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UPCOMING EVENTS · VSKC Koi & Water Gardening Seminar
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This is the time of year to rethink your water garden. The new catalogs are out! Perhaps you read about a new water lily being introduced or one you saw in a member’s pond. Perhaps a member’s garden had a special appeal you would like to emulate. Or maybe you would like to add some underwater lighting. The Editor plans to add a Taro, a Fabiola water lily and an Arum to her pond. Last year’s Stargrass has survived as well as some Parrot’s feather donated by a member. In fact, the Parrot’s feather has to be thinned, it has spread so far. And the fish have grown from tiny feeders from Petsmart to husky 6” sarassas and shubunkins. No matter how large or impressive a water garden, it should create a natural look and be in harmony with the larger landscape. Very rarely do you see in nature an edge or a clear demarcation between two different environments. Softening and blurring the water’s edge and gradually extending plant materials into the landscape helps create a soothing, uniform pondscape reminiscent of nature. Carefully position plants in strategic locations. Use floating plants and shorter marginal plants as foreground interest in the water garden. Position shorter landscape plants near the edge of the pond and gradually transition to taller plants, forming a backdrop for your water garden. Many grasses or bamboo can be used to hide mechanical equipment. Submerged lighting can create beautiful effects. Lights positioned under a waterfall or fountain create dancing color across the rippling water. A soft glow against nearby trees and shrubs gives a reflection in the water. Be careful to avoid over-exposure of the pond liner, pots, pumps and hoses. And maintain water quality so that algae and other contaminants do not cloud the beauty of your lighting effects. |
