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Here are some quick tips on how to turn your pond into a beautiful aesthetic water feature with aquatic plants. Cipriano Landscape Design-Northern NJ

Have you ever considered building a pond and landscaping it with wonderful aquatic plants? It’s actually not too difficult to create a manmade natural environment like a pond, but you do need to understand what components go into a manmade pond, and how to keep it running successfully. There is a natural ecological system within ponds that helps to maintain a healthy balance for all of the inhabitants whether they are fish, insects, plants or others. This system of balance develops over a long period of time in nature, but in your own yard you can expedite the process by adding aquatic plants, bacteria and nutrients.

 

There are different ways to construct ponds; some have a concrete basin, others a pond liner. Most ponds will incorporate some type of filtration system that will help keep the water circulating. The water itself is the medium from which the whole system works, so the health of everything from the plants and fish begins with the water. There are different tiers of inhabitants in a pond system. The smallest of these are bacteria and zooplankton. Insects, amphibians, and fish will feed on the smaller bacteria and zooplankton. Reptiles and birds are in the highest tier, and while they don’t live in the pond they interact with the system bringing outside nutrients into it. All of these tiers keep each other in check and keep balance in the ecosystem.

 

You can turn your pond into a beautiful aesthetic feature as well as a natural ecosystem by adding your own selection of fish and plants. Marginal water plants are aquatic plants that thrive with their roots fully submerged in shallow water, or in very moist soils. These include rushes, which are long grass like looking plants, irises, which have beautiful flowers, and many others. Marginal plants are ideal for softening the edges of a pond and they provide a wonderful place for fish and amphibians to hide in the pond environment.

 

Beautiful water lilies, lotuses and other floating leafed plants are also great choices for the central areas of the pond. Plants help the ecosystem by cleaning out waste in the water, and introducing helpful nutrients into the system which ultimately benefits the fish and the system as a whole. These plants also add necessary shade spots in the water, creating cool areas for the fish to enjoy. Water lilies can produce blooms that range from 2 to 8 inches across with vibrant color. They can be found in a wide array of sizes and colors so you can choose based on your own personal preference. Nice varieties include ‘Texas Dawn’ which has a nice yellow color, ‘Mayla’ which is a beautiful fuchsia and ‘Moon Dance’ which is a lovely white color. Your best bet is to see what a local nursery has in stock, because if the plants are successful there, you can rest assured they will thrive in your yard.

 

It’s a good idea to mix a couple varieties of plants into the pond, to make it appear more natural and blend in with the surroundings. Including grasses, rushes and flowering plants with different heights, shapes and sizes helps to do that. Seek out the help of a professional if you need help designing, constructing or simply planning a pond area in your yard.

For more information about ponds please email us at info@plantnj.com or call the office at 201-785-0800