Rain Garden – Environmentally Sound and Visually Appealing
Homeowners in areas where water use is limited are turning to rain water gardens to provide beauty in their garden. A rain garden is saucer or bowl shaped, filled with loose soil and planted with native perennial plants. It is located to take advantage of storm water runoff from the roof or concrete drive or parking lot.
As more concrete is poured runoff from storm water has become an increasing problem. Runoff can damage foundations, cause erosion of top soil and cause sinkholes. Valuable water becomes a hazard rather than a benefit.
Rain gardens take advantage of the water that would be wasted by funneling it into the depression that forms the garden. Rain is a natural part of nature – storm water runoff is man-made and like many man made creations can be damaging to the environment.
Across the country people are joining together to create rain water gardens that take advantage of water that would be otherwise wasted. There are organizations devoted to planning and building rain gardens but many homeowners develop their own simple method of using free rainwater as a natural resource.
Creating a rain garden may seem like a small thing but if you watch the amount of water cascading from your roof or downspout during a hard rain you will quickly see how much water is being wasted. Your rain water garden will have the same appearance as any garden area you plant. You aren’t creating a swamp or bog; you are collecting precious water and using it to provide moisture to your garden.
To create a the garden choose a location no less than 10 feet from the foundation of your home. Dig until the surface is about 4-8 inches lower than the surrounding ground surface. When choosing the size of a rain garden experts advice making your choice as a percentage of the surface that provides the runoff water.
The percentage used depends on the type of soil in your location. For black, loamy soil you might plan a rain garden that is 30-40% of the square footage of that roof. If your soil is sandy the percentage would be 20% and for heavy clay soil you might go as high a 50% of the space causing the runoff. An oval design works best.
Native perennial plants work best in a rain garden because they are ideally suited to the climate conditions in your area. Avoid plants that require constant moisture to thrive. Many wildflowers do well in frequent boggy soil conditions but also survive period of drought. Those conditions describe a rain garden.
Rain water gardens have benefits beyond growing plants or channeling runoff of storm water. Distributing the water through a garden provides the filtering necessary to remove oil and grease from parking lots and driveways and to remove other pollutants before they flow into a storm drain.
These plantings do require maintenance, especially in the first year or two they are established. They need watering through dry seasons to encourage deep root growth. Once the plants are well established the garden will need little maintenance but may require additional watering during period of excessive heat or drought.
A good maintenance method for a rain garden is to lay soaker hoses in a pattern in the planting bed and cover it with a good layer of mulch. Soaker hoses release water slowly in a dripping fashion that send moisture to the roots of the plant and avoids wasting water. The mulch will keep the soil from drying out for days after watering and is another environmentally friendly practice. An added benefit is the reduction of weeds growing in a well mulched ran garden bed.
Many homeowners notice areas of their lawn where water gathers after a rain. If that boggy area is low enough that rainwater runoff is pooling there, you have a natural rain garden site. Take advantage of the natural slope and trade a muddy spot for an attractive and environmentally sound rain water garden.
Water Garden Kits – Build Your Own Pond or Water Feature
Homeowners who decide to add a water feature to their lawn or garden are often prepared for the hard work of digging, placing rocks and hauling heavy loads of soil yet have no idea how to plan a design or what materials to buy for their project.
Water Garden kits are now readily available to help you build anything from a custom fountain to a large pond. There are kits to grow plants hydroponically or to start an herb garden that is self-sustaining.
A water kit may be as simple as a planting pot that has a reservoir that stores water and released it to the roots over time. This is useful for outdoor potted plants as standard planters cause soil to dry quickly and may need daily watering. Using a water kit plantar can reduce watering needs to a weekly dousing.
Most water kits contain everything you need to complete your project. A pond kit may include a liner, filters, pump, waterfall form, tubing and even lights to accent the pond. The number of items included rises with the price of the kit.
For installing your own fountain, buy a water kit with the pump and filters but also including a cleaner used for bird baths to remove mineral deposits that build up in shallow water frequently used by resident birds. The cleaner contains healthy enzymes and good bacteria that keep water fresh and clear. The cleaners are a tablet that floats on the water. They won’t keep birds away but will keep water clean for up to 30 days. Other tablets are available that kills mosquito larvae in water – a big plus if your water feature is near a well used patio or deck.
Pond water kits contain filters that remove chlorine from the hose water used to fill the pond. This keeps water healthy for your fish and keeps chlorine from seeping into groundwater.
