Landscaping Ideas With Water Features & Ponds
By Dave Black
Landscape design is one of the fields which can use water based features extremely effectively to add beauty and ambiance to outside garden areas. Ponds, fountains and water features are three of the most common landscape elements we find that introduce the water element into outside areas.
Outdoor ponds are very relaxing and calming. On the surface of a garden pond you will find a still reflection of the sky like a mirror. With a gently blowing breeze the water will ripple quietly making intricate patterns as the waves stretch outward to the furthest reaches of the pond boundary, then softly return when they meet an obstacle. Colorful fish called Koi live beautifully in still ponds and these fish can live to be 70 years old. The bright and colorful scales of Koi represent good luck and wealth.
Water fountains use water just like ponds, but fountain are much more dynamic and exciting then ponds are. Water is pumped high into the sky or through elaborate garden sculptures and finds it's way to the top of these artistic shapes and produces a waterfall as gravity pulls the water back towards the earth's surface. Landscape fountains also have a great sound which we don't find in ponds or other outdoor water features.
Many of the water features we see today are actually a combination of these two techniques, pond and fountain. It is a two step process, involving the construction of a pond to catch the water and the cascading structure itself the waterfall. The pond section will serve as a container which holds water and enables the fountain section to operate. A fountain will jet water into the air but in order to operate effectively most fountains need an adequate supply of water to draw from if the fountain is of any large size. This enables the feature to operate for a time without having to be refilled. Water evaporates quicker when in motion, especially in a waterfall situation, and needs a plentiful supply of fresh water to continue it's beautiful display.
It's always good to introduce some water features into landscape design. You should be committed to maintaining the balance and harmony of nature in your garden. People always have wonderful things to say about personalized, distinctive water features, unique outdoor living environments and creative garden designs. One of the best ways of getting the perfect garden is to hire a landscape architect. A landscape architect professional has training in the methods of fusing both natural elements and modern building materials to create a space for you which is both functional for modern living, yet flows with the relaxation and peacefulness one can gain only from nature. The yielding and fluid nature of the water element balances out other solid materials which are used to decorate a space. Water is also necessary for any garden, plant, or living thing so when we know water is near and plentiful we are reassured on an instinctual level that the area is well cared for and things will be ok on a very basic level.
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Go to Lowes or your local garden store they have racks of Landscaping books that aren’t very expensive, or you can go to your local library.
Landscaping Ideas?
Can someone help me with some landscaping tips?
Landscaping ideas?
I am fixing up my house and want some ideas of what to do with my lawn. I don’t want grass anymore (can’t add a good sprinker system because of the layout) and I was thinking of either bark dust or something else. If you know of a good website for this, I would appreciate it.
I am slowly eliminating my lawn; I am replacing it with brick walkways and large flagstone/pavestone areas and ornamental grasses/vinca and boulders. Most ornamental grasses and vinca, once established, needs very little watering and no mowing.
For some ideas, try http://www.lesslawn.com/
http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/PI/shrunklawn.htm
http://eartheasy.com/article_lawn_reduce.htm
You may also want to search for “beneficial landscaping”, the current “correct word” for replacing your lawn with more eco-friendly (and wallet-friendly!) alternatives.
I’m not sure exactly where but you can check in http://www.lawnserviceforum.com.
unless you get a 10 foot tall or better fence forget keeping the deer out. I have seen them jump over 8 foot fences with ease.but if you keep the dogs outside that will deter the deer. as for the boggy wooded area if i had some pictures and the state you live in i could send you some ideas( dont need exact location it just helps with plant variaties).
For some reason i took horticulture in highschool for an easy class and it turned out i am quite good at it and enjoy it.
but as far as the boggy part if the ground isnt level i would have it dug down several feet then have sandy loam put in place topped with compost or high quality clean top soil. the sandy loam will aid in drainage and the top soil or compost is excellant for plants.
i will be more than happy to give you ideas if you send me a drawing of the layout of your yard with dimensions. just send me a pm if you want to do that .
i dont know how big your lawn is but something else occured to me today. how about planting a weeping willow in the area that has the most water. they love water i have seen roots come through swimming pool liners to get to the water.that may help solve alot of the boggy part. if your lawn is large enough plant several.
also try rhododendron’s and trappers tea(groenlandicum) the last 2 are if you have a an acidic soil they love it. i have to ask this ,ist the ground always saturated with water from the ground or is it just stagnant rain water that is not getting soaked up by the soil. here is a site that will also aid ideas.
