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Simple Water Features for
Small Spaces

In small spaces a simple water feature can make a large impact. The addition of a container water garden will transform, beautify and diversify your existing garden into an oasis that brings relief during the dog days of summer and beyond. Sit back, relax and enjoy the melodious sound of dancing water from your garden pond, it will provide soothing, background music to your summer retreat. Bring wildlife into the garden by incorporating fish, frogs and snails into your mini aquascape. A simple water feature may be placed in the garden, on a deck, patio, and porch or added to a roof-top garden and can make a large impact in a small space.

Choosing a Container:

Container water gardens can be created from practically anything that has the capability of holding water or that can support a liner. Ceramic sinks or tubs, half-barrels, buckets, pottery or planters and troughs can all be used to create beautiful ponds. Remember, these features will look their best when the shape and materials are similar in style to that of your home and surrounding gardens.

Lining Your Container:

If you have chosen a whiskey barrel, or other similar wood container, follow these simple instructions to incorporate a liner:

1. Center your flexible liner over your whiskey barrel or other container. Push down in the center so that excess material is evenly spaced over the outside lip. Begin folding the liner over itself at 4 to 6 inch increments, working your way around the container. Fasten each fold with a 1⁄2 inch staple placed about 1⁄2 inch from the top.

2. Trim the liner so it is even with the lip of the barrel or container.

3. Fill your container with water, then arrange your aquatic plants and pump/filter system.
Rigid pond liners are also available to insert into half whiskey barrels for ease of waterproofing these containers.

With such a wide assortment available, pots and planters make great garden ponds when properly prepared.

1. Plug the drainage hole with a small piece of pond liner spread with caulk.

2. Seal any minor cracks with caulk.

3. Paint the inside of the container with a water garden sealant.

Picking Plants:

The use of aquatic plants will help you avoid the use of algaecides by reducing pond algae in two ways:

1) by removing excess phosphorus and nitrogen from the water and

2) by shading the water from sunlight. For a healthy balance, cover 50% of your pond surface with floating plants for shading. Submerged plants should be planted at a rate of one bunch, 6-10 plants, for every 5 square feet of surface area. Marginal or bog plants will complete the ecological balancing act.

Floaters:

Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes), Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), Frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus- ranae), Miniature Water Lilies (Nymphae spp.); these plants provide habitat and will shade the pond water surface to reduce the production of algae.

Submerged Oxygenators:

Submerged plants like: anacharis (Elodea Canadensis), Water Buttercup (Ranunculus aquatilis) and Fanwort (Cambomba caroliniana) are great choices that help maintain water clarity by consuming excess nutrients that contribute to the production of algae. These plants can reproduce rapidly; however, they are easily controlled in the small pond by simply removing surplus growth.

Marginal Plants:

Placed at pond’s edge, Sweet Flag (Acorus spp.), Dwarf Cattail (Typha minima), Dwarf Papyrus (Cyperus profiler), Iris (Iris pseudacorus), Camelion plant (Houttuynia cordata), marginal aquatic plants add color, height, and variation to the water garden. They also provide cover, habitat and oxygen.Be careful not to overwhelm you container water garden with too many plants or it will be difficult to maintain a natural balance.

Fish and Other Pond Life:

  • Fish create additional interest to a water garden by adding sparkle and movement. Good choices for a small water garden are: Goldfish, Red Comets, Calico Fantails and Shubunkins. Do not overstock your water feature. As a rule of thumb, each inch of fish should have 6 square inches to one square foot of water.

  • Japanese Trapdoor Snails eat algae stuck to the sides of the pond and will consume excess fish food.

  • Tadpoles will morph into amusing frogs. Tadpoles eat algae and add motion and interest to the pond, especially for children. Frogs will lend sound to the garden and aid in insect control.

Water Garden Container Care

Dealing with Algae
Despite all your planning, it is perfectly natural for your pond to turn green at first. Once the plants get to work, the green will fade. If you find that you require a little extra help in algae control, try Microbe-Lift or Barley Straw pellets, both are natural algae controls.

Managing Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes may be managed in several ways:

1. Creating water movement to the pond with a pump and small fountain.

2. Add BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) to the water in the form of Mosquitoes Dunks.

3. Incorporate small fish into your pond garden, they eat mosquito larvae.

4. Other mosquito predators include: dragonflies, bats, tadpoles and frogs.

Maintenance
Check the pond weekly. You need to be observant to animal activity and any abnormal growths or marks. Inspect plants and fish for health, and insects or disease. Clean up any dead or yellowing foliage. Replace evaporated water as necessary. If your water contains chlorine or other chemicals, be sure they are removed before adding this water to your pond. Chlorine is toxic to fish and beneficial bacteria. Chlorine will dissipate after a few days if it is exposed to air, do not add fish or plants until after this is accomplished.

Trees & Shrubs for Summer Color

Hydrangea - This very popular mounding shrub is an old-fashioned favorite! And, there are hydrangeas for every situation and taste. Flowers appear in early summer. Choose from pink, blue (use an acidic fertilizer to maintain this unusual color) or white. Large flower heads great for drying. Light shade or sun. One of the easiest plants to grow is the native American oak-leafed hydrangea has lobed leaves with fragrant, conical-shaped flower heads.

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) - Truly a butterfly magnet! One of the most fragrant flowering shrubs, butterfly bush blooms from summer to frost. Available in pink, purple, blue, yellow and white. Plant in full sun.

Spirea - Golden yellow to lime-colored foliage all summer with pink or lavendar blooms in late spring through summer. Goldmound, Gold Flame and Anthony Waterer are all great, easy care shrubs growing to about 2-4’ by 3-5’. The perfect shrub to use anywhere in the landscape. Sun to part shade.

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) - One of the showiest plants of the summer! Rose of Sharon is also one of the easiest to grow. Dense growing and upright when young, spreading with age. Dark green foliage with large, showy flowers that can be up to 4” across. Flowers open in July and will continue through late summer and into fall. Flowers are sterile, eliminating seed problems. Plant as a screen, hedge or specimen in full sun.

Blue Mist Spirea (Caryopteris) – A great plant for late summer color with bursts of purple-blue flowers. Low-growing, mounding habit reaches 2-3’ by 2-3’. Easy to grow. Plant in full sun. Blooms from summer to fall.

 


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