Philip Swindells has over 40 years gardening experience. A former botanical garden curator and an international horticultural consultant, he has worked extensively in the UK, North America, the Middle East and Australia. The Author of more than 50 gardening books, he has been awarded a Quill and Trowel Award by the Garden Writers' Association of America. He is also a former UK Garden Writer of the Year. He is currently editor of www.internationalwatergardener.com
The construction of a garden pond demands considerable care and attention, but is well within the capabilities of most practical gardeners. There are a number of different methods of construction, each having virtues from both a practical and aesthetic point of view. The most important factors are ensuring that the structure is secure and water-tight, and that the accommodation afforded is suitable for the plants and fishes that it is intended to introduce. Careful planning is an essential ingredient for success.
Pond liners are the most popular option and available in a variety of materials. They enable the water gardener to create almost any fanciful shape or design of pond and to easily add a very functional bog garden. They are, however, the most vulnerable to damage, although if carefully constructed and maintained the risk is minimal. Make sure that the material selected is the most appropriate for the pond and the construction method being proposed.
Pre-formed ponds place some constraints upon the imaginative garden designer as they are a rigid shape. Not usually a constraint for the formal water gardener who requires a particular pre-determined formal shape and size, but limiting when an informal pond is envisaged, although in recent years the designs of pre-formed pond shapes have greatly improved. The introduction of modern materials has also led to improvements, some of the restrictions of earlier technology now having been removed.
Concrete ponds do not have quite the same following as previously, but are still constructed for some larger projects, especially as fish ponds, and by serious fish hobbyists who are involved in specialized fish breeding and showing. Although the construction of a concrete pond is never going to be easy, some of the previous problems that have placed limitations upon concrete construction for the home gardener have been overcome with the introduction of various additives. This has been especially important in the areas of temperature as it affects the laying of concrete and its subsequent hardness and resilience. Internal waterproofing techniques, as well as external sealants have also been greatly improved.
The greatest revolution, however, has been seen with the introduction of bentonite, especially the bentonite blanket. This has enabled the traditional method of clay puddling to be revived in a different form. The bentonite blanket comprises a specialized clay layer between geo-textile fabric that enables the gardener to line an excavation with natural clay, but without the attendant problems associated with old-fashioned clay puddling. Leaks are virtually unknown as the blanket is self-sealing.
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Herb Garden Plants
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By: Ferdinand Dominic | 06/12/2009Do you think you could enjoy high quality make without the problems of tilling, weeding, additionally pest control? If this sounds like you, then hydroponics gardening is an ideal alternative to you. Unlike conventional gardening, it involves the craft of growing plants without soil, allowing you to relish homegrown hydroponics plants all year round. How is this feasible? The answer is effortless.
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By: Tod Martin | 06/12/2009To make things simpler, you can furthermore attach the hosepipe to a tap and location the other end in the warm tub. Then, turn the water on until the hose is full.
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By: Tom Razor | 05/12/2009Your intense interest will be increased by log shed, as any shed will do - or some person interested for a log shed - the best quality log shed will be their consideration. Easy to assemble as done by you log shed includes doors, windows, 100 percent selected natural wood piece for the manufacturing of walls and floors.
Maintaining Water Quality in a Garden Pond
By: Philip Swindells | 09/04/2006 | GardeningThe management of water and the maintenance of its quality is the most crucial element in successful water gardening. A garden pond is an almost self-contained ecosystem which only interacts with the atmosphere for the exchange of gases such as oxygen and
How to Grow the Sacred Lotus or Nelumbo
By: Philip Swindells | 09/04/2006 | GardeningThe Lotus or Nelumbo are amongst the most beautiful and best known plants for the garden pond. They are not frost-hardy and only grow well outdoors in tropical and sub-tropical regions. In temperate areas, even where there is no winter frost, they
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Choosing Fish for the Garden Pond
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By: Philip Swindells | 07/04/2006 | GardeningThe ideal garden pond is one that has a natural and harmonious balance. In the traditional well-planted pond with its modest complement of fish, a balanced ecosystem is a realistic and long-lasting proposition. However, it is essential that every componen
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By: Philip Swindells | 07/04/2006 | GardeningA pond liner is a flexible waterproof membrane that covers the floor and the sides of a pond excavation. There are several different kinds to choose from. Polyethylene is useful when sandwiched between two layers of soil, while PVC, composition and rubber
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