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Water Gardens

© Paula Dundore

Maybe you are like me, someone who has dreamed of a quiet summer morning, drinking my coffee, overlooking a miniature flowing river that trickles down into a beautiful water garden. The lush green foliage was carefully planned but doesn't look so. The dainty orange primrose breaks up the many shades of green. And in the middle, a pink water lilly floats gently on the tiny waves created by the cascading water that falls over the stone.

A dream? It could very well be a reality. A water garden is like any other garden in that for it to be successful, it should be well planned. There are many books that can help you step by step to create your own water garden. I have reviewed several of them, and came up with a favorite, The American Horticultural Society's Ponds and Water Features.

Here are some considerations when planning your water garden:

Expense:
You can get as elaborate or stay as simple as you want with this project. Like a blank canvas, it is yours to create and there are no limitations. If you can only afford to start small, you would do well with creating a self contained water garden. This will give you a taste of the variety of plants to consider, and let you get your hands wet, so to speak, on how you want your masterpiece to look. A self contained water garden is one that is usually done by water sealing a barrel (with a plastic lining). You then plant the barrel in the ground so that the top of the barrel is just barely above the ground. From there you choose your plants (those inside and outside the water) and create your surrounding landscape. You can see how a small project like this would be relatively inexpensive.

Placement:
Choose your area well, if you have trees that are constantly loosing their leaves, such as my cypress trees, then be prepared for a lot of clean up time. You will want your water garden to blend with any other landscaping you already have, or have plans for.

Moving Water: A small river and/or waterfall can be the centerpiece of your yard, it can also be very expensive. In addition to your plants, linings, and lots of hard work, you may need pumps and stones.

Check out your local bookstore for a variety of water garden books that can show you how to build your water garden and give you some excellent ideas.

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