Have a Wet Summer
When designing a garden, there are only four options as to which surface can be used on the ground.
• Lawn
• Planting
• Hard surface
• Water
Water is one of the most important elements and forms the basis of all life. It is therefore hardly surprising that we are so attracted to it.
There is no garden, terrace or balcony that would not benefit from the addition of water. It can bring life to even the most tiny space. It is extremely versatile. The sound of running or trickling water can be soothing and drown out unwelcome traffic noises. Still, dark water acts as a mirror to the sky and surrounding plants, adding light in the form of reflections. It will also attract a lot of wildlife.
Lakes, large ponds and extravagant ‘water features’, such as those seen at Chelsea Flower Show are great – if space and budget allow. However if either are limited it is still possible to include water in your garden in the form of a container pond or wall mounted fountain. Water can be used both horizontally and vertically and can be as simple as a half barrel or small bowl with a trickling water spout. This need not be expensive. A modest container and some water plants can be bought for less than £150.
A word of caution. Before you embark on adding water to your garden please give careful thought as to where you will position it in your overall layout. Do not just plonk your pond anywhere. As a general rule of thumb the closer your pond is to the formality of a building the more formal its shape should be. Try to ensure that its position reads well in relation to the rest of the garden and that it is integrated into the overall plan.
If you are going to add plants to your pond do make sure that you select species that are dwarf in their spread and also add some strong horizontal growers to balance the flatness of the water surface. For small ponds less is more as far as varieties are concerned. Keep it simple with perhaps a pygmy water lilly, a scirpus lacustris Zebrinus (zebra rush) and some oxygenators.
Have an enjoyably wet summer.
First Published July 2013 By The Dart
Colette Charsley 01803 722449
