Earthly Garden

#1: You first need to choose the right spot for your garden: You need to choose a spot where your garden will get at least five hours of sunlight a day. Avoid low spots in your yard that can accumulate rain runoff, never put one under a tree as well.

#2: Figure out a great water garden design: If you take some string of even a hose, like a water hose you can try to image your water garden design by laying out what you are wanting.

#3: Plant plants in a wide variety of different species: You need to have sloped sides to your water garden and plant your flowers and plants in the sloping sides. You can end up planting a wide variety of different plants and create different habitats. Most water gardens should contain three different types of plants such as oxygenates and marginal’s (along the edges), the floating plants (water plants), and then the final type is lilies and lotus.

#4: Controlling algae is a big plus: The more plants you have within and around your garden the less algae you will see within your water. See step three in order to compete with the algae in your water garden and choose the right plants to combat it.

#5: Add a bog to your water garden: A bog allows water to permeate up through the stone ground, keeping the surface moist as well. Marginal plants can act as a filter and consume the extra nutrients that feed to algae.

#6: Add the fish in the water garden: You can start with small fish like feeder goldfish and work your way up to the more elaborate Koi. Fish will help cut down on the algae as well. Koi love algae so be sure and throw a few of those in.

#7: Include your waterfall within your garden: This will really help with mosquitoes, they like to lay their eggs on still water not moving water and it will help push the water around so more nutrients flow around the garden.

#8: Keep the maintenance up on your water garden: You need to drain your pond, wash it out and refill it once a year. Failing to do so can cause diseases to run crazy through your water garden and into your plants and fish.