Garden ponds and fountains were once
mostly for the wealthy people. Nowadays, anyone can
have a garden pond. A fountain or waterfall can be
built-in almost anywhere - even if your "yard" is
restricted to a patio or balcony.
Adding water to your patio can be as
easy as setting out a shallow dish of water for use
as a birdbath. Any shallow container at least 6
inches wide and a half-inch deep will work. Pie
pans, trash can lids, or flowerpot bases work well
in little spaces. Fill the pot with clean water and
wash it every day or two. The wildlife attracted to
the water will depend on where you put the
container.
Containers set on the land typically attract the
greatest number of wildlife species, from birds and
butterflies to squirrels and toads. Hanging
birdbaths or ones on pedestals will be limited to
those creatures that can fly or jump high
sufficiently to reach the water, and give birds a
chance to run away from neighborhood cats and other
predators.
If you want to raise water plants - and perhaps a
fish or two--you can add a tub garden to your patio
or yard. Many products are on the market these days.
Normally, half whiskey kegs with plastic liners are
used.
Many plastic tub gardens are obtainable in a variety
of sizes and have the benefit of being lightweight
and low-cost. Small pumps can be added to any of
these containers to allow for fountains or cascades
of water. Moving water is pleasant to listen to and
attractive to flora and fauna.
Here are some considerations previous to adding a
small tub pond to your patio or yard:
- If you desire to grow up water plants, decide a
container that is at least a foot deep. While some
water plants do well in shallow water, other types -
as well as some water lilies - need deeper water.
- Consider adding a range of plant species.
Depending on the deepness of your tub, place pots of
plants either on the underside or on bricks to
achieve the proper depth. Floating plants such as
duckweed also can be additional.
- Floating plants decrease the quantity of sunlight
that enters the water, which helps lessen the growth
of algae. When adding potted plants, place a layer
of stones on top of the soil before setting the pots
in the water. This will help seize the soil in place
and help avoid any fish from "digging" into the
pots.
- If you live in a cold type of weather, think what
you will do with the tub garden in the winter. Small
tubs can be moved inside if an appropriate position
is available. Other tubs may need to be drained to
stop harm from freezing.
- Be careful: Use caution and take security
measures if small children have contact to your
pond. Even small tub gardens can be dangerous. If
you plan to have a fountain or waterfall, be sure a
grounded electrical outlet is on hand.
- On top of all, have fun. Water gardens offer
habitat for wildlife, but also can be a pleasant
hobby for you and your family.
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