Little or Big?
How do you turn a small water garden into a larger one?
by John Cash

John Cash of Ark-La-Tex Water Gardens in Keithville has over 25 years of
experience in the horticulture industry and was asked to help us answer
this question.

A typical small water garden is usually 10 by 15 feet. Something that is
usually built to grow water lilies. What happens is most people move to the idea of having koi. Once they do this things have to go to a bigger scale. Also, a larger water garden can accommodate flowering plants. So, here is where a 10 by 15 foot water garden can be taken to 15 by 40 and have a depth added to allow proper shelving and give someone the option to grow a greater variety of aquatic plants.

If other water elements are present such as waterfalls, streams and channel
diverters, then we have to literally change the whole design. Usually, as a
water garden grows we simply add more of the basic components like
additional water falls and streams. If a plan requires, we can all but
remove the existing water garden to expand the concept. This is not a
preferred method, but in some cases it can actually be a financial savings
to the customer to go this route.

Labor is usually very intense in the set-up phase of a water garden in
someone's backyard. Due to the fact that many backyards are fenced and
located within other backyard parameters, we must move everything we need
for the job through gates and carry in by hand. It is important to remember
that this factor can have a limiting effect on the scope of the job to be
performed.

Most ponds are created around the classic hour-glass shape. This usually
takes a few days to prepare. Then we install a liner and put in the larger
skimmer with multiple pumps to run any additional waterfalls and streams
that we set-up. To define a pond's edges, we bring in more rocks and use
the existing ones. We then build the waterfalls and complete the rock on
everything in and around the pond. A crew of six or so can normally get this
done in about a week. Then we move on to the last phase of replanting all
the plants and refilling the pond. We add a dechlorinator to the water and
wait a few days before adding koi to the pond. After all of that is done,
you still need to tie the pond into the surrounding landscape. This can be
done by placing flagstone walkways or hedges up to or around the pond.
Although these are just two of the ways to do this they are important in
other ways. You have to be careful about restricting sunlight to the water
and you also need to watch what gets washed into the pond. The flagstone
and hedges create a nice barrier around the waters edge, even though they
don't normally go around the entire pond, they do help control a large
percentage to the edge system and provide a nice backdrop for the pond.

A watergarden is a very worth while project. It increases the value of the
property and adds beauty to a home. As someone's passion grows for their
water garden so will the landscape that they dedicate to enlarging it.
For more information contact:

John Cash
Ark-La-Tex Water Gardens
318-688-0430