A deluxe pond water kit might also include pellets to kill mosquito larvae in the pond, filter replacement cartridges, pond sterilizer, tubing and even bubbler or spray nozzles to provide movement or a focal point on the water. There will be a pond underlayment that is placed in the hole before the liner is positioned and protects the liner from damage of rocks or roots in the excavation. A skimmer is included that helps remove leaves and other debris front the pond surface and a small bag is included with silicone, glue, liner patch and other small items needed for maintenance.
For water kits to build a medium sized pond (16×20 ft) the cost is about $3000 for a well stocked version. Though that may sound expensive the cost may be less than acquiring all the products you need one by one.
If you are new to establishing a water garden the kits provide you with the materials you need as well as a plan for building your water garden and full instructions. Whether you are planting an herbal kitchen garden or adding a water garden, investigate the wide variety of water kits available to see if they will suit your purpose and simplify your project.
The Sparkling Beauty of Koi Fish Ponds
Imagine a place where you can sit and watch the antics of lively Koi Fish. These beauties are a striking vision swimming in the water of your pond. With red-orange, gold, black and white coloration’s, the streamlined bodies of the fish can relax and almost hypnotize you. These fish are elegant in appearance yet easy to maintain in a well kept environment.
There are many plans available with detailed instructions for building a pond for these fish. These include detailed instructions for size and building materials and are not difficult to construct. These plans are avilable online for instant download. You could build your fish pond this weekend and be enjoying these ornamental fish soon.
The size of the pond is important as it will dictate how many Koi can be added to the water. As a general rule, 1000 gallons of water will support two fish. The temperature of the water is important as outdoor temperatures fluctuate. You need the ability to prevent overheating of the water in summer months and also control the water temperature during winter months. The depth of the water and size of the pond can provide much of the climate control you need as deeper ponds will be temperature controlled somewhat by the earth around them.
As in any Japanese water garden, the shape of the pond should be created to look like a natural water feature. Structured shapes or square corners do not suit a natural garden setting.
Placement of the pond is also a consideration. You need access to electricity for pumps, filters and for heaters needed in winter months. Direct sunlight should be avoided as it can overheat the water and promotes the growth of algae. Shade can also be an issue as leaves dropping into the water can decompose and contaminate the pond. The perfect setting is one with high branches that provide dappled shade. The ray of sunlight that come through that shade will enhance the beauty of the flashing Koi colors.
You have a wide variety of material to choose from when building a Koi fish pond. The easiest is a pre-molded heavy plastic form as sold in many home improvement and garden stores. These are not the best choice as they are often not of sufficient depth to provide a health environment for your aquatic friends.
Flexible vinyl pond liners are another choice but can be difficult to manage and are known for tearing and leaking. Building a pond deep and large enough for koi fish requires real effort. You don’t want to have to move the fish to repair a torn liner after one or two seasons.
The two strongest construction materials are rubber sheet liners and concrete. Concrete is expensive to install and also may leach lime into the water. The rubber liner is specifically made for pond use and often guaranteed to last for up to 20 years.
Lay out the shape of your pond with a piece of rope or garden hose. Get the design in place before starting construction. Anchor the liner with rocks at the edge to provide an attractive and natural looking pond for your Koi fish.
Adding plants to a Koi fish pond provide places for the fish to hide and you may use floating or submerged plants. When adding floating plants do it slowly as the Koi fish may eat them.
Adding lights or lanterns, waterfalls or a bridge over your Koi fish pond may be part of your original design or may be projects complete over time to enhance your Japanese water garden and Koi fish pond.
If you start with a small pond it’s good to allow some unplanted space around one or two sides to allow expansion of your pond in the future. Raising Koi fish can be addictive and the ability to turn your small water feature into a larger pond is an option to keep in mind.
Water quality is crucial to the survival of Koi fish. This requires water pumps and filters to keep the water aerated and clean. To raise healthy Koi fish, avoid over-populating your pond. With enough space Koi will grow quite large and maintaining the pond will be an easy task.
Japanese Water Gardens – At Peace with Nature
The central focus of a Japanese Water Garden is the use of ponds and streams. Even dry Japanese Gardens use sand and rocks placed and raked to give the impression of moving water. Water is a calming influence and an essential element in this garden whether used as a pond or suggested by a carefully designed trail of river rock.
