Yvonne Rees and Peter May combined their efforts to produce The Water Garden Design Book which claims to be "The complete guide to creating a natural oasis at home: designs, plants, and techniques for planning and upkeep". I was expecting this book to present designs similar to those I've seen in other books on the topic. I was very pleasantly surprised.
This book presents complete directions for 15 different style ponds or other water features. These include barrel and pebble fountains, a Koi pond, and a stream garden. They also included a pond with a rocky waterfall. I fell in love with one of their designs: a Moroccan courtyard garden that features a raised water garden surrounded by succulent plants. It has a fountain in the middle of the pond. This is a style I can easily envision in a condominium or townehouse backyard. The final section of the book includes information on selecting and caring for water garden plants, taking care of fish, and maintaining your water gardens.
Do you live in an apartment, townehouse or condominium complex? Container water gardens may be more suitable for you. Container Water Gardens by Philip Swindells is just the book for you. It is full of ideas ranging from using wooden half-barrels to ceramic troughs for your water garden. Some of the ideas presented can be sunk to ground level so they appear to be an "in ground" pool. Others are raised on legs and one is even designed in a window box. I found one idea, using a low ceramic container, similar to those used for dish gardens that can even be utilized indoors.
Both these books are written in an easy to follow manner with illustrations to further enhance the reader's comprehension of the directions. They are quality books on this topic. However, I see a consistent problem with water garden books, regardless of which publisher is involved. They typically neglect one important area of discussion. Anyone contemplating installing a water garden feature needs to check with local zone laws. Many areas have specific rules about enclosing water gardens for the safety of neighborhood children. Within a townehouse or condominium complex, you may even be prevented from such a garden. Be sure to check with the proper authorities before beginning your project. Also, check with your homeowner's insurance policy to be sure you have liability coverage if the unthinkable should happen - a child drowns in your water garden. It's a topic I hate to bring up but in today's world, you are very likely to be sued if such an accident happens. Be sure to consider safety issues before making your final plans.
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