Specialty Gardens
By: The Nature Pavilion Gift Shop
Butterfly gardens are easy to plant. They have a lot of color, are fragrant, and have no special shape. The best gardens resemble fields that have been left go. This garden should have either a few trees or large bushes to protect the butterflies from the wind or rain. Your garden should be positioned so it gets plenty of sunshine. Just plant large masses of the nectar and host plants listed below.
By: Jorbins.com
Water Lilies
The water lily, by far, is the most popular aquatic plant used in water gardening projects. These deep-water plants have roots and stems in the soil below the water, while their foliage floats on the water.
There are both hardy water lilies and tropical water lilies. The hardy types have leaves with smooth edges and the tropical types come in a larger variety of colors and are more fragrant. Unlike the hardy water lily that blooms during the day some tropical water lilies bloom in the evening.
By: Jorbins.com
Barley straw is just one of the many treatments for controlling algae in your pond. It is natural and does not have any known toxic effects on aquatic plants, insect larvae, or fish.
When barley straw is added to your pond water it will begin the decomposition process. As it decomposes special chemicals are released. These chemicals have been found to reduce the amount of new algae growth and occurrences of algae blooms.
By: Jorbins.com
How to Make a Pond Waterfall
One of the most common mistakes people make when constructing a pond waterfall is not fitting the size of the pond to the dimensions of the garden waterfall. Bigger is not always better. If you are going to have goldfish or Koi fish in your pond the added aeration from the waterfall will be beneficial. Make sure your pond is large enough that they have calm water to swim in as well.
By: Jorbins.com
Fountains can be used as a focal point for any garden, but are usually associated with a formal water garden because of the way they look and sound. But there are so many types available now you can find an outdoor fountain to fit the character of almost every garden pond.
By: Jorbins.com
Pond Liners
The first thing you need to do before you start constructing your pond is too pick out a pond liner. You want to purchase the best liner you can afford. The better quality of pond liner you have the less likely you are to have problems concerning the liner.
By: Jorbins.com
About Pond Algae
Learning about algae and the various algae control treatments is necessary when maintaining a water garden or Koi pond. If algae control treatments are not used, an algae bloom can turn your once beautiful pond into a living nightmare. Your pond may end up having murky green water, blankets of green muck on the water surface, or strings of algae in your streams and waterfalls.
By: Jorbins.com
In order to keep your garden pond healthy you need to clean and maintain it continuously. The equipment you use to maintain your pond depends on your pond's size, your climate, your aquatic plant types, and the amount of gold fish or Koi it contains.
By: Jorbins.com
When you are planning your cactus garden you will want to consider adding some Prickly Pear cacti to it.
The prickly pear cacti like sunny well drained areas. If the soil they are planted in has excellent drainage they can tolerate quite a bit of water as well. Be sure and make sure it gets some protection from cold winter winds for best results.
By: Backyard Wings and Water
We've often been asked how to attract butterflies to a backyard. By creating a butterfly garden, you will provide a safe haven for these beautiful creatures.
By: Jill Manzoni
My grandmother and her grandmother before her, all knew the value of having cat tails. Do you?
My friends have always touted me to their friends, about my knowledge of little known "nature things". Remedies, cures, and aids to improve your life. I am about to tell you one of those.
By: Alternative Pond & Gardens Mart, Inc.
Fall is a great time to dig a pond. It usually rains less than in the spring, so there is less mud to deal with. The air is cooler, making the work much more pleasant and less strenuous. Here are some tips to keep in mind when digging that new pond:
By: The Garden Moose
Anyone who has seen a Japanese garden knows the beauty and serenity this type of garden provides. Japanese Gardens include water, bridges, statues, and stone lanterns, all with the intriguing aspects of the Japanese culture. When you integrate touches of different cultures and history into your gardens you will be able to 'take a walk in another place' when ever you might feel like it! The Japanese gardens are a type of garden that focuses on nature entwined with dignity and grace. They are designed with an amazing artistic flair and once created, will provide you with the perfect place to relax.
By: The Garden Moose
In planning your garden first determine where your garden will be placed. Good choices include hills since water can easily drain although flat ground is perfectly fine, it will take a little more preparation. Next, decide what size cacti you want and the preferred shape. Just as with a flower garden, you can be as creative as your imagination allows. Whatever you like - rectangles, circles, diamonds, squares, it doesn't matter, there's an answer for any shape. Just choose a new garden that fits your other garden ideas or you can create new ones!
By: The Garden Moose
When you mention a garden, most people automatically think of flowers or vegetables. But I have found that there are many types of gardens in addition to these 'regular' green gardens. I have also discovered the use of rock gardens which is very popular for people in dry climates or who have property with steep slopes where maintaining grass or other types of gardens is impossible. Mixing a rock garden in with your green plant and flower gardens are a wonderful way to expand your view outside your window!
By: The Garden Moose
There is something special and tranquil about the sound of gentle flowing water. Just imagine sipping on a glass of cold, refreshing tea out on your back patio or deck, while enjoying your own water garden. Beautiful, blooming flowers generally surround water gardens with a sweet fragrance that enhances the water. You can create a water garden as small or large, as you like. Complete kits to include a heavy-duty rubber liner (lasts longer than plastic liners), submersible pump, water, and tubing can all be found at your local home improvement store. Add a small water fountain statue, some lights, a few fish, and you are all set. These kits are inexpensive and depending on the size, range in price from $75 to $500. Statuary, rocks, plants, lights, and fish are all extra but you can create the water garden that you will love.
By: The Garden Moose
You can create a pond, small or large, in your garden that will focus on the life of a fish instead of the life of your plants. The use of water in your garden, with a focus on fish instead of on plants will bring a whole new outlook to your garden treasures and the path of life in your gardens.
By: The Garden Moose
Having the desire to have a water garden is the first step in introducing this great center of water into your garden with the next step being the decision of whether you are going to raise plants in your water garden, or if you are going to raise a type of fish in your water garden or even possibly if you are going to raise both plants and fish in your water pond. Understanding a few of the basic different advantages and disadvantages will help you through this little time of design decisions.
By: ARA
(ARA) - Spring is an excellent time to consider simple, outdoor living enhancements like container water gardens. They add serenity and a unique, new look to home landscapes as reflections of water add another dimension of interest and movement to the surrounding space.
Container gardens are an excellent way to sample the joys of water gardening before committing to a larger, permanent pond. When planned and constructed properly, these elegant structures provide calming tranquility for many years and can be built in a single weekend. Here are a few considerations to remember when enhancing your outdoor living space with a container water garden:
By: ARA
(ARA) - You've weeded the flower beds, planted the vegetable garden and dusted off your patio furniture. Now comes the fun part: adding some decorative elements to your garden. And what better way to pull your design together than with an elegant fountain.