Stones form the border of water features in a Japanese garden. To represent the balance of nature that is the theme of this peaceful retreat. it is critical to give the appearance of naturally occurring ponds and of rocks that are part of the natural landscape. In nature, water has uneven contours – and is never square. Rocks are varied in size and appear to be placed where they were dropped or moved by a rushing stream.
In a Japanese water garden, large stones are carefully placed to provide seating for visitors. Rocks of varied dimensions and shapes are best suited and placement is carefully considered to avoid the look of a planned arrangement. In truth, the arrangement of stones is a planned design.
The Japanese water garden is created as a haven for relaxation and contemplation. The goal is to create a quiet retreat from the cares of the day. Waterfalls are not rushing water but provide a gentle sound of moving water. Fountains are usually avoided as they are not a naturally occurring flow of water.
The water in your garden may be a very small pond or may be larger and deeper with a dark lining and colorful koi fish to provide interest. You may choose to add water plants and to spread small colored stones as a layer at the bottom of the pond. Though water lilies are the traditional plant for a Japanese water garden there are many varieties of plants that can be added. There are also flowering plants and species of decorative reeds that provide interest near the edge of the water.
Planting bog plants on the perimeter of the Japanese water garden can be combined with rocks mounded to form a rock garden that gives the illusion of flowing into the water. Tall iris and horsetail reeds combine in a rocky area with moss tucked into crevices to give the appearance of a quiet woodland setting. Stylized Japanese lanterns are often suspended in a way that will reflect their glow from the surface of the water.
Another common feature of the Japanese garden model is a small bridge that spans the water feature or carefully placed stepping stones allow visitors to walk across the water.
There are specific elements that combine to form an authentic Japanese garden. These are:
- Water
- Rocks
- Lantern
- Covered seating area such as a gazebo or teahouse
- bridge or stepping stones over the water
- an enclosed private area
Careful planning is necessary when building a Japanese Water Garden. Combine the key elements into a design that is calm and serene is a daunting task but not difficult to do for those who can keep simplicity and nature in mind.
There are a variety of styles of traditional Japanese gardens and each has a purpose to its design.
Kanshoh – lacking a walking path this garden plan is meant to be viewed from inside the house and all elements are positioned for that purpose.
Karesansui – If you are unable to add a water feature to your Japanese garden, the Karesansui style is the choice. This is the dry garden and is composed mainly of pebbles, rocks and carefully raked gravel or sand. There are few plants and the beauty is in the stark simplicity.
Kaihuu-Shiki – If you want to lead visitors on a journey, this project will build a sequence of vignettes viewed from a path that meanders throughout the garden.
Pond Gardens – As used in Japanese water garden design, the pond garden is meant to be viewed from a boat. Thus we are referring to a large pond which is surrounded by the Japanese garden design.
Tea Gardens – With a central tea house or pagoda this is perhaps the most popular Japanese Water Garden. The covered seating area is screened from the view of anyone outside the garden and is situated to overlook the water feature and providing seating.
The increased popularity of adding a structure may be due to new kits available that provide inexpensive alternatives to building a custom tea house for your Japanese water garden.
The Japanese water garden is design to provide a place of solitude and peace. It has become popular in many countries due to the simple, elegant and natural elements used. Though constructed by man, a successful Japanese garden leaves the viewer with an impression of natural beauty and serenity. Often screened by graceful bamboo along the perimeter, the Japanese water garden provides a repite from the rush and bustle of the day.
Indoor Water Gardens – Tranquility Without Mess or Fuss
For apartment dwellers or homeowners who have no desire to dig in the dirt, indoor water gardens provide the sound of moving water without going out of doors.
If you find you forget to water houseplants and end with discolored leaves or spindly greenery you might do better growing plants in a water garden indoors. Many plants will grow just fine in water with a little liquid fertilizer added. Japanese Lucky Bamboo plants are always grown in shallow pots filled with gravel and water and will grow for years as long as the water level is maintained.
You can use cuttings or rooted plants in a container filled with water. Avoid metal containers as the fertilizer added to the water will corrode them and the corrosion can kill the plant. A dark container is preferable to a clear glass planter as it discourages algae growth in the water.
When growing plants in the water/fertilizer solution you will need to change the water at least once a month. If algae growth is a problem, more frequent changes are necessary.
If your goal is to provide the sound of water as a focal point for your home you may prefer an indoor water fountain. From small decorative fountains that are intended to tabletop use to wall fountains with water cascading down a broad surface – there is an indoor fountain that will suit your personal style and the design of your home.
