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**The Correct Landscape Design and Materials**
The correct landscape design and the right materials are imperative, but what is also crucial is the placement of each stone and planting to produce the desired effect.

**Creating Beautiful Waterfalls Landscapes**
The art of creating beautiful waterfalls landscapes involves the ability to artistically place the natural boulders and plantings in such a way that it looks as if Nature had done the work instead of a human.

**Garden Pond Designs**
Garden Pond designs may vary from small bird bath types to large garden ponds. The information on this page will make it easy for you to install a pond in your garden. Even the birds will think they are in paradise.

**Garden Pond Design Aspects**
The sound of running water relaxes the mind. It’s a good idea to have some form of water running into your pond. Running water blends in with the noise of traffic, it’s like music to the ears and it calms the soul. A garden pond will create a peaceful welcoming atmosphere.

**Deciding on the Pond Design**
Before you begin, decide on what type of garden pond design you want. Integrate the pond design into your overall garden design. The pond design must fit in harmoniously with the rest of the garden design. The size and location of your pond is not just dependent on the design principles. An often overlooked item is the natural flow of water on the garden site. To look natural, you need to adapt your design to this. In a very formal garden design, this aspect becomes less important. Remember that you must not fight against nature. If you are thinking of having a river or a waterfall into your pond, remember this simple rule: Downhill. This also means taking the natural slope of your garden into account.

**Different Types of Ponds**
Different types of ponds influence the garden pond design. The size, purpose, and durability required often determine the type of construction. There are different types of ponds:
1. Concrete Ponds made with an inside plastic liner
2. Pre-formed ponds: Include fish in your garden pond design. Provide adequate shelter for the fish against birds. One way of doing this is by placing some broken pots in the pond. Their curved surfaces make an excellent hideaway. You must never be able to see where the source of the water comes from. For example, a large leaf plant could be placed in the area where the river comes from. The start of the river may also be hidden in some other way, for example, a large pot or by another focal point. Provide this through plants close to the pond, and water plants that spread across the surface of the water.

**Garden Pond Plants**
Choose plants for your pond that will fit into your overall garden design. Water plants are dramatically different from normal plants. Introduce the water plants by choosing garden plants that blend in with your marginal plants. Soil nutrients constantly leach into pond water, which could result in green water. To overcome this, retain the media (soil) by placing gravel on top of the soil in the pot. Terra cotta pots work well in ponds. The sun can also cause the water to go green. Water lilies grow at the base of the pond. The valuable cover of the lily leaves shades the algae out in summer. Try and cover a third to a half of your pond with water lilies. You need one lily for every one and a half to three square meters of pond surface. Grow marginal plants along the edges of your pond. Fill a third of the circumference of your pond with marginal plants. Marginal plants include: Iris laevigate, lobelia fulgens, Mentha aquatica, Pontederia Cordata. Oxygenating plants (submerged plants) provide underwater foliage. These plants use up the waste nutrients in the pond and starve the algae of nutrients. Use five bunches of oxygenating plants for every square meter. You can get these plants from pet shops that sell fish and aquarium supplies. Oxygenating plants include: Elodea densa, and Ranunculus peltatus. Floating plants can be attached to two empty plastic cool drink bottles. You can also get floating pots from your local nursery. Introduce one for every one to one and a half square meters of surface area. A good floating plant is Azolla spp/Lemna. Plant bog plants (moisture-loving plants) in damp soil near the edge of the pond or a constructed bog garden. Most bog plants prefer to have only their roots in the water. Consider a bog garden as part of your garden pond design.

**Treating the Dreaded Algae Problem**
Algae are single-celled plants. Spores are present in the air and will colonize any new body of water. They are rarely harmful to water-life, but are unsightly. In severe cases, they may cause problems with the health of the fish. There are a variety of different algae that will colonize a pond, from thin long strands to floating clumps. Algae control can be done by obtaining a natural balance using a pond filter, an ultraviolet light purifier, and as a last resort an algaecide. The natural balance consists of starving the algae of light and nutrients. The best form of algae control is a correctly balanced pond with enough plant material to screen out the sunlight and prevent the growth of algae. A mesh bag filled with barley straw can assist in algae control. The silicates in the straw bind nutrients, such as phosphates. The straw seems to promote an organism that feeds off the algae. Straw needs to be replaced on a regular basis as it will start to decompose and pollute the water. I suggest you replace the straw every six months. You can buy barley wheat from your local health shop.

**Enjoy Your Pond**
Doing a garden pond design for your garden is really worth the effort. I have sat on my patio on many occasions and just marveled at the dragonflies, butterflies, and birds visiting and enjoying the water. It is so therapeutic and a special meditation retreat for me. It’s easy to give your garden statuary value. Integrate the pond design into your overall garden design. Terra cotta pots work well in ponds. Try and cover a third to a half of your pond with water lilies. Grow marginal plants along the edges of your pond. These plants use up the waste nutrients in the pond and starve the algae of nutrients. Consider a bog garden as part of your garden pond design. There are a variety of different algae that will colonize a pond, from thin long strands to floating clumps. Algae control can be done by obtaining a natural balance using a pond filter, an ultraviolet light purifier, and as a last resort an algaecide. The best form of algae control is a correctly balanced pond with enough plant material to screen out the sunlight and prevent the growth of algae.
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Ihab Salloum