With the cooler fall-type weather about to comfort us, I expect some energies will be expended planning 'what's next' in your garden's development. You've no doubt noticed that water features and backyard ponds are receiving a lot of 'press' and internet space. You'll see even more of it in the near future as this is the 'hot' gardening trend for the foreseeable future.
For those contemplating a pond installation, there are many logistics to consider. In the following few paragraphs I thought I would refer those pondering a pond to some great websites to demystify some of the design and product choices that are available.
To help assess the cost involved in installing a pond, I have a recent edition (April-June 2005) of the U.S.-based magazine Water Gardening that has an article which can help pinpoint the expected costs. If anyone would like an electronic copy of the 5-page article please contact me.
Peter May, horticultural journalist writes regular monthly features for two specialist water garden magazines and has covered aspects of water gardening for most of the garden magazines on the British newsagent racks. He has a great site which covers info such as knowing the in's and out's of pond liner material differences (Butyl rubber, EDPM, vinyl and polythene), how to pick the right pump for your project, and some pond design suggestions.
Click on the following two links to get to the first two articles and I am sure you'll then go through the rest of his available information too.
1. http://www.pond-solutions.co.uk/FAQ/pond_liner_epdm_butyl_rubber.htm
2. http://www.pond-solutions.co.uk/pjmstateart.htm
A second foreign source of info, from South Africa, also has some good info on pump selection. Click on the following URL (http://www.garden-pond-pumps.com/) to get the article 'Complete Guide To Fish Pond Pumps'. It has info. on how to compare pump running and purchase costs and understand what volume you need from a pump by working out your pond volume.
Finally, the Aquascape web site (www.aquascapeontario.com/index.htm) has a lot of very useful info too. NurseryPro (by Aquascape) is the product line that I have opted to carry for the backyard DIY'ers . There are of course other product lines, but in my review of product quality and after-purchase support I decided that Aquascape/NurseryPro products offer the quality and service our customers have come to expect from us. The Aquascape web site gives a good review of the benefits of using the rock covered pond ecosystem and how to operate and maintain a healthy pond through the seasons. Their product listing page (an electronic catalogue) lists what to choose and use for pond water management.