If you work at home you might enjoy a desktop fountain that has a gentle bubbling sound that serves as white noise and helps you focus on your tasks. A popular gift item for CEO’s is a small Zen Garden kit with gravel and sand that is placed in a shallow wooden box and can be “designed” with a tiny rake that is included.
You can build your own indoor water garden using a container and a small pump. The water fills the container and recycled by the pump through vinyl tubing and trickles back down over a piece of rock or from copper tubing with tiny holes. If using a large container you can fill much of the depth with small rock, florists foam of any other non-chemical material to fill part of the depth. This will reduce the amount of water in your water garden but also will provide more splashing sounds for the water as it circulates and falls back into the water below.
When constructing your own indoor water garden, plan the location carefully if you are going to add plants as the sun requirement for plants is critical to their growth in water or in soil. If your indoor water feature will include fish a sunny location near a window may heat the water to a dangerous level for the survival of the fish. Also remember to locate the water garden near an electrical outlet for pump operation.
You can be artistically free when designing an indoor water garden. There is no requirement for size or style and your imagination is the only limit. Browse the library and home improvement sites for ideas and you might find you’ll soon have an indoor water garden in every room of your home.
Add Water Garden Features to Enhance Your Landscape
Imagine water sparkling in the sun, the sound of a small waterfall or water bubbling over rocks, the gleam of a fish as it turns to hide beneath a water lily leaf floating on the surface – now imagine all that in your own garden. Why not turn that dream into reality by installing your own water garden features?
The sounds of a water garden can range from a gentle murmur accented by birds nearby to the spray and splash from a fountain or even the loud song of tree frogs in the evening.
Your garden may be a formal pond of any shape or size and may be a pre-fab unit that rest on top of the ground or an in ground version surrounded by plants and rocks. A more formal water garden feature might be square or rectangular and designed as a reflecting pool.
Informal designs allow more creativity and are usually round or uneven in shape to resemble water features that appear naturally in nature. They may filled with fish, highlight with border plants and water lilies and even have stepping stones across the water.
There is an endless variety of water gardens to choose from. You might create a habitat for wildlife around your pond by providing food sources and plants that provide secure hiding places. These can be great teaching aids for children who can observe the environment of the habitat and watch the creatures who visit the garden.
For a homeowner concerned about the safety of small children a bog garden is the answer. Easy to maintain and natural in appearance you’ll find a wide variety of bog plants that will provide interest.
Waterfalls are often used by landscapers to provide interest to home landscapes with uneven contours. These are usually falls of small amounts of water rather than the loud roaring waterfalls often found in nature. They are designed to appear informal and often lined with rocks and river rock.
Purchased fountains are totally self-contained and an easy way to provide a water garden feature that does not require excavation or construction. From simple fountains where water falls over a slap of granite to elaborate concrete concoctions with statues and other decorations, you can spend a little or a lot and have a water feature that can be relocated in the future.
To create your personal oasis, you will need a pond liner with a good guarantee (20 years is best). Rubber is best but difficult to handle and expensive. Many homeowners opt for a heavy duty vinyl liner instead.
The depth and size of your pond is up to you. It can be deep enough to support fish or a shallow planting garden. For planting gardens a ledge is often created around the inside of the pond. About 12-15 inches below the surface, this ledge is perfect for installing potted water plants that will appear to grow out of the water yet be easy to rearrange or tend to.
Dig the pond leaving a firm edge and remove any stones that might damage the liner when the weight of water is added. You can use an underlayment or simply spread a layer of sand and newspaper to protect the bottom of the liner. Spread the liner over the hole allowing the center to drop to the bottom. Place stones around the edge to anchor the liner in place.
Fill slowly with water. The weight of the water will press the liner into place and mold it to the shape of the hole. Once the pond is filled add the edging you’ve planned – stone, rocks or pebbles to hide the edge of the liner and give a neat appearance. Test your pump and filters – pull up a chair and relax.
Add Sound to Your Patio with Water Garden Fountains
When it comes to adding features to a patio or garden, there is nothing more popular than adding a water garden fountain. These self-contained water features may be the size of a large plantar, may be installed on the wall of your home or a fence or may provide a water wall to protect your privacy.
A spray fountain is a standard for many of us. With a submersed pump these fountains have a reservoir of water that sprays up through a fountain fitting and then falls back to the surface. They may be simple or have elaborate spray heads that provide patterns to the spray.
