Organic Gardening - An Introduction to Water Gardening

Water gardens are a great way to add a relaxingfuture. Remember that the size of your garden
environment to your yard. Most of us findwill also determine the amount of maintenance
comfort in the sight and the sounds that areyour garden will require.
associated with water, whether it be from aIf you are planning to include both fish and plants,
natural source like the sea, a river or stream andyou will want to pick a location with a sufficient
even a pond. There is a lot of history thatamount of direct sunlight. When a water garden is
involves water gardens, whether it be for therelocated in a wooded area, tree leaves and debris
elaborate fountains or the simplest fish pond.can be a lot of maintenance.
Water gardening is an activity that has beenWhen choosing aquatic plants, the plants should
around for centuries.cover about half of the water at the most. The
Water gardening is creative method of gardeningplants you choose can be free floating,
and there is a lot of technology that can besubmerged, or ones that grow near the edge or
incorporated in it, from prefabricated ponds,surface of the water. The types of plants you
fountains, waterfalls, lighting and pump systems orchoose are personal preference. Some of them
they can be simply constructed as a containermay be chosen for their scent and some for
garden. Whether your water garden is for justthere beauty. There are also some plants provide
plants or a combination of plants and fish, themore oxygen than others which helps keep a
ideas are endless in what can be created.water garden healthy.
To create a water garden, a natural water sourceAlgae is something that can be a major problem
is not required. It can consist of any type ofin water gardening. Most of the time the problem
container that hold water, like a plastic tub, waterresults from having too many nutrients in the
tight plant containers or a half barrel. As long as itwater. This can be from fish food or plant
holds water it can be used. Many local gardenfertilizer. The proper construction along with
supply centers have complete kits that can includefeeding of both plants and fish will keep algae to a
anything from the basic pond setup to theminimum. There are chemicals that can be used
sophisticated water gardens that includeto reduce the algae but they can also kill your fish
waterfalls, fountains,pools, pumps and lighting.and plants. Algae can be eliminated by reducing
Your budget is the first thing to consider whenthe nutrients that cause it to grow, like cutting
creating a water garden, it can get expensive andback on feeding and fertilizing, adding more plants,
quick if you decide on a large water garden thatputting in a filter system, or replacing the existing
is full of plants, fish, lights and other accessories.water with fresh.
Next you need to determine the amount ofWater gardens need to be maintained throughout
space you have available for your water garden.the year, both small gardens and large. With the
Be reasonable in what you choose when startingproper planning of living and decorative features in
your garden and keep in mind the possibility ofyour water garden you can keep the
expanding the size of your water garden in themaintenance to a minimum.