Water Gardens for Small Spaces

Have you always desired to have the tranquil sound of water flowing while relaxing on your deck? Water appeals to the senses and adds an element that is unmatched in the garden. It is peaceful, serene and can be a reality in your backyard without much effort. 

 

Water Bowls have been gaining in popularity due to their ease of care and transportability. A water bowl can range in size from a 6” ceramic to a 24” bowl, depending on the look you are trying to accomplish. We recommend at least an 18” bowl so that there is room for submerged plants as well as floaters and fish.

 

To get started, pick out a container that will hold water, with no drainage holes. There are beautiful ceramic water bowls, cement bowls or even a whiskey barrel with a liner would suffice. If your bowl is big enough, choose a variety of water plants that can be submerged in the water, pot and all. Keeping the plants in the pot helps to keep them small and less invasive, it keeps cleaning the water much easier, and it allows you to make seasonal changes in your pond’s landscape. For instance, when the irises have finished blooming, their pots can be removed and stored elsewhere until next spring, and replaced with a summer-blooming plant. Make sure to use heavy clay soil that won’t float to the surface or rot in the water, and cover it with a layer of gravel.

 

For added beauty, combine a selection of floaters to your water feature. Water Hyacinth and Water Lettuce add texture and style to your miniature water garden. And of course, no water feature is complete without at least one water lily. Their gorgeous blooms add style and color. They are the finishing touch to a water garden!

 

Algae control is one of the biggest concerns in any water feature. The best way to minimize algae growth in a small pond is to make sure 50% of the water’s surface is covered with plants. Some plants, like Water Hyacinth and Parrot’s Feather, are oxygenators that add oxygen and remove nitrogen from the water, which helps eliminate algae. If your container is small enough, changing the water is not such a big job. Adding a small submersible pump to keep the water moving will also help, and the sound is nice and refreshing.

 

If you like, you can add a small fish or two. The fish often help control algae as well. Just make sure that your water district doesn’t add chloramines to the water, which can harm animals with gills. If they do, you’ll need to add a product like “Chloramine Buster” to neutralize the chloramines.

 

Enjoy your miniature water garden and its tranquil beauty. You may even find that it attracts a variety of birds and butterflies. It will bring pleasure for years to come and can be moved as needed to fit into your landscape.