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Water can be one of most beautiful features in a garden, and since early times gardeners have used water to introduce a restful quality and create reflective pictures in still water, or to fill the garden with movement and sound.
A water feature should be positioned where you will enjoy it most. Anything that can hold water can be a water garden, and if it isn’t waterproof, an inner durable plastic liner will solve the problem.
Small-scale patio features
A large container or wooden half barrel on your patio is just about as small a water garden as you can get. If the wood is dry, the barrel should be filled with water for a few weeks to allow the wood to expand and stop any leakage. This mini-pond should not be overcrowded with plants, for much of the attraction is to be able to see the water.
Dwarf water lilies that need less depth of water are suited to tubs and patio water features. If you live in a frost area choose hardy varieties. Plant in commercial aquatic soil, in an aquatic planting basket or pot. Cover the surface of the pot with small stones for weight, and to prevent soil being washed away when positioning the pot in the water.
Fountains
Always be aware that it takes only a few centimetres of water to cause a tragedy, and safety precautions must be strictly observed. Where there are likely to be children, a fountain rather than a pond is the safest choice. Of these, the best choice would be a millstone, where water is pumped up through a hole in the middle and re-circulated.
Courtyards provide an intimate and social gathering place for family and friends, ideal for a freestanding fountain, where the sound of gently splashing water can be enjoyed. Pots of brightly coloured flowers, such as pelargoniums, placed around the fountain, will give a Mediterranean feel to the courtyard.
A wall fountain or waterspout is a practical way of making use of a tiny area in a townhouse garden. The head of the fountain often takes the form of a fantasy creature or mask known as a gargoyle, from which water spills into a pool. As an alternative, water can fall from an urn or a statue, but care should be taken that these are kept in proportion. If the walls of the pool are raised, this will provide a sitting area.
Ornamental ponds
Ornamental ponds can be of any shape, and should complement the architecture of the house and the style of garden. This also applies to any statue that forms part of this feature.
A formal pool can be circular, rectangular or square, and if it is raised, it is safer for the infirm and for children. If you live in areas that experience cold winters and intend keeping fish, the pond will need to be deep enough so that there will always be water beneath the iced surface.
Ponds to attract wildlife
Ponds should be kept simple and an irregular shape will look more natural. Ponds should be of various depths with ledges and gentle sloping sides and the occasional rock to attract birds, insects, frogs and dragonflies.
Ponds should be sited away from dense shade as surrounding plants need some sunlight to survive, nor should they be near trees where falling leaves, flowers and seedpods can be a nuisance, and invasive root systems can cause damage.
Plants that grow in and around water should be in scale, both in height and spread, with the pond and their surroundings. Check with your garden centre to ensure that plants are not invasive aliens (see box).
Koi ponds
Koi ponds must have moving water with adequate pumps and filters and a depth of at least a metre, preferably 1.5-2m. The number of koi depends on the volume of water.
Ponds can be built of concrete or brick with the floor of the pond sloping to a bottom drain to keep the floor free from fish waste, dirt and leaves. The simplest way would be to install a fibreglass pond that has the correct drainage holes and filter. It is advisable to ask a specialist for advice and what is needed to install a koi pond. Test kits are available to check the ammonia and nitrate levels in the pond.
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Wicked water plants!
Many aquatic plants should not be planted in water features as they are regarded as invasive alien plants.
Make sure you don’t plant them and if they are already in your water feature, remove every bit of the plant by hand, put in a sealed plastic bag where the plant will die and safely dispose of the bag.
These are 3 of the more widely used aquatic plants that should be avoided:
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Water adds an exciting dimension to a garden, whether it is a single water lily in a barrel, a graceful fountain, a small reflecting pool, or a trickling stream.