WATER GARDEN IDEAS

Water is one of those finishing touches that can make a good garden into an exceptional living space.

If you have moving water, a garden comes alive. It gives you a sense of constant change, something to watch, that can in fact mesmerise as well as enchant you. It also brings noise – splashing water can help mask the sound of squabbling neighbours or traffic noise, and there’s no better way than listening to the sound of trickling water to calm the mind and soothe the senses.

Water features can be any size, and their cost can vary from very little to tens of thousands of dollars. If done incorrectly, they can leak, breed insects, turn stagnant, and become very unsightly. If done properly though, they look great, and require relatively little maintenance.

You really need good advice when you develop a water feature. Talk to a nurseryman, landscaper or water garden expert before you spend any money. Find out what equipment you need (including liners, pump, water jets, cables, lighting, etc) for your feature, and find out what plants can be used to integrate the feature with the rest of the garden.

If you take this photos (eg in a book or magazine) to a water garden expert, and show them photos of ideas that appeal, they can tell you how to build what you want; and if you prefer someone else to build it – they can probably even help there too.

Article by John Mason Dip.Hort.Sc.FIOH Principal ACS Distance Education

For more information on courses and books offered world wide through John’s school, see www.hortcourses.com , www.acsgarden.com , www.acsbookshop.com