In This Chapter
- Planting in the pond despite those misbehavin’ koi
- Surrounding your pond with complementary landscape
- Focusing at night: Pond lighting
- Adding those extra touches
- Considering your broader options: Patios and decks
Your pond can be the focal point
of your yard, but every focal point needs a frame. That’s where the landscaping
comes in. In this chapter, we deal with the added touches to both the inside of
your pond and its perimeter. The goal is to add to your enjoyment of your koi
and your pond without adversely affecting their natural balance.
We start where it all begins — in
the pond — and work outward from there.
A Habitat Fit for Your Koi: Furnishing Their Digs
Living plants greatly enhance the
beauty of an outdoor pond, increase its effectiveness as a functioning habitat,
and attract birds, insects, and other wildlife. No matter how focused on koi you
may be, at some point you will likely want to try your hand at water gardening
as well. This endeavor takes a good deal of care and planning where koi are
involved, but it is possible.
Avoiding the holey-plant problem
When you began thinking about a
koi pond, maybe you thought it would be a great home for the fish and a
lavish display of lilies, lotus, and aquatic plants. After all, you see a lot
of Japanese paintings with koi enjoying their water lily and lotus
surroundings, right?
Ahh, but that’s where artistic
license comes in. Remember: Japanese paintings are still lifes. If they were
videos, the next scene would have the koi turning and ripping a chunk out of
the nearest lily pad!
Koi love plants. When they reach
a length of 10 inches or so, there’s no aquatic plant these finny pigs can say
“No” to. Lotus? Yum. Anacharis? Yum, yum. Vallisneria? Soup’s on, mate (and
it’s vegetarian!)!
Remember
In fact, just about any of your old favorites from your aquarium or water-garden days are quite high on your koi’s greens menu. And if they decide that the leaves are too tough, then your koi head for all the great-tasting, spaghetti-like roots and munch on those.
Not to worry. You have some
opportunities to show off your koi and aquatic plants in same setting — you
just have to keep them separate.
Fashioning a bog pond
One way to help your koi and
plants enjoy a friendly coexistence is by creating separate subponds or bog
areas that are about a foot deep. Two methods of creating this separation are
- A low berm, or ridge, of soil: This should be seeded with grasses or other plants, the roots of which will hold the soil in place.
- A brick wall: This need not be watertight, so you can either cement the bricks together or create a more naturalistic structure by fitting stones to form the wall.
Tip
These shallow bog areas can go anywhere around your pond, but most pond owners place them near the filter and run one of the filter outflows through the bog. As the water flows through the bog and into the main pond over a lower wall (see Figure 8-1), the bog plants feed on the nitrates from the pond water, and the nitrate levels in the pond decrease. The result? The plants flourish, the pond’s water values improve, and the koi environment improves — recycling at its finest!
Figure 8-1: A bog pond
keeps aquatic plants looking good.
You can find bog plant candidates
at almost every garden store or online, and they generally range from 4 to 12
inches in height. Readily available types include those in Table 8-1; Figure
8-2 depicts some of them.
Table 8-1 |
Common Bog Plants |
Common Name
|
Botanical Name
|
Swamp milkweed
|
Asclepias incarnate
|
Turtlehead
|
Chelone lyonii
|
Joe Pye weed
|
Eupatorium purpureum
|
Chameleon plant
|
Houttuynia cordata
|
Cardinal flower
|
Lobelia cardinalis
|
Golden creeping Jenny
|
Lysimachia nummularia
|
Pitcher plants
|
Sarracenia sp.
|
Blue-eyed grass
|
Sisyrinchium angustifolium
|
Spiderwort
|
Tradescantia spp.
|
Rain lilies
|
Zephyranthes candida
|
Figure 8-2: Common bog
plants.
Creating koi-proof plant containers
Another way to simultaneously
enjoy plants and koi is by containerizing the plants in the pond.
Several options are possible:
- Floating life preservers for small plants: Put small, live plants into these rigid foam disks (available at garden pond stores) that are about 14 inches across and have four circles cut out. Drop your plants — still in their 4-inch pots — into the holes. The pot rims support the plants, and the unit spins away across the surface of your pond.
You can easily remove these floating planters if you wish to net out a koi, so they aren’t quite the hassle that a heavier terracotta pot or planter can be. The drawback is, of course, that you can’t put a very large plant into a 4-inch pot.
- Heavy terracotta pots for larger plants: Place larger plants in these pots and put the pots on a shallow shelf. Ideally, this shelf should be built in during the construction phase. However, temporary shelves can be created using cinder blocks or bricks, positioned so that the pots placed on them will be at or just below the water’s surface. Preformed pools with shelves already built in are also available. Koi ignore a planted container or pot if they can’t nibble on it, so this is one way you can add papyrus, cattails, iris, and other emergent species (plants that root in water but send stems and leaves above the surface) to your pond. Make sure the pot is tall enough so the upper rim is above the water level.
