Natural ponds of any size here in the mountains are few and far between.
Small ponds are doable. Construction and placement of these have to be
exact as there is no room for error. The liability has to be maintained,
and are easily resolved with proper planning and prep.
We are a pond & landscaping contractor/installation company
specializing in backyard ponds, waterfalls, water gardens "pondless" waterfalls,
disappearing waterfalls, fountains, assorted water features, low voltage outdoor
lighting & landscaping in the Western North Carolina area. We also offer pond
maintenance & pond repair services.
Backyard ponds, waterfalls, water gardens, pondless waterfalls, fountains and
assorted water features are the latest trend in landscaping as more and more
people realize the enjoyment and serenity water adds to their hectic lives.
Adding a pond or waterfall to your landscape can be one of the best investments
you can make. What better way to unwind from a busy day. Sit back, relax and
enjoy the soothing sound of a cascading waterfall, the colorful & friendly fish
as they greet you, and the abundance of birds and wildlife drawn to your own
backyard pond or waterfall.
Unfortunately all ponds are not created equal. With so many pond & landscape
companies to choose from why choose Lance Landscape? Yes it is rare but from the
first phone call to the final handshake the owner is present and part of every
installation assuring your needs, wants and desires are addressed all while
providing the highest quality of work. In addition, contrary to what some people
may think or lead you to believe the construction of a properly operating pond &
waterfall is indeed a "specialty" service and should not be treated as just one
of many landscaping contractor services offered. Backyard ponds, waterfalls,
water gardens, pondless waterfalls, fountains and assorted water features are
part of the focus of our company with our landscape contractor services
used to enhance the newly installed water feature or other areas of your
landscaping as needed or desired.
Experience, quality workmanship and pride in our work is what sets us apart from
many other landscape contractors in Western North Carolina.
What are Backyard Ponds?
Water gardens, also known as aquatic gardens, backyard ponds
and garden ponds, have become popular in recent years. They have also been
famous in Chinese and European history.
Usually referring to a man-made feature, these gardens typically combine a pool
with aquatic plants and often ornamental fish. Fixed items such as rocks,
fountains, statuary, waterfalls and watercourses can be combined with the pool
to add visual interest and integration with the local landscape and environment.
Types of Water Gardens
Containers
Man-made ponds
Natural ponds
Bogs
Wild River
Lakes
Halka lever
Man-made ponds
Waterfall and pool in rock garden on the campus of the University of Alberta.In
the sixteenth century, Europe was recovering from the Black Death and towns were
growing and prospering again. Renewed interest in Greek thought and philosophy
led some aristocrats to reconsider the works of Hero of Alexandria in hydraulics
and pneumatics. His devices, such as temple doors operated by invisible weights
or flowing liquids, and mechanical singing birds powered by steam, motivated
several European princes to create similar clever devices to enhance their
public image.
In Italy especially, some princes took things a stage further and constructed
large water gardens incorporating mechanical devices in water settings. The
best-known is the Villa d'Este at Tivoli, constructed in 1550 AD. A hill
presented several fountains and dozens of grottoes, where water-driven figures
moved or spouted water. Within 50 years there were imitations all over Europe;
the best-known today is the Hellbrunn Palace, full of performing figures (human
and animal), fountains that erupt without notice, and a water-powered puppet
theater.
Wild river
One chooses a spot on the banks of a fast-moving river, and places rocks in the
path of the water to make a small waterfall. The rocks interfere with the
waterflow, causing splashing and bubbles to form. The water splashing makes a
pleasant sound and new habitat for fish, crustaceans and wildlife that feed on
the fish and the crustaceans.
The river's water level may vary considerably, so proper location of the rocks
requires ingenuity to achieve good aeration from the splashing. Finding a good
placement of rocks is similar to arranging a Zen garden or Japanese rock garden.
A well-done, intuitive placement of rocks can stimulate a feeling of peace or
Zen while also achieving a practical effect, since the splashing water adds
valuable oxygen to the river and may prevent hypoxia. The more bubbles formed,
the more dissolved oxygen is being placed in the river.
Flora
Typical water garden plants are divided into 3 main categories: submerged,
marginal, and floating.
1. Submerged plants are those that live almost completely under the water,
sometimes with leaves or flowers that grow to the surface such as with the water
lily. These plants are placed in a pond or container usually 1-2 ft. below the
water surface. Some of these plants are called oxygenators because they create
oxygen for the fish that live in a pond. Examples of submerged plants are:
Water lily (Hardy and Tropical)
Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum)
2. Marginal plants are those that live with their roots under the water but the
rest of the plant above the surface. These are usually placed so that the top of
the pot is at or barely below the water level. Examples of these are:
Iris or Flag (Iris)
Water-crowfoot (Ranunculus fluitans)
Bulrush (Scirpus lacustris)
Cattail (Typha latifolia)
Taro, Elephant Ear, roots for poi (Colocasia esculenta)
Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia)
Lotus (Nelumbo)
Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata)
3. Floating plants are those that are not anchored to the soil at all, but are
free-floating on the surface. In water gardening, these are often used as a
provider of shade to reduce algae growth in a pond. These are often extremely
fast growing/multiplying. Examples of these are:
Mosquito ferns (Azolla)
Water-spangle (Salvinia)
Water-clover (Marsilea vestita)
Water lettuce (Nile lettuce) (Pistia stratiotes)
Water-hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)
Some areas of the United States do not allow certain of these plants to be sold
or kept as they have become invasive species in warmer areas of the country,
such as Florida.
Algae are found in all ponds. There are hundreds of species of algae that can
grow in garden ponds but they are only usually noticied when they become
abundant. Algae often grow in very high densities in ponds because of the high
nutrient levels that are typical of garden ponds. Generally alga attaches itself
to the sides of the pond and remains innocuous. Some species of algae, namely
the dreaded 'blanket weed' can grow up to a foot a day under ideal conditions
and can rapidly clog a garden pond. On the other hand, free floating algae are
microcopic and are what cause pond water to appear green.
Fish
Often the reason for having a pond in a garden is to keep fish, often koi,
though many people keep goldfish. Both are hardy, colorful fish which require no
special heating, provided the pond is located in an area which does not have
extremes of temperature that would affect the fish. If fish are kept, pumps and
filtration devices are usually needed in order to keep enough oxygen in the
water to support them. In winter, a small heater may need to be used in cold
climates to keep the water from freezing solid. Examples of common pond fish
include:
Goldfish (Common, Comet, Shubunkin varieties, Wakin and the Fantail varieties.
With the possible exception of some of the fantail varieties, the fancy goldfish
are not suited to pond life.)
Koi (Nishikigoi, Butterfly Koi and Ghost Koi)
Golden Orfe
Golden Tench
Rosy Red Minnows
Mosquitofish
Eel
Catfish
Bass
Acipenser
Carp
Crucian carp
Bluegill
Small aquatic snails are usually in ponds which have plants. Some people
purchase Apple snails to keep in their water garden. Another common variety is
the Melantho snail.
Amphibian & Reptile
Ponds located in suburban and rural areas often attract amphibian life such
as common frogs and reptile such as turtles and snakes.
Predators
Garden ponds can attract attention from predators such as (in North America)
raccoons, heron/birds, snakes, and domestic cats. These predators can be a
danger to fish. Owners of koi are often particularly upset by this as some
varieties of koi can be very expensive.
