Coming Up With Contemporary Water Garden Ideas
Water gardens are beautiful and relaxing features to have in your yard, but where in the world do you start when trying to plan one? There are so many products available and pictures of lovely ideas used by others, but how can you make your water feature both unique and functional enough to meet your landscaping needs? Taking a drive around town may give you some ideas; however, since so many water gardens aren’t visible from the street, you may not get to see some of the beauties people have built. Therefore, it’s a good to turn to the Internet where you’ll find ideas galore.
If you have any sloping areas in your yard, that’s as great a place to start as any. Based on the principle that water will always run downhill, you can create lovely waterways that include water splashing over waterfalls and trickling over rocks. Having a fall of 1″ for every 10 feet is enough to support a stream. Add a variety of bright water plants, and a pump to recirculate the water back upstream when it reaches the bottom of the run, and you’ll have a beautiful start to any water garden. It never hurts to start small and then add to your watery ecosystem over time.
For the first year, you may just want to have a stream. Then you could add a pool, fountains, and lights. There are dozens of really cool pond features that you can purchase to add to your water garden. You can start your pond with a pond liner and a pump, and add landscaping around it as you can afford to. Whatever you can think of to make your pool seem like a natural part of the landscape which includes rocks and plants. The more lush the plant life is, the more tropical your backyard oasis will become.
Some people have the idea that you can’t build a water feature without a concrete foundation, but there really are better options. With concrete, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to make your garden look like an integral part of nature. Using a preformed pond liner in a color that will blend in with the environment is a better choice. Unless you have a formal estate, an informal type of garden is going to look more like it belongs. You only want square, strict lines if you want your water garden to look like a formal English or Victorian garden. For relaxing in the backyard of a suburban home, informal is the best bet.
By taking a look at the various components you can buy to help you build your water garden, you’ll get a lot of great ideas. How about incorporating a bridge into your design? If you have the space, you can build a path through your yard and include a bridge to the other side of the stream. Nothing could look more charming! You can also add either goldfish or Koi to your pond, or a fountain and lights. You’ll love the way your fabulous water feature will add a fresh, attractive look to your entire yard.
