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In the early evenings of late spring and through out summer until the first frost settles into our part of the world one of the nicest sights and sounds for me is the melodic sound of the water coming out of the large clay koi fish that sits in one small pond and shooting into the other pond.
We had created an oasis of sight and sound for us to enjoy in our patio garden. 2 small ponds with the koi fish in one on a pump shooting the water arc across the space into the other pond. Scattered around are our favorite flowers, both annuals and perennials, 2 large metal cranes, one seemingly drinking from the pond and one with its head raised towards the sky. Overlooking this placid scene is our ever watchful Kwan Yin.
The sight and sound of water has always drawn the human spirit and I often think millions of years ago as we slugged out of the water onto dry land that this has become an ingrown, yet unknown gene for us.
Creating a water garden is really very easy. Once I created a Zen Garden at our Bed & Breakfast in TN and I put a small pond in it simply by digging a large irregular shaped hole about 2 ft deep, 10 to 12 ft in diameter and lining it with heavy duty black waterproof pond liner material I bought at our local home supply store. Draping the liner in and making sure I had about 2 foot extra all around I then put lovely large rocks, which I had removed from our river, on top of the liner to make sure it would not move back into the pond. Next I moved dirt up next to the rocks for planting of a few low growing perennials.
I then took a heavy duty plastic pail and placed it upside down in the center of my pond. I had also purchased a good pond pump and some underwater lighting from my hardware store and set that on top of the inverted pail. I filled the pond with water and when it covered the pump, I plugged the pump in and ta da! I had circulating water, great sound and a lovely sight to see both day and night. This whole project had about $100.00 in materials and that was in 1994. So the prices are probably more. Our guests would sit on the porches of their guest cabins in the evening to listen to the water sounds and enjoy the fragrance of the Zen garden.
Water gardens can be small or large, simple or elaborate depending on your budget. They can be done by a professional landscaper or done by you.
A water garden can house fish. However, neither one of mine did or do simply because I usually live in a wooded area where the raccoons would be having a grand dinner.
As a stained glass artist I have created several indoor ponds by simply buying the largest plastic urn I could get at my local gardening center. I created a stained glass lotus blossom and then a double sided stained glass frog on a large stained glass lily pad. Into the urn I put in my submersible pump, about 2/3’s of the way up I put in a metal ring on 3 legs that touched the bottom of my urn. On top of that I put in a circular piece of heavy duty mesh wire with small holes cut to the diameter of the urn and laying on top of the metal ring. On top of that I put sprinkled in some small stones (I had bought 2 bags at the local craft store, but you can use any small stones. Finally I placed my completed stained glass creation on top of the urn just inside so it lay on the first tapered ring of the urn itself. I then filled the urn with water and plugged it in. It was a beautiful sight to see the frog spurting water out into the center of the lily pad and it was a beautiful sound to hear the water hitting the rocks and dripping down into the urn to be encircled back again. I made 2 others with a fish spurting water and one with a turtle. Our students loved them and we now teach people how to easily make them. The one problem with these small water gardens or any small water garden is that you must keep your eye on the water level because in warm weather it evaporates quickly.
Plants can be added to a water garden and keep it simple. I often said if you really had someone you did not like give them some water lilies for their pond because water lilies can take over a pond.
I created a poolside pond for our daughter once out of a very large, oval antique washtub. A small clay koi fish was set on the inverted bucket chosen for the correct height which covered a submersible tub. The whole thing was set catty corner inside her screened in pool enclosure. Some high water plants were placed around the sides and back of the inside of the tub leaving the front view open to see the koi fish. The tub she had and I would guess that I spent about $75.00 on materials and this was done in 1999 and you can probably expect to pay a little more today.
One of the problems we incur with our existing ponds right now in Kentucky is that it seems to automatically house thousands of tadpoles that quickly become the size of very small frogs that have voices louder than the best Italian tenor and when they all get going at once it is almost impossible to get to sleep some evenings when we leave the French doors open on summer nights.
Where you put your water garden is an important choice and the size should depend on the size of your plot. Responsibility comes with a water garden because regardless of what you create it will have to be maintained through out the year.
So should you wish to create some small water gardens for inside or out stop by and visit me and I will teach you how. Should you wish to create a large one then I will be glad to head you in the right direction.
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Author Bio Box: Arlene Wright Correll
 For more gardening or cooking information click http://www.learn-america.com/
To see Arlene’s Gardens and to read her gardening diaries or click on Arlene’s Books where you can download or buy her gardening & cook books. Arlene says, “All my royalties from the sale of my books go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and I thank you for visiting my site.”
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