Gardening Services Guide

Archive for the ‘General Gardening Tips’ Category

One of the most beautiful features of water gardening, waterfall adds a special charm to any design. Most landscapers as well as those who admire gardens will agree that few things add the kind of beauty to a garden like a water feature. It is for this reason that for most water gardening, waterfall or fountains are always the focal point.

For any type of water garden, whether outdoors, indoors or container, setting up a water feature such as a waterfall can be done by just about anyone willing to put in the time to read and follow instructions. However, if you are not the creative type, you can always pass the job to a professional landscaper skilled in water gardening. Waterfall features can be very simple or as elaborate as space and money allow.

Deciding on the type of waterfall to use in the water garden depends on many factors. First, is there already a waterfall on the property, that is a natural fall that you want to incorporate into your garden? Are you planning on building an artificial waterfall? Is your water garden indoors, outdoors or in a container? Last, but by no means least how much you are willing to spend for this project is the final factor as to the water feature that will be used in water gardening. Waterfall costs vary depending on size and complexity so it is a good idea to do some pre-checking of styles and types of waterfalls before even deciding on a design.

A water gardening waterfall can be built from something as simple as a wooden bucket or plastic keg, rocks that can be found on your property. It just takes creativity and the ability to think outside the box to design and create the perfect waterfall for your garden. Remember that a water garden is a matter of capturing many elements of nature in one place, so use what is available to create something uniquely you.

A search of the internet or a library will result in many useful articles and ideas on how to get into water gardening. Waterfall building tips and instructions can also be found in a similar fashion. Some persons will take great pride in building their water garden, waterfall and other features of the garden all by themselves or as a family project.

Finally, the type of waterfall you design, make or buy should also be decided on based on the amount of time you will have for maintenance.

Florida, because of its year-round tropical climate is ideally suited for all types of water gardening. Florida not only offers the comfort of not having to be especially concerned about protecting your plants in the winter, but has lots of natural water sources. The availability of a good water supply is important in water gardening because to maintain the health of the garden you need clean water. In addition, there is a need for abundant supply of aquatic plants suitable for any kind of water gardening, Florida being tropical has more than its fair supply of such plants.

Water gardens can be a prime breeding ground for mosquitoes so select some fish that eat insects to be placed in the water source for water gardening. Florida, because of its warm climes is especially prone to mosquito infestation, so it is important to deal with this. This does not mean that you cannot use popular ornamental fish, but throw in some native freshwater fish that are not as likely to become bird food. Studies have shown that native fish are less likely to be plucked from their water homes by birds that eat fish, mainly because their colors are not as brilliant as ornamental fish used in water gardening. Florida has a wide variety of native fish that can be used. Some of these include the pygmy killifish, minnows, and guppies. The best thing about using these types of fish is their ready availability in ponds, gullies and specialty supply stores.

With another necessity for successful water gardening, Florida again has a great advantage. The state’s climate makes finding suitable aquatic plants a very easy process. However, when selecting wild aquatic plants for your water garden in Florida it is a good idea to consult experts such as Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. They will be able to help you avoid introducing beautiful, but parasitic wild plants into your water garden. With water gardening, Florida being no exception, the wrong type of native aquatic life can make or break a water garden.

For water gardening, Florida is such that lots of the necessary materials can be found, that is, you do not have to buy everything for your garden. A walk on the beach may well result in finding a nice piece of driftwood that can be used to add character to your design. Rocks and stones can likewise be found on your property or that of a neighbor. So look out for great finds in the most unlikely places.

For persons living in the area who plan on getting in on water gardening, Florida has experts in landscaping who can assist you with getting started. So decide on the theme you want for that water garden and start creating.