- A shallow flowerpot for water lilies: Plant the bulbs in the pot and add a cylinder of rust-proof wire or plastic mesh just inside the upper edge. The cylinder should be high enough to reach a few inches above the water’s surface, effectively jailing the water lily.
As the plant grows, the mesh protects the stems while the emergent leaves flop over the top edge of the mesh. The effect will not be completely natural — because the mesh extends above the water’s surface, the leaves will not float as they normally do. They will, however, survive and flower.
One downside of potted plants in
a koi pond is the lack of water flow in the dead areas near and on the lee side
(the side that faces away from the filter outflow) of the containers. Another
problem is the logistics: You have to move the containers whenever you net out
your fish, and like your fish, these plants will grow and the water-filled
containers will get heavier and heavier.
A koi purist may feel koi are too
magnificent to share a pond, but a lot of koi fanciers like water lilies and
lotus enough to make some concessions for them.
Opting for plastic to avoid the hassle
Plastic plants (particularly
those with trailing foliage) at the edge of a pond provide shelter and shade
for koi fry and a hiding place for large, shy koi that are hesitant to approach
during feedings. The plastic plants provide a more-or-less permanent shelter because
koi try an exploratory nibble and then give up.
Tip
You may have to pull your plastic plants out of the water and let them dry out occasionally if you want to discourage algae from growing on them. Otherwise, plastic plants are maintenance-free.
Stepping over the edge (of your pond)
After the pond has its added
attractions, but before you consider the extended landscape, check the edging
of your pond. Is it raised 6 inches or so to keep any sort of runoff out of
your pond? (See Chapter Making
It Pretty: Landscaping the Pond for ways to build a raised edge during construction.)
Warning!
Runoff (excessive water along with any chemicals it picks up along the way) can come from your side yard (where your son lovingly washes his car every Saturday morning), from your neighbor’s prize-winning camellia garden, or from the street beyond your yard. But no matter where it comes from, runoff is bad for your koi.
If you don’t have a raised edge, you can minimize runoff problems from reaching your pond by digging a small trench at those points where runoff enters and burying a black drainage pipe in the trench (a 4-inch diameter pipe will do).
Some of these drainage pipes have holes along their length to enhance their
draining capacity.
Creating the Landscape of Your Heart’s Desire
Koi-keepers tend to go in one of
two directions in landscaping their pond. Many of them go the Japanese garden
route, and others opt for a more jungle-like environment.
The two popular styles: Japanese and just plain wild
Part of the appeal of a Japanese
landscape is its simplicity. It has few elements to detract one’s attention
from the pond, and this understatement is on purpose. The following list
identifies some of the traditional elements that contribute to the overall
appearance:
- The negative spaces are as important as the plantings.
- Asymmetrically placed plants, paths, and sculptures give a feeling of motion within the contained space.
- Monochromatic designs of dark green foliage, dark stones, and white gravel and sand invite contemplation.
- Color is only a temporary accent via blossoms or grasses that change color with the seasons.
- Plant shapes are enhanced and controlled by pruning with close attention to diagonal, horizontal, and vertical directions.
Other koi-keepers prefer lush
greenery over control, and they enjoy an environment that grows with the
seasons. They see a wild landscape as a natural backdrop for their koi, a
landscape that can take care of itself and leaves the owners with more time to
spend with their koi. This approach is, essentially, the opposite of the Japanese
garden in all aspects. Plants that are added are allowed to grow as they will,
and native plants that establish themselves aren’t controlled unless they cause
a problem (for example, poison ivy).
Obviously, we can’t give you a
one-size-fits-all way to deal with a pond landscape. But we can give you some
practical guidelines for any style of garden and show you how to play with
colors and textures.
Putting fish first and landscape second: Controlling the sunlight
Sunlight is good for plants in
the landscape, but direct sun isn’t all that good for koi or their ponds.
Sunlight triggers algal growth, particularly the unicellular type that turns
your pond into pea soup (that’s a genuine term, as in pea soup syndrome,
in the koi world). This growth can also make your pond uncomfortably warm
for your koi.
Although you can add a UV
sterilizer to your filter to minimize algal growth, consider sheltering your
entire koi pond or at least part of it from direct sun.
The easiest way to shade your
pond is by adding a pergola. Most pergolas have lattice tops that provide some
shade, but you can increase the shading by adding shade cloth (see Figure 8-3)
that comes in varying colors, densities, and sizes. A typical custom-cut, 12-x-12-foot,
50 percent density, black shade cloth with grommets along the sides costs about
$160. Pergolas can be bought or constructed in an enormous array of sizes,
shapes, and materials, so it should be simple to find one that suits your
particular pond. If overheating or lack of a shady retreat for the koi is your
concern, locate the pergola over a section of the pond that gets the most exposure
to the afternoon sun.
