Take Your Landscaping to the Next Level - Water Gardens

A water garden, also known as an aquatic garden, features water as a primary element. The aquatic plants make it a water garden. There are many kinds of water gardens, and each offers unique benefits and joys, often incorporating fish or other marine life or other decorative elements, and can range from small containers to larger ponds or even canals.

Water gardens can serve aesthetic and ecological purposes, providing a beautiful and relaxing space while supporting wildlife and creating a natural ecosystem. The presence of water, with its sounds and movement, can be calming and conducive to relaxation, making the garden a place for people to unwind and enjoy the outdoors.

Water gardens serve as an educational tool, allowing people to learn about aquatic ecosystems, plant life, and the importance of water conservation. Wildlife, such as birds, insects, and amphibians, are often attracted to the water garden, enriching the area’s biodiversity and providing opportunities for observation and enjoyment.

Even beginner gardeners can nurture a water garden and enjoy its soothing sounds and wildlife. You can create a pond with materials easily found at most garden centers. A water garden can take many shapes and sizes, from porch containers to in-ground reservoirs.

Expect to grow most of your aquatic plants in shallow containers that you’ll submerge. Before submerging your plants, know the exact water level each plant can survive in. Water garden plants are divided into three main categories: submerged, marginal, and floating. Submerged plants live almost entirely under the water, sometimes with leaves or flowers that grow to the surface. Marginal plants live with their roots under the water, but the rest of the plant is above the surface. Floating plants are not anchored to the soil at all, but are free-floating on the surface.

Standing water attracts mosquitoes. To control mosquitoes and mosquito larvae, limit algae growth, keep the water moving, or add fish to your water garden.

Water gardens require regular maintenance to ensure a healthy environment for the plants and any aquatic life. Some aquatic plants may not survive the threat of frost. Don’t forget to winterize.