DIY Network

Installing a Water Garden: Landscaping and Planting From "Waterscapes" episode DWAT-104

Students at this middle school enjoy the beauty of the new water garden. They will also use the pond as a nature lab to augment the school science curriculum.

In this segment of DIY's Waterscapes workshop, host Heidi Robinson and guest Rick Bartel put the finishing touches on the water garden with some plantings and landscaping.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F
	An example of a water garden featuring water-lilies and a variety of edging techniques.
	A plant shelf within the pond helps support the cultivation of a variety of aquatic plants.

Planting and Landscaping

• The old landscaping in the area between the pond and the school building was removed earlier. And in earlier episodes, when the pond was being excavated, the dirt that was removed was used to build a berm directly behind the pond (figure A). This berm will now be landscaped to create a natural backdrop for the water garden.

• Rick chose a variety of plants to help soften the transition space between the water garden and the building behind it. The plants selected (figure B) were hardy and drought-tolerant varieties so that they would require little maintenance and could survive through hot summer periods. The low-maintenance plants that were chosen for this water garden included ornamental grasses, Russian olives, English laurels, variegated monkey-grass and autumn ferns.

  Tip: When selecting plants for landscaping, it's important to consider the size that the plants will reach at maturity -- rather than simply their size at the time when they're purchased from the nursery.

• Since the visual theme for this pond is a natural one, rather than a formal one, the plants are arranged in clumps to mimic a natural pond environment. Heidi and Jim placed the plants in groupings to create a natural feel (figure C).

• Once the plantings were done, mulch was then added to help keep the roots moist (figure D).

• The finished water garden (figures E and F) also included the addition of some aquatic plants and goldfish. The plant shelf helped provide a growing space and the proper water depth for the aquatic plant species.

Recap: Water-Garden Installation

Here is a summary of the major steps performed in the installation of this water garden:

1. Before beginning the installation, do some "homework" and decide what type of water garden is right for you, and which is best suited for your space.
   
2. Plan out your water-garden design on paper. This should include perimeter dimensions as well as depths, and a general plan for landscaping around the pond.
   
3. Lay out the water garden at the site. A flexible garden-hose is ideal for helping plan the actual layout.
   
4. Mark off the layout with spray paint.
   
5. Excavate the pond according to your layout marks. (You may want to consider using a backhoe for this job, or hiring professionals if you're not comfortable using this type of equipment.)
   
6. After excavating, clean out the interior of the pond using shovels, and form a plant shelf around the perimeter.
   
7. Dig out and level a coping shelf along the surface of the pond. The coping shelf serves as a platform to support rocks and landscaping.
   
8. Install the plumbing components (skimmer, pump, waterfall, flexible pipe) and make the appropriate connections.
   
9. Spread an underlayment on the bottom of the pond.
   
10. Spread the heavy-duty pond liner on top of the underlayment. Cover the skimmer and waterfall tank also.
    
11. Smooth out the liner, and remove as many wrinkles as possible.
    
12. Fill the pond partially to prevent the liner from shifting during the rest of the installation.
    
13. Fasten the skimmer faceplate and door, and trim away the liner from around the skimmer body and waterfall.
    
14. Place boulders around the perimeter in keeping with your landscaping plan.
    
15. Place smaller rocks to conceal the waterfall tank.
    
16. Use expanding foam to fill the cracks and spaces between the rocks around the waterfall.
    
17. Trim away the excess liner around the edges, and backfill with dirt.
    
18. Place smaller rocks around the perimeter of the pond on the coping shelf to help hold the liner in place.
    
19. Landscape around the pond using low-maintenance plants.
    
20. Add mulch to the landscaped areas.
    
21. Add aquatic plants and fish as desired.

RESOURCES :

The Water Garden Design Book
ISBN: 0764153730
Authors: Yvonne Rees, Peter May
Barrons Educational Series
(August 2001)
To order this book from Amazon, click here.

The Master Book of the Water Garden: The Ultimate Guide to the Design and Maintenance of the Water Garden
ISBN: 0821227963
Author: Philip Swindells
Publisher: Bulfinch
(April, 2002)
To order this book from Amazon, click here.

GUESTS :
Rick Bartel
Owner, Autumn Mist Aquatics
(423) 838-7663
www.AutumnMistAquatics.com