Pond Landscaping Designs

When it comes to landscaping designs for around your pond there are considerations to keep in mind. You want your landscaping designs to accent and complement the pond without adding the litter of leaves or interfering with the structure of the water effects. If you are planning on having fish in the pond you need to be aware there are many plants that are toxic to fish life.

The bog garden is considered to be a water feature but is much different from the traditional pond. In this type of a water garden, the pond liner can be perforated, and the pond filled with a mixture of water, soil, compost, and peat in order to help create a boggy atmosphere. Some of the plants used in a bog garden might include plantain lilies, cattails, miniature bamboo, irises, bog rosemary or turtlehead. You might even want to consider using some of them not only in, but immediately outside the basin such as the cattails, tules or umbrella plants. Most of the bog plants can also be maintained in heavily moist soil or mud on the outside of the basin or arranged contiguously in an area where some of the water from the system will slowly run over and through the area on a regular basis.

The sounds of water moving, trickling, or cascading many of us find pleasant and soothing. For this reason, water fountains and waterfalls are features that many incorporate into aquatic landscaping designs for the backyard. Running water is not just soothing but it also helps aerate a pond, producing a much better habitat for fish and keeping the water from becoming stagnated. You can create a waterfall with a pond fountain kit or by using a large-scale pump that is powerful enough to recycle the water over a pile of rocks.

There are some ground covers such as agapanthus and clivia that you can incorporated into your pond landscaping ideas along with a number of the horizontal species of juniper that can be placed right next to the water. Succulents, yuccas and some of the other tropical plants will also work well. Some perennials such as grasses, rushes, and sedges definitely should be included in your aquatic landscape; some will fare quite well at the water's edge that are very hardy and beautiful such as the sounds of bamboo and Miscanthus rustling with a gentle breeze. Ferns are also perennial favorites particularly maiden hair (Adiantum pedatum) and shield (Dryopteris marginalis); staghorn ferns (Platycerium) are also good for growing nearby along with the cycads which are palm-like plants.

Some of the plants and their toxic parts to fish-life are: the flowers of anemone; bulbs of amaryllis; flowers and leaves of angel trumpet tree; all parts of azaleas and rhododendrons; seeds of bird of paradise; leaves of the calla lily; twigs and foliage of wild and cultivated cherries; bulbs of crocus; all parts of delphinium; berries of English ivy; entire foxglove plant; leaves and berries of holly; entire hydrangea; all parts of yellow jasmine; all parts of lily-of-the-valley; berries of mistletoe; foliage of oleander; all parts of peony; leaves and sap of philodendron; leaves and flower of poinsettia; all parts of snapdragon; all parts of tiger lily and the foliage and vines of tomato. These are just the names and parts of just a few, there are many, many more.

You want to consider where the plants are going to be placed in order for the best impression. For a koi pond you need to minimize the sun and wind exposure in order to resist algae profusion and the suns "bleaching effect" on carps color. Most aquatic gardens will strive for just the opposite; maximum amount of exposure to sunlight for the enhancement of plant growth. For these ponds, the larger vertical elements need to be placed near the northern side of the basin. Also keep in mind that the bunching of individual types of plants is much more effective than having only one of everything; you also need to provide for the ultimate size of the plants. Just remember not to get discouraged particularly if you are not an expert at landscaping. Enlist the help of others, visit other water landscapes for ideas and read as many books as possible for the best help.  

A beautifully constructed water feature must also take in the care and consideration of all the landscaping and blend all the surroundings together for a complete picture. Try to incorporate the completed picture during the planning stages of your pond. As long as you have the entire landscape in mind you should not have a problem. No pond can be complete without some type of landscaping designs.