Water features and ponds are a great addition to any garden, especially during the summer months. An attractive and popular garden addition, water features and ponds can attract wildlife throughout the year as well as adding a tranquil feel to your garden.

The warm summer weather is a time when many of us love to get outside and enjoy our gardens, but if you are thinking of adding a water feature to your garden, then it’s important to not only look after the pond itself, but it’s inhabitants.

For those looking into adding a water feature of some kind into their garden, our expert landscape gardeners and property maintenance team have put together some tips and tricks on how to prepare your garden and the best ways to keep your feature looking alive all year round.

• Plan your water feature around the size of your garden. If you have a small garden, a large pond could dominate the land. Consider a water feature as an alternative. Water features require less maintenance and generally speaking take up much less space. They can be used in a corner of the garden or added to the middle to create a stunning focal point.
• If you have young children, their safety should be a priority. Covering a pond with thick netting or wire mesh will help to prevent accidents from happening. Similarly a wall around the pond will make it more difficult for children to fall into the pond. If you decide on a water feature, fill it with just a small amount of water.
• Wildlife such as frogs, dragonflies and birds will flock to your pond once it’s complete. Think about adding water based plants such as lilies to give them a place to make a home or cool down when the weather might be surprisingly warm!
• Choose the area of your garden which attracts the most sun when planning out where to put a pond. Most water plants thrive in the sun and will attract wildlife to your garden.
• If adding plants to your pond, the best time to plant them is late spring to early summer, as the water is warmer and gives plants a chance to establish before winter.
• Check the lining of your pond regularly and always ensure that filters are maintained and the quality of water is monitored.
• Placing your pond or water feature near a tree which sheds its leaves means more work for you! Ensure you remove any leaves that do fall into the pond with a rake.
• Hot weather can make a pond dry out. Make sure your pond is topped up regularly.
• Creating a small water feature yourself is a great way of adding that little something extra to your garden whilst giving an indication into how a larger feature would look. Use a decorative pot in a size of your choice, fill with water, stones and plants and add a plumb (available from DIY stores) to create a small fountain.

Installing water features is part of our Property Maintenance service. Our team are always on hand to offer tips and advice for a variety of gardening issues. Explore our website for more information on our services or contact us on 07963 782 219 or 01709 801 075. Alternatively, email us at info@gardeningservicesyorkshire.co.uk

As always, happy gardening!

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