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/natbltn/300-399/nb385.htm
if you need to cut down a few trees to make room for the willows. Go after the tree that don’t look very healthy.there are several web sites that will show,or tell you what to look for. google forestry,tree diseases.
Television Shows
Sub links for the DIY Network below
Indoors Out
Yard Crashers
Desperate Landscapes
Grounds for Improvement
The Dirt On…
Fresh from the Garden
Garden Sense
Weekend Gardening
Ask DIY Gardening
http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/gardening
Garden ponds click on pix for enlargement
http://pondmarketphotos.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=410
AZpondsjust click on the thumbnail to enlarge
http://www.azponds.com/absoluteig/gallery.asp?categoryid=6
http://www.azponds.com/absoluteig/gallery.asp?categoryid=7
http://www.azponds.com/absoluteig/gallery.asp?categoryid=5
http://www.azponds.com/absoluteig/gallery.asp?categoryid=4
http://madamebutterflygardens.com/
Go to bhg.com (Better Homes and Gardens). They have landscaping plans for all types of yards and conditions, along with substitute plants for the ones they list in some of them. They also have a program on their site where you can create your own plan by plugging in the dimensions of your yard and adding plants the size you want to see how it will look.
One good way to keep the weeds from coming through is to put down black plastic before you plant. Fasten it down well (we cut about 6″ lengths of wire and bend them like staples), cut holes in it where you want your plants, and plant them through it. You can cover it with mulch once you’ve finished to hide the plastic. The plastic also holds in moisture and heat, so you won’t have to water as often.
Anyone have landscaping ideas for the front of a house?
We just bought our first home last July and are clueless how to landscape around the house. Right now all that’s around the house are ugly bushes that are dead. This spring we are digging up the bushes and we have bought landscaping stone (the multicolored gravel) to go around the house. Does anyone have any good ideas or suggestions on what to plant? I want colorful flowers that will come up every year and some trees that are mauve in color. I haven’t a clue what to get! Help!
buy perennial flowers that come up year after year. pansies are really good for this and will grow back even thicker year after year. while they are blooming deadhead and when you get little seed pods on them pop them and they will grow, they pods are full of seeds, in corners you can plant butterfly bushes, they always look really pretty and lilac bushes grow well up against houses and are very pretty.if you want a good display that will grow up onto the house you could plant wisteria that grows on just about anything and they have purple in that,and it grows in shapes like bunches of grapes, that would look nice. start off with some paper and get on-line to look up plants and draw what you have to see what you think would look nice. you can always add more as you go along, and remember gardens change as they grow, just enjoy making it look beautiful and don’t worry, most plants are strong and before you know it you will have a beautiful landscape. good luck hun.xx
Looking for a website with landscaping ideas?
I am looking for a website that shows landscaping ideas for “normal” everyday homes , seems like they are all these huge fabulous homes owned by rich people which I am not,lol I own a brick ranch and am looking to re-landscape the front yard. Any ideas would be much appreciated!
Where can I see several pictures online of xeriscaping designs or desert landscaping ideas?
I have searched and searched on the web, and I can hardly find anything. I am moving to El Paso and want to get some good desert landscaping ideas.
What are some good landscaping ideas for my garden?
Do you know any sites that has good landscaping pictures to get ideas? I have planted 6 fruit trees, and now need to do the landscaping and the ground work to cover the dirt and make it look nice.
If i don’t cover the dirt, weed keeps growing and dried grass. Pls help, thanks!
Where can I find a good website with landscaping ideas/pictures?
I have been looking all over the internet and can not find a good website with landscaping ideas and pictures. The website has to be free of charge and have lots of photographic examples of flower/plant combinations, etc.
Looking for landscaping ideas for a boggy, woody area with limited sun and deer?
Open pallet for landscaping that is wooded and very wet. I have also seen deer tracks, so I need things that are deer repellent. There is standing water that I would like to try minimize with planting and or stone. It is filtered, limited sun area. I am planning on putting up a privacy fence to the wood line then continuing with a chain link in the woods (needed to for my dogs). Any ideas
Try this place, http://www.landscapingideasonline.com/ I found it when I was looking for some garden gnomes, which I think are awesome to landscape with. I did end up using a couple of the ideas from that website in the placement of the gnomes that I found at http://www.shadygnomes.com but there are tons of pictures to look though, so get ready and good luck.