Earthly Garden

Having a pond near or around your garden really does more than just bring wildlife around; it can also bring forth a happy feeling and a satisfaction knowing you are adding to the environment in a great way.

Even if you start with a basic pond kit from a home improvement store you can bury the pond kit and allow the grass to grow over the edge to help attract wildlife in any form. Some of the most beautiful things can be seen around a garden pond such as animals and plant life that is simply amazing.

Frogs will jump from the edge of the pond, and mosquitoes battle each other for landing spots on cattails or other plants around. Bees and butterflies gather nectar and pollen and even swoop in for a quick drink. Turtles may move into your garden pond and pop their heads up and down while watching you, watch them. Birds such as bluebirds will perch while larger birds like heron will come to the edge to check things out.

Your plant life will allow shelter and hiding places for goldfish or Koi and lilies offer the best display of color in the water with their bright purples and yellows that bloom against the green plants around in other locations of your pond.

At night bats will swoop down to grab up lingering mosquitoes and chickens and roosters will be leaving the area to roost in the night if you have them around your yard.

If this is the first pond you have had or are thinking about consider keep frogs and tadpoles to cut down on mosquitoes during the hotter months. A pond is a living ecosystem and it will change with the seasons with little to no maintenance if kept right.

Nothing is better than sitting near the ponds edge and listen to what you have created.

Japanese Koi fish come in a variety of sizes and colors. In order to add Koi you first have to know what kind you want to enjoy and see everyday in your garden pond. There are many kinds available and here is a basic list to help get you started in finding the perfect Koi addition to any garden, your very own Japanese Garden setting or just a basic garden as well.

• Asagi (blue): Pale blue color and has orange belly.

• Bekko (tortoise shell): White, yellow or red colors and have black markings.

• Hakarimono (Ogon): Metallic in color.

• Hariwake: Two colored metallic.

• Karasugoi: Black with an orange or sometimes even white belly.

• Kohaku: White with red marks.

• Koromo (robed): White with red markings and at times may have different colors scattered throughout.

• Matsuba: Light colored Koi with darker colors throughout in a pinecone shape.

• Sanke: White with black and red patterns with spots on their head.

• Showa: Black colored with red or white markings throughout its body.

• Shusui: Sky blue in color with a normally orange belly. With darker blue scales along its back.

• Tancho: Circular and sometimes triangular red spots on the head.

• Utsuri: Black stripes and yellow and red markings throughout the body.

This is a basic list of the different types of Japanese Koi fish that are available. Different breeds and colorings can vary throughout the years as more and more Koi are being added to ponds and garden Koi ponds every year. For more information on how and what sort of Koi are best for you and to see a detailed picture of every Koi fish talked about here, please check out Koi Ponds Care.