, and in-water and bankside planting can add visual interest and help to integrate the water garden with the local landscape and environment
IMPORTANCE
🔹Civilization's first settlements sprang up around rivers due to irrigation and transportation needs. Later these people produced such technologies as canals and aqueducts to bring water to lands.
🔹Water lilies, lotus, iris, arrowheads as well as numerous grasses, trees, and other plants were found to grow well in and around water sources.
🔹 In recent days, water gardens are becoming one of the most popular landscape.
🔹They can be designed to fit virtually any existing landscape.
🔹Water gardens are places for recreation. Many of the popular theme parks are based on the concept of water garden only.
INSTALLING A WATER GARDEN
Site selection: In selecting the site for the water garden, consider the plants that intend to grow in the pond, the soils on the site, how level the grade of the site is, surface drainage of the site, the view of the pond site from the house, the overall fit of the pond in the existing landscape and anticipated maintenance requirements.
Location: A water garden should be located in full sun, or as much as is available, within easy access to water and electricity, where it can be appropriately viewed from the house, where the water can reflect the beauty of the surrounding landscape. Aquatic plants such as water lilies require full sun for optimum flowering. For the best growth and establishment of all of water garden plants, a minimum of 5 to 6 hours of direct sunlight each day is recommended. A water garden should not be located where leaves fall from trees or in a low spot in the yard where heavy rain could flood it.
• Design consideration: The design of the pond is of utmost importance. The design of the pond should take into account the following aspects.
• Size of pond: The size of the pond is very important. Minimum size for a healthy balanced pond is considered to be about 50 square feet of surface area. Depth of the pond should range from 18 to 24 inches.
• Shape: For a formal style landscape, a geometrically shaped pond would be ideal. If the landscape is informal, a less geometric or informal shaped pond would be more suitable.
• Edging: Edging materials help the water feature to merge with the overall scheme of the garden. Bricks, rocks, steel edging or wood around the pond can be used to accent the pond.
Construction: Choice of materials should take into account the cost, life expectancy of the material, installation requirements, availability and how these materials may blend with the existing materials in landscape.
Liner: The liner is generally the most important and most expensive component of the water garden. Some examples of liners are listed below.
Type of liner Life expectancy
PVC - 7 to 15 years
Butyl or rubber - 30 years
Fiberglass - 50 years
Concrete - Lifetime
Pumps: The size of pump for the pond should be capable of circulating the entire volume of the pond's water through a filter in 1 to 2 hours.
Pump filters: These remove particulate matter such as algae, sediments and fish wastes from the pond's water. There are two main types of filters, mechanical and biological. The mechanical filters are less expensive but require more maintenance.Biological filters are more difficult to install but may need attention as seldom as once a month e.g. itrosomonos sp., itrospira sp., etc., are effective as water filters.
Media for plants:
Potting media for all pond plants should be fertile heavy clay loam. This soil should be free from fertilizers, herbicides and other pesticides. Soil should also be free of any fresh organic matter such as peat (fresh organic matter will tend to float out of the soil and cloud the water).
Fertilizers:
Fertilizers used should be special aquatic pelletized slow release forms.
Maintenance tools: A long poled net is handy for the removal of leaves and other fallen materials. Garden shears facilitate pruning of water plants. A pH meter or testing kit is useful to test the water pH .
Water
Correct depth of pond, a good filtration system and correctly chosen plants can ensure maintenance of water in a good condition.
Plants for water gardening
Deep water plants : Water lilies - Nymphaea spp.
Lotus - Nelambo spp
Spatterdock - Nuphar luteum
Floating plants : Azolla - Azolla sp
Duckweed - Lemna sp
Submerged plants or oxygenators :
Vallisneria - Vallisneria americana
Dwarf sagittaria - Sagittaria natans
Anacharis - Elodea canadensis
Cabomba - Cabomba caroliniana
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