In recent years, one of the most common backyard design ideas has been adding a fishpond to the yard. This can usually only be accomplished in those yards that are large and sprawling or that have some sort of walkway. However, if you are really adamant about having your own fishpond and you have a small yard, here are a few design ideas that you can use to add it, without having it dominate your yard.
One suggestion would be to place a very small pond, either in the middle of the yard so it can serve as a focal point, or over in the corner of the yard so it seems like a surprise to people who are walking around. In the corner design idea, you would want to raise the pond a little bit so the fish are out of view, or disguise the pond behind a screen of plants or ornamental grass. In the center-yard design idea, you can incorporate the fishpond at ground level or a little above, whichever you prefer.
Remember that the main focus of a fishpond in your yard is to have something lively and colorful that you can watch peacefully swimming around every day. But, keep in mind that large fish, such as the Japanese Koi that often populate fishponds these days, can be extremely expensive if they are bought fully grown. If you purchase small Koi, they are much cheaper. Of course, you can also purchase goldfish from a pet store but they will take a few years to grow into sizable fish. When mom and dad lived Regina, Saskatchewan, they had an eleven foot by seven foot pond and they put goldfish in it. They purchased two inch long feeder goldfish for fifty cents each and put them in the pond. Each fall they removed them because of the freezing winter temperatures and kept them in a 240-gallon fish tank in the basement. By the time these fish were four years old, they were between eight and twelve inches long, about the maximum size for goldfish. If your pond is small, goldfish are recommended, so the fish don’t look out of proportion to the size of your pond. If your pond is more than twelve feet by six feet, you may consider Koi. Just remember that Koi can grow up to three feet long, so you want to keep that in mind when determining the type of fish to put in your pond.
When considering putting a pond in your yard, you have to think about the amount of work it is keeping it clean and well maintained. You need to weigh how much you really want the fishpond and how important it is in your overall backyard design before you go ahead and start building it. You might find that you would rather have a small, more manageable tank in your home that you can check on each day.
Another consideration before incorporating a fishpond as a backyard design is the climate of your location. Most would only add a fish pond if they had access to warm weather all year round, and there really aren't many places that can accommodate that. If you are really sure that you want this type of backyard design, you can always have an indoor tank and an outdoor pond and transfer the fish when the weather allows. This, however, limits the type and size of fish you can put in your pond. In addition, you have to consider predators. In some locations eagles, hawks, seagulls, cats, racoons, etc. have to be prevented from ‘fishing’ in your pond. Dad's cousin, Bill, who lives in Surrey, British Columbia, has to keep netting over his Koi ponds to keep the predators out. His ponds are about twenty by forty feet and about ten to fifteen feet deep. At this size, and in that climate, they never freeze to the bottom, so he can leave his fish in the ponds year-round.
Having a fishpond is a testament about how much time and energy you are willing to devote to this aspect of your backyard. In effect, it's a great idea that is just difficult to bring to fruition. However, with a lot of work you can bring it to life and many people will be impressed when they find that their friends have a fishpond in their yard. It brings a luxurious feeling to the yard and makes others feel like they are in the presence of someone who