Tiered fountains are more elegant and controlled. Water is pumped from the lowest level of the reservoir and flows from the third smaller tier at the top. From there it falls into a middle tier and then overflows into the lower and larger tier. Some of these have statues around the level of the fountain or a statue at the top pouring water into the water garden fountain.
A recent addition is the solar powered water garden fountain. For areas where an electrical supply is not easy to access, this may be the answer to the problem. A solar panel is usually part of the pump itself and the pump floats in the pool. These are low voltage fountains so are of necessity small in size. Even so, the easy of use and installation have made solar fountains popular with the public and it’s likely more powerful versions will be available before long.
Always remember when you are using a fountain you are combining electricity and water. Done properly, it is perfectly safe but requires a weatherproof electrical connection and this is not the place to try a regular extension cord.
When locating your fountain consider the wind conditions that prevail in your area. You don’t want guests dampened by a spray of water as they sit on your patio. For this reason sheltering your fountain from open areas where wind might be a problem is something to consider.
If you are building a swimming pool you might consider installing a fountain in the concrete deck around your pool. Two or three columns of spouting water that come from a hole in the concrete add personality to your pool area. If carefully placed they also are a great way to rinse off grass or dirt before entering the pool. Such a fountain requires professional installation and are usually hard wired to the electric supply of your home with a switch that turns them on or off from inside your home or garage.
A water garden fountain need not be tall or use a large amount of water. A small water feature with a thin arc of water falling into it can add interest to the entry way of your home. A fountain of contemporary design might serve as a focal point on your deck or patio. For some of the contemporary designs the water is a secondary element added to a modern sculpture.
Add Value and Beauty With a Home Water Garden
Home water gardens are often used by landscaping professional to turn a bad lot or a steep unusable slope into a lovely accent of cascading water or reflecting pools.
A back yard slope covered with trees may be pretty to look out but if the slope is steep or rocky it may be unusable land. What if the slope was terraced and a waterfall created that would flow down the center of the steep hill into a water garden at the bottom? That would add space for planting flowers, herb and shrubs on the terraced areas and a breathtaking focus for your back yard.
The practice of creating a home water garden has become popular in recent years and the variety of water features and kits available provides a solution for any homeowner.
The perception of a small water feature as a breeding ground for mosquitoes and west Nile virus is no longer of concern. Pellets and tablets are now available that float on the water and kill mosquito larvae before they have a chance to hatch. If your pond is large enough to provide a home for pond fish or Koi fish mosquito larvae are not a problem and no treatment is required.
Fish are a lovely addition in your home water garden. They not only eat insects that might damage your lawn or garden (or bite you) but they can be an attraction on their own. The startling colors of Koi fish, for example, add accents and life to your water garden.
You may choose to combine fish and plants in your pond or even grow fish as food by providing plants that enhance their growth. This practice is common in China where carp are produced with this method.
You can grow edible plants in your water garden. Cranberries grow in water as well as wild rice and watercress. It can be difficult to locate sources to buy these plants but are an interesting addition to your home water garden.
Care must be taken to avoid overloading your water garden with either plants or fish. A home water garden requires balance so start with only a few plants or a small number of fish and experiment to find the balance of plant life and fish that allows the water to remain healthy and clean.
Ponds need filtration and this is also true for most home water gardens. Some plants remove toxins from the water naturally but most homeowners rely on a filtration system. The filter is chosen based on the amount of water that must be processed. If you install your home water garden using a kit it’s likely the water volume is listed in the instructions.
The amount of filtration also relies on how many fish are in the water and how often they are fed. Just as an aquarium will quickly become cloudy and unhealthy if fish are overfed a pond is a larger version of that aquarium and will have the same result.
Many home water gardens are not created to provide a home for fish or to grow plants but are simply meant to provide a tranquil spot to relax or a private retreat for meditation. There is nothing as calming perhaps as the sound of water.
To enhance your private water garden you might add plants at the edge of the pond that are reflected in the water. Vary the leaf shapes and colors to provide visual interest. Build your pond near a tall tree with a leaf canopy that provides a dappled shade.
You can provide color in your landscape by adding flower plants near the home water garden or with floating aquatic plants. A layer of colored gravel at the bottom of a shallow water garden will add even more interest to the scene. Though you probably don’t want a loud fountain or a rushing waterfall a small spray attachment can be used with tubing to add interest to the pond.
Start with a good site and a basic home water garden kit and add additional features or expand the size of your water feature year by year. It’s a great hobby that adds value to your home and quality to your life.
