The Master Book of the Water Garden: The Ultimate Guide to the Design and Maintenance of the Water Garden With More Than 190 Plant Profiles
Water gardens are a great addition to anyone’s property. They can provide emotional happiness and they allow for a feeling of peace and tranquility in your yard. You may be wondering how you can build your own water garden from scratch, if this is the case then you have come to the right place. I will be outlining all the steps you need to know when designing a water garden, also steps on how to go about building a water garden. So sit back relax and get ready to learn how to build your very first water garden.
Planning Your Water garden
The first step in building your water garden is to plan on where you want it. The best location would be on level, well-drained ground. Also, when your planning be sure you’re not directly over any underground pipes or wires. If possible try to place your water garden where it will receive a balanced mixture of light, and shade. Avoid building near big trees or in places of heavy wind as you don’t want your filtration system to get clogged up with leaves and other things flying around in the air.
Designing Your Water Garden
When designing the actual water garden your first choice you have to make is whether or not you want an informal or formal design. A formal design is typically basic geometric shapes (Rectangle, Square, and Circle), this is intended to make the water garden look man-made. Informal designs typically look like mother natures creation, they will often have weird abstract shapes involved and sometimes a stream or waterfall to blend the design of the water garden. The ideal depth of your water garden should be 18-24 inches; this depth will be able to support the growing of aquatic plants and most types of fish. Knowing the capacity of your pool is very important when sizing your pump and also for using the correct amounts of chemicals. If you are unsure of the capacity of your water garden the easiest way to check is by applying a flow meter to your water supply line. Once you know the capacity of your water garden you are ready to find your liner, only purchase “flexible liners” as they give you the ability to shape it to your water garden dimensions even if it has irregular shapes. To determine the size of liner you need measure the longest point of width and length and then figure out the smallest rectangle you would need to cover those dimensions, this will tell you what size of liner you need.
You have picked out your garden furniture. Learned how to clean and care for it, and now begs the question, "Do I need garden furniture covers?" To answer this question you will need to consider how often will your garden furniture be utilized? How heavy is the garden furniture you have decided on? How is easy is your garden furniture to move? Is your garden furniture mobile or stationary? Do you have storage space to put your garden furniture when it is not in use? While answering these questions, you may decide that you want the added peace of mind of covering your furniture when it is not being utilized. You may wish to forego the additional cleaning and care require after a good hard rain. You may want to protect your garden furniture from flying objects when the winds start blowing things around. If you have chosen lightweight garden furniture made from wicker, braided aluminum, or PVC, you may want to find a utility closet, or utility or garden shed, but then the additional effort of moving it from place to place may be too much. If the garden furniture you have chosen is made from a heavier material such as iron, steel or wood, garden furniture covers would be a solution to your dilemma. In either case you may wish to opt for garden furniture covers as a matter of convenience. No hauling or heavy duty lifting is required. The cleaning and care of the garden furniture has been made easier by the use of a garden furniture cover.
The garden furniture covers are made from a thick gauge vinyl with a polyurethane lining. The thicker the gauge of vinyl the more durable the cover. The vinyl exterior of the garden furniture cover protects your furniture from the rain and the snow. The polyurethane lining is treated to withstand water and wetness as well as protecting your garden furniture from nicks and scratches. The garden furniture covers are made from woven fabric to allow for airflow. This helps prevent mold and mildew forming on your garden furniture. As to the winds ability to blow the cover off the garden furniture, the garden furniture covers are made with an elastic bottom edge or some are made with a draw string bottom with a durable lock to hold the garden furniture covers in place.
Most garden furniture cover companies also carry cushion storage. If you want to store the cushions separate from the frame of the furniture itself, this is a bonus to accompany your garden furniture covers. The garden furniture covers come in several colors. These colors do not distract from the beauty of your garden. The colors are made to conform to the garden surroundings rather than be the focal point in your garden.
Now that the spring showers or summer rains are over and you are looking forward to the sunshine. You have the day selected for your planned family outing or a summer weekend outdoor party. You uncover your garden furniture, fold and put away your garden furniture covers, do a light cleaning to your garden furniture and that part of the preparation for your party is done. Ready and waiting for that special day!
After the landscaping of your garden, patio or lawn area is completed; you will want to start thinking about garden furniture which means you will be making a trip to your favorite home improvement store or large department store to see what is available. Garden furniture compliments the atmosphere and décor of the garden, patio or lawn setting of your backyard. The different of garden furniture you have to choose from will appeal to men and women alike. The garden furniture of today is built for comfort and durability, as well as fashion and style. You certainly want to match the garden furniture with the décor of your garden. Garden furniture will compliment the landscape of your backyard by turning your favorite backyard area into an outdoor dining room with a bar, or into a conversation pit that lends itself to stimulating as well as intimate conversations in front of a small roaring fire. Choosing garden furniture is like choosing living room furniture and /or dining room furniture for your home. Your proposed use of this area will directly impact the decision of the garden furniture you choose. You may want to furnish an area with a living room setting for reading and relaxing or visiting with guests. You may want to have a formal dining area for outdoor dinner parties or for those large family cook outs. A large enough area would allow you to do both. You will want to ensure that you and all of your guests are comfortable with out overcrowding your garden or patio area.
Garden furniture is made of an array of materials, such as teak, wicker, different metals and wood. It can be elegant and comfortable. That is why ii is very important that you put a good deal of thought and consideration into your purchase. You will want to consider the care that would go into your garden furniture. Different materials require different types of care to maintain the look that you want to achieve. All of the materials used in the making of garden furniture are made to with stand the elements of the outdoors. Since you will want to keep them ever ready for your next get together with family and friends, the maintenance and care required to maintaining the condition of your garden furniture is very important. Your garden furniture will be a very important asset to your home and you will want the look of your garden furniture to last for years to come.
You will want to consider the comfort of yourself and your guest when choosing your garden furniture. Cushioned chairs, love seats, sofas, bench seats, swivel or slide rocking chairs, and loungers are just a few of the choices you will have to pick from. Garden furniture also has sofas, love seats, settees, and bench seats, with and without backs, to choose from. The small side tables will offer you and your guest a place to put your drinks and snack while giving you a spot to place a plant. Garden furniture comes in a wide variety of colors ensuring that you will be able to find the perfect color to add just the right amount of splash to your garden area. You can purchase garden furniture as a collection or just pick the matching pieces you need to accommodate your space.
For your outdoor gatherings with dinner or lunch on the agenda, you will want to choose your garden furniture for the types of gathering you will be planning. There are tables large enough to seat several people for dining purposes. The round tables will seat four to six comfortably; where as the oblong with pull up chairs will seat ten to twelve comfortably for a more formal dining setting. If you plan formal or informal adult entertaining you may need an outside bar to accommodate your guests. You will find you will have several styles to choose from along with bar stools to compliment the bar.
