Gardening generally conjures up the idea of staking out a piece of ground, digging a hole and planting a plant. Then it’s all about standing back and watch it grow, bloom, fill in and thrive with other plants. Create a palette of different species, different flowers. It all looks pretty, with varying colors of plants and blooms. But water gardening, now that is a whole new dimension.
We have yer aerators, yer floaters, yer marsh plants, pond plants, surface feeders, bottom feeders….and on it goes. But there is something about a pond that ripples in the wind, reflects the clouds, and provides a sanctuary for frogs, fish and birds.
We like spending time just watching the water as it cascades over the rocks, from the upper pond to the lower. A hidden pump does the work of moving the water around. Lilly pads float on the surface along with water lettuce while hornwort hides in the depths, providing a source of oxygen. The bigger pond measures just 20′ by about 11′ and is only 18″ deep at its deepest point.
We are trying to restrict the growth of algae using plants and water movement. No chemicals here, just a little editing as needed. The deck sits alongside the pond where it catches the most sun and offers a quiet place to sip tea and watch birds enjoying a bath. Young maples will provide some shade when they mature.
Ponds take a little work to create and maintain but the time spent is worth it.
