This article is for nature lovers who want to add a backyard pond to their landscape. We will be talking about benefits of having it and what is required to maintain one.
But First!
Why a Small Outdoor Pond is Good for your Landscape?
If you think your landscape design is missing something, a garden pond can do wonders there. Small outdoor ponds are an easy addition to your landscape design. A pond can be small as few gallons to large as a swimming pool. No matter how much space your pond takes, it is extremely beneficial for your garden.
Let’s See How
Pond Creates Wildlife
With a pond, you invite native biodiversity to create a beautiful little ecosystem. Garden ponds attract wildlife like birds, bees, dragonflies, newts, frogs, crustacean. These animals might make your pond their home. It is a pleasure to see these creatures roaming on your landscape. Butterflies and birds pollinate the garden and control pest populations. There are also small pond fish and animals to add into your water feature.
Pond is Aquaculture
Some people think ponds use up valuable space, on other hand landscape experts say ponds are bodies of water that are more productive than dry land. Your outdoor water features can grow pond plants in it and help land plants growing on pond edges as well.
The Easiest Vegetables and Pond Plants to Grow?
Many plants thrive in wet conditions like watercress, water chestnut, taro, lotus, kangkong, and wild rice. Lotus also grow on water and it also filters the pond water.
Ponds Reflect Sunlight
Here is another amazing benefit of a backyard pond – it reflects sunlight!
How this can be a benefit?
Well, water is reflective so when sun rays hit the water the light spread around. Some plants that require constant sunlight get it from this water reflection. Landscapers say that it’s a pleasant sight to see light dance in your landscape meanwhile your plants get the extra photosynthesis.
Pond Keep the Temperatures Down
Water is a thermal mass and changes its temperature slowly. If the sun heats the water in the day, it slowly cools down in the night. This feature can extend the plant growing season. Plants near the pond edges will benefit from radiating warmth in cold and at night. Some landscape experts agree that putting a pond in a glasshouse can be very useful for some plants.
3 Reasons Why People Avoid Garden Pond
Many of us reject the idea of a garden pond just because it’s an open invitation to algae and unpleasant smells. But in reality, this is not an issue only if you take some precautions. Let’s See the Reasons Why People Avoid Building Garden Ponds and Why They are Wrong!
Reason # 1 Ponds Are Expensive
Digging a hole and filling it up with water is easy but maintaining it is hard and costly. It’s true that backyard pond kits like pumps, liners, underlayment, skimmers, etc. are expensive. But you can still have a small garden pond without a pump and pond kits.
Reason# 2 Pond Cleaning is Hard
Pond location is very important. Avoid building a garden pond on a place that receives direct sunlight. Too much sun cause algae overgrowth, and building the pond under tree shade creates a leaf litter problem. Landscape expert’s advice building a pond under umbrella, or awning to prevent algae.
Remember!
Your pond can exist without a pump only if your area clear from deadly mosquitoes. A small garden pond can easily be cleaned with natural pond plants or products that prevent algae. You can always manually filter it using strainer or pond cleaning racks.
Reason # 3 Ponds Are Only for Keeping Fish
It’s clear that a pond is more than an aquarium for fish. It brings wildlife and creates a refreshing and natural environment. Also, the pump must be installed if you want to keep fish in it, which is costly. Keeping fish in a pond without a pump is a bad idea because of pump filter excrement and maintain oxygen levels in the water.
Afterthoughts
It’s true that backyard water features bring charm to your dry landscape. It is not important to build a million-dollar backyard pond; a simple dig is enough too. Any water feature is beautiful, great to look at and soothing to listen to. Just being near water is a good reason to build one.
If you don’t want to a DIY backyard pond, hire a landscape service. We have built many beautiful ponds on private, residential and commercial locations and we are good at it now. If you are looking for landscaping Sydney, hire your local Landscaping experts known as Whitlam Landscapes.
