Bring the relaxing sights and sounds of a water garden into your yardo Enjoy the colorful activity of koi as they dart and splash in a garden pond.o Grow regal water lilies, lotus and other aquatic plants.o Fall asleep to the soothing sounds of a backyard waterfall.Here is the complete guide to building a koi pond and raising these magnificent, ornamental fish. This book is chock full of useful information including:o Where to locate your pondo How to design and build a pondo Installing pond liners, pumps and filterso Adding fish and plantso Maintaining the fish pond through out the 4 seasonso Adding lighting to make your pond shine at nighto How to estimate the cost of building a pondo Free Pond Cost Calculator available with purchasePlan and build your own pond with the help of detailed instructions and easy to follow photos and drawings.
In this colorful Garden Ponds Made Easy title, authors Dennis Kelsey-Wood and Tom Barthell have provided an essential guide for first-time pond enthusiasts. The authors outline all of the considerations for starting out with a new pond, including determining the site, style, size of the pond, and deciding on the construction of the pond (whether preformed, concrete, or fiberglass). Garden Ponds offers a chapter on water which discusses water chemistry factors, volume of the pond, and pond surface. Other important factors involve the aeration, filtration, drainage, and maintenance of a clean (algae-free) pond. Special features, including waterfalls, fountains, and watercourses, electricity, and landscaping are addressed in detail, all accompanied by color photographs and drawings. A chapter on pond construction details every step of the project from creating a blueprint to securing the foundation. The infinite choices involved with stocking the pond with fish and plants can be overwhelming for the first-time pond owner, and the authors give excellent advice about making smart choices for a harmonious, beautiful garden pond. A special chapter on seasonal pond care gives the pond keeper recommendations for maintaining the pond all year long. Resources and glossary included.
Garden Ponds, Fountains & Waterfalls for Your Home provides essential information on designing and installing all types of home water gardens, from naturalistic to formal, plus fountains, waterfalls, streams, and bog gardens. Readers will learn how to construct each of these structures, as well as how to design bridges and stepping-stones.
"It's up to every single one of us to do our bit for wildlife, however small our gardens, and The Butterfly Brothers know just how that can be achieved." Alan Titchmarsh Join the rewilding movement and share your outdoor space with nature. We all have the potential to make the world a little greener. Wild Your Garden, written by Jim and Joel Ashton (aka "The Butterfly Brothers"), shows you how to create a garden that can help boost local biodiversity. Transform a paved-over yard into a lush oasis, create refuges to welcome and support native species, or turn a high-maintenance lawn into a nectar-rich mini-meadow to attract bees and butterflies. You don't need specialist knowledge or acres of land. If you have any outdoor space, you can make a difference to local wildlife, and reduce your carbon footprint, too. "Wildlife gardening is one of the most important things you can do as an individual for increasing biodiversity and mitigating the effects of climate change. From digging a pond to planting a native hedge, the Butterfly Brothers can help you every step of the way." Kate Bradbury
Whether you are looking to create a lush outdoor paradise, complete with waterfalls and fish-filled ponds, or you simply want a conservative balcony fountain, this book can show you how to build your own backyard escape no matter your budget.
My aim in this book is to give essential advice on all the main aspects of freshwater garden fish ponds. I have tried to include some of the science of ponds while keeping the information easy to understand. Each chapter begins with an outline of the main points of the topic. Each point is then expanded on.My experience with ponds has mainly been in the warm temperate climate in Perth, Western Australia. The principles for fish ponds are similar worldwide but warm temperate climates like that of Perth intensify some of the problems in ponds. This book will therefore be particularly useful to pond owners in sunny climates. The book begins with pond design, starting with the position of the pond in the garden. I discuss the consequences of different pond sizes and depths, and of natural and artificial ponds. I talk about the advantages of a dual pond system. I give guidelines for these and for self-cleaning ponds. I also say why I recommend designing the pond with a sump, overflow, leaf skimmer, and automatic top-up valve. Lastly, I give my colour preference for the pond bottom and sides. Next, I advise on pond construction. Ponds can be built with concrete, bricks, rigid polyethylene, fibreglass or liners. I write about my experiences with ponds made from each of these materials and also my preferences for pipework materials.In the following chapter, I recommend various pumps, filters (including ultraviolet clarifiers), water features, underwater lights and copper ionizers. Choosing the right equipment will give you the right effect for the lowest cost and for the least effort. The chapter on fish gives information on types of fish, especially goldfish and koi. I advise on when a new pond is ready for fish and on the number of fish a pond can support. I give information on the handling, transporting, and feeding of fish, and on diseases and predators.The next chapter delivers general information on water plants, why you should have them and their role in the ecology of the pond. Plants provide shade, oxygen, food, habitat and cover from predators. They filter toxins and excessive nutrients from the water. I give advice on keeping plants, including information on fertilizer and pests.Finally, I give recommendations for pond maintenance including a routine. My advice is directed at pumps, filters, pond cleanliness, exchanging water and maintaining the pH and hardness. The maintenance is largely directed at algae control. I discuss the various forms of nuisance algae and control methods for microalgae, blanket weed, and slime algae. Other advice includes information on water testing and water treatments. Maintaining good water quality is fundamental to the success of any fish pond. "Good" water quality means the water's suitability for its proposed purpose. Water quality is affected by every aspect of a pond, from its design and construction to its pumps, filters and maintenance. Each chapter of this book tells how each aspect of the pond affects the water. Every fish pond is different. The solutions to one pond's problems may be very different to another pond's.
• A practical, easy-to-understand guide to adding both still (ponds) and moving (waterfalls and streams) water features to any garden. • Includes complete, easy-to-follow instructions on designing, establishing, and caring for a variety of eye-pleasing water projects. • More than 220 vivid photographs and illustrations, plus detailed instructions, make this guide a must-have for garden enthusiasts looking to plan and build a water feature. • Expert advice on selecting the right fish and plants for embellishing any backyard aquatic paradise. • Solution-based format will inspire you to confidently create water havens in your own yard.
Explains how to install and maintain water garden features, discussing design considerations, equipment, materials, and techniques that ensure professional-looking results.
Known throughout the world for its beauty and personality, koi is one of the most carefully bred fish species around. Raising koi is especially time-consuming and requires more than just sprinkling little flakes in the fish bowl. But thankfully, you don’t have to be an expert to maintain your own koi pond. Koi For Dummies shows you how easy and fun it can be to own and care for these delicate fish. Whether building a pond or aquarium for the indoors or outdoors, this easy-to-understand guide explores all of your options. Clear, concise advice helps you: Appreciate your koi’s beauty Build, design, and maintain your koi pond or aquarium Find and select koi and the proper supplies Keep your koi happy and healthy Treat your koi for parasites, bacterial infections, and viruses Breed and care for baby koi Show off your koi to other koi enthusiasts
