by Midge Goeth 

This month we are going to talk about water in your garden. I have a small pond in my small back yard and it truly is the area that all visitors are immediately drawn to when entering the yard. My first water feature was a small 300 gallon pre-formed pond, and in one years time, I knew it was too small. I really liked the idea of water, fish, and plants, but wanted a bit more area to create a mood and look to accompany the bonsai. I now have about 750 gallons with a gentle waterfall that creates just the right sense of movement and tranquility.

I will be using several different references for this article and each one stresses the importance of detailed planning before you embark on a water feature for your yard. There are many more excellent books, web sites, retail operations, etc. to help you plan than when I started. So my experience involves lots of trial, and lots of error. I can tell you all the mistakes I made. And I can also tell you that they were all worth the effort. I LOVE my pond.

It is not surprising that in an island country with abundant rainfall, water figures prominently in Japanese gardens. Although they have long been common in the Orient, they are becoming very popular in the United States. The soothing, visual beauty of a pond is enhanced by aquatic plants, the ever-changing view of fish swimming among these plants, and the play of light and shadows reflected in the water. A simple stone water basin can capture the magic of water as surely as a waterfall with stream and pond can, and much more simply. A dry-water feature makes the viewer feel the living presence of water that does not actually exist in the garden.

WATERFALLS

A waterfall is nearly always the focal point of its garden, and no wonder. It marks a dramatic shift in topography. Usually it feeds a widening stream or pond that from down-stream viewing points leads the eye to the waterfall itself, always in motion. Soothing water sounds cancel out noises beyond the garden and enhance the illusion of remoteness. You can emulate the particular charm of the natural waterfall by varying the seasonal volume of water, thereby reinforcing the mood of the season.

STREAM

Even when they link a waterfall or simulated spring with a pond rather than function by themselves in the garden, streams have a particular vitality. In their connection to the rest of the surrounding landscape -- topography, plantings, stones, bridges -- they unify the garden and recreate in it a basic, lively natural landscape feature. In a spacious garden, even one without a waterfall or pond, the effect of a meadow crossed by a broad, shallow stream can be pleasing and natural. More often in a residential garden, however, a narrow and more winding stream may harmonize with a landscape that includes representations of hill or mountains.

PONDS

The most imposing feature of a stroll or a hill-and-pond garden is usually the pond. Nestling low in the landscape, the pond anchors the garden and its surface mirrors the sky and catches the wind. The rest of the garden is designed around it. The openness of a well-designed pond strikes a balance with trees, stones, structures, and landforms. Soil from the excavation may become a mound in the garden.

If a tiny garden cannot accommodate a pond, a water basin or a small pool can still reflect the sky and refresh visitors. Any garden can have a dry-water feature that suggests a pond as effectively, perhaps, as does water itself.

DRY FEATURES

The design of every water feature described so far applies equally well to its dry counterpart that only suggests the presence of water. Dry waterfall, ponds, and streams, if they are well designed, have much the same aesthetic function and emotional impact as the water features that they resemble.

Once installed in full-sized gardens, there are, aside from the absence of water, only subtle differences between dry features and the corresponding wet features. There is a significiant difference in the construction -- for a dry feature, less earth must be moved and nothing needs to be waterproofed -- and maintenance, which is easier and far less expensisve. An aesthetic difference, perhaps the only one that deserves comment, applies to ponds. A very large dry pond with its lack of movement or reflection and its monotonous expanse can easily seem glaring and unrefreshing; if you plan to make a dry pond, keep its scale modest (but not miniature).

If you have been thinking about a pond in your yard, here are some very basic considerations. Do you want a pond with or without fish? Do you want to include plants in your pond? How much time will you devote to maintenance? Have you checked your local ordinances? Why? Some cities (Lexington, for instance) state that any water source greater than 2 feet deep is considered a swimming pool and must have a fence surrounding it. This may be fine for small water sources like bird baths, but one section of a water garden must be at least 3 feet deep if you wish to over winter some species of fish and plants. Do you want to create your own design and use a liner or do you want to install a pre-fabricated pond?

Pond location can be critical, not only in regard to your enjoyment but in regard to the maintenance and biological performance of the pond. The following guidelines should be followed when planning and selecting a site for the water garden.

The site must receive a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight each day. Sunlight is needed for photosynthesis by pond plants including algae, which provide oxygen to the pond. Abundant oxygen means a healthy environment for fish and other organisms. One exception is a small container garden with less than 100 gallons of water. It will do best with 1 to 2 hours of shade during the hottest part of the day.

Avoid any area that receives runoff that could contaminate the pond with fertilizer, herbicides, or insecticides. These will quickly kill plant and animals. The site should be level.

Do not place the pond under trees or under large overhanging branches. Ponds should not be located directly under trees, as their roots hamper excavation and eventually cause structural damage to the pond. Also, leaves can foul the water and over-hanging branches may exude toxic substances into the pond.

Do not locate the pond above utility services. If you plan to excavate, check with utility companies on the location of underground gas, water, sewer, and electrical lines before moving one shovel of soil.

So, if you place a water feature in your garden, be it small or large, formal, informal, or oriental in design, you will be rewarded with its overall effect, particularly as it relates to the enhancement of your bonsai.