Figure 8-3: A pergola.
Finding plants that suit your fancy
Because your plant selection
depends a great deal on where you live — ferns do well in Washington state and
Florida, for instance, but not in Arizona — we suggest you shop locally. Of
course, your local garden store may spring to mind, but don’t forget your
neighbors and natural resources.
The advantage of your local
garden store for your plants is onestop shopping. The store is likely to have
three or four types of ground-hugging evergreens and other types of plants
you’re looking for, along with landscape accessories, pond equipment, and, last
but not least, a new shipment of koi. (Turn your face resolutely from the bins
of koi. This is landscape-project time, not koi-buying time. But look at
Chapter Knowing
Your Koi if you’re wondering what to call those black and white koi, the ones
with the really long fins.)
The advantage of plants from your
neighbor is that they ought to do okay in your yard as well. And you’re likely
to find that neighbors enjoy sharing their plants, particularly the ones
they’ve done well with.
You may be able to collect local
plants to add texture to your koi landscape. For example:
- In the Southwest, you may be able to dig and pot nonprotected cacti and succulents.
- In northwestern and northeastern states, as well as in temperate parts of Europe, you can find some beautiful and tolerant-of-transplanting species such as aroids (philodendrons), Jack-in-the-Pulpits, marsh marigolds, and many ferns.
- In the Southeast (especially Florida), you can find tropical ferns, bromeliads, honeysuckle, and passion flowers.
Remember
Check the applicable laws before collecting any native plants. Many are now fully protected in parts or all of their ranges.
Pond-edge plantings: Balancing heights, textures, and colors
When you begin selecting
plantings for the koi pond, think of stair steps — the lower plants next to the
pond, the knee-highs a bit farther back, then the waist-high bushes, and
finally the trees or
After mentally sorting your
plants of choice by height, factor in the sunlight. Landscape plantings for a
sunlit pond at almost any latitude include the following:
- At the pond’s edge, English ivy or a compact or dwarf sansevieria
- At knee height, day lilies and zinnias (Crocus, jonquils, and daffodils also work for northern climes.)
- At waist height, mallows, cannas, and pussy willows
- As a hedge, shrubs such as boxwood, Japanese garden juniper, and bayberry
Plants that do well with just
three or four hours of sun a day include the following:
- At the pond’s edge, woodfern or royal fern
- At knee height, ragwort or sage
- At waist height, plantain lily or lady fern
- As a hedge, azalea or rhododendron
Within this category of partial
sun lovers are the many varieties of ornamental grasses. These plants are
attractive year-round, acknowledging winter by a color shift in the seed heads
or stalks. See Table 8-2 for a listing of popular grasses that can provide
varying heights for your pond landscape. Figure 8-4 shows what a few of them
look like.
All the ornamental grasses in
this list like semimoist gardens, and as a general rule, the taller the grass,
the more water it needs. Your local extension agent can advise you on which
ornamental grasses work in your area and what invasive species to avoid.
Table 8-2
|
Varieties of Ornamental Grasses
|
||
Generic Name
|
Botanical Name
|
Height
|
Notes
|
Variegated bulbous oat
|
Arrhenatherum elatius bulbosum
|
6 to 12 inches
|
Grows in white-striped tufts
|
Velvet grass
|
Holcus lanatus
|
Up to 12 inches
|
Soft gray-green foliage
|
Autumn moorgrass
|
Sesleria autumnalis
|
Up to 18 inches
|
Olive green foliage; bears purplish bloom spikes that last through
most of the winter
|
Morning light
|
Miscanthus sinensis
|
Up to 6 feet
|
Narrow leaves edged with white
|
Bamboo
|
Bambusa, Chusquea, or Dendrocalamus
|
Up to 40 feet
|
Self-clumping; very slow spreading
|
Bamboo has 1,500 varieties to
choose from, and their mature size can be as short as 4 inches. Many originated
in mountains and are very cold-hardy.
Warning!
Spreading bamboo propagates by underground runners that pop up anywhere from 2 to 10 feet from the parent plant. Bamboo in the genus Pleoblastus, for instance, look great on paper. Some of them stay very small, from 18 inches to 3 feet, and they’re hardy to 10 degrees F. But they’re runners. If you buy a Pleoblastus, confine it in a pot, or you may rue the day you bought the plant.
For ponds in temperate climates,
you may choose to have all or most of your plants naturalized and in the
ground. But just as you pot some types of bamboo, you can pot other tropical
plants to create a beautiful garden during warm months and then move the plants
to a protected and warmed indoor spot for the winter months. Tropical beauties
such as New Guinea impatiens, various bromeliads, some orchids, peace lilies,
and philodendrons can provide immense seasonal beauty to your koi garden.
The prettiest we’ve seen are just
decorative — not big enough to shed a lot of light. These LED lights sit atop
long plastic sticks that you stick in the ground. Their stems light at the top
and then wave in the breeze.
Lanterns are another form of
accent lighting that seem to fit in every koi garden. They stand alone and are
either wired for electricity or literally candle powered. Two examples are
- Lanterns that light pathways or
serve as exclamation points in the garden (usually 3 feet tall or higher)
- Snow-viewing lanterns
that are placed next to the pond (usually knee high). Much favored in Japanese
gardens, snow lanterns, or yukimidoro, have a wide roof that collects
snow, which is then illuminated by the light chamber below. In warmer seasons, the
illuminated lantern casts an interesting mix of light and shadow on the water’s
surface.
Keep taller plantings away from
these lower lanterns so you can enjoy the light and not trip over them.
Adding the Finishing Touches: Garden Accessories
Garden accessories include the
statues, benches, and other non-growing elements of the pond landscape. Sometimes
the accessories are functional, like the filters disguised as Japanese
lanterns, so their location is predetermined. Other accessories, such as
statues and gazing balls, are just for fun, so you can place them where you’ll
enjoy them the most. (See the color section of this book for some stellar
setups.) This short section offers suggestions on two of the larger accessories
in your landscape, statues and benches.
Planting a statue
Remember
When you’re shopping for statues for your koi garden, keep the following suggestions in mind:
- The emphasis is on the koi pond and the koi, not the backdrop; keep statuary less than 4 feet tall and soften their impact by adding a few plants beside them.
- Select pieces that accent your pond and don’t detract from it. A statue of a small boy kneeling beside the pond with his hand outstretched as if feeding koi is a good accent. A casting of Rodin’s The Kiss may prove to be a distraction!
Not all statues are created equal
in terms of outdoor durability. Look for materials that stand up under outdoor
use, such as resin, Durastone (a cementlike product), or bronze. Bronze, as the
top of the line, develops a great patina in the koi garden. Unfortunately, the
weight of a bronze accessory can make installation a bit of a challenge.
Positioning a bench
Place benches in the shade so you
can avoid the direct sunlight and still see your pond. Benches with a back
invite sitting more than those without, and two benches that are close to each
other make it easier for your friends to join you in admiring your fish.
The all-metal styles are
attractive but unyielding — you’re apt to end up with the imprint of the cast
roses on your body when you stand up! Designs that use wooden slats for the
seating and back have a bit more give to them, but you’ll have to replace the
slats eventually.
Going the Extra Mile: Adding a Patio or Deck
As you begin to plot out where to
add plants and lighting, remember to leave a large, open area next to the pond,
both as a work space (filter changes and repair, an area from which to net fish
or perform routine maintenance, and so on) and as a lounging area.
Patios — Simply beautiful
As with building a pond, your finances, construction skills, and time limitations will be the deciding factors in determining how you’ll proceed when it comes to patio construction. Considering pond-side surfaces, patios are, of course, the easiest to build and the simplest to change. Patio bricks, called pavers, come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, and they’re readily available from home improvement stores.
Buy pavers a few at a time or all
at once as your budget and time permit. Their real advantage is their
building-block capacity that allows you to move your patio around, if and when
you decide to add another pond or enlarge your present pond.
You can do the job all with one
kind of paver, or you can formulate designs with pavers of different shapes and
colors and then edge the patio with paving bricks of the same or contrasting
colors. In reality, the patio can be as simple or as intricate as your
pocketbook and energy level allow.
Bear in mind that patios are not
solid, permanent surfaces. Therefore, the surface may settle or shift during
wet weather, and plants can grow up through the spaces between the stones. Most
troubling are tree roots that lift the stones as they grow below. Therefore, be
sure to plan your location carefully, and consult an expert if you are at all
unsure.
Decks — Naturally versatile
You may decide that building a
pond-side deck is easier than lugging pavers. A deck is a bigger investment and
is more difficult to modify at a later date, but it’s a wonderful addition to
your pond. We suggest you build your deck from treated 2 x 4s because they’re
easy to work with, resist warping better than larger widths of wood, and are
available at every home improvement store. Just don’t use treated wood for a
pond overhang.
Why do we think decks are better?
Pure and simple: They’re far more versatile in terms of shape, materials, size,
and other construction-related options. In addition, water never pools on a
deck, they’re easy to clean by sweeping, and their wood construction is
slightly more forgiving than pavers when you drop a breakable item.
Besides the versatility in their
construction, decks are equally versatile in their placement. You can situate
your deck so it stops short at the side of your pond or, with a bit more
planning and effort, you can build it to extend a foot or two over the edge of your
pond. If your pond lacks underwater lights, add lights to the underside of the
overhanging deck. In the evenings you’ll be able to watch your koi as they swim
in and out of the lights.
by R.D.Bartlett and Patricia Bartlett
0 comments:
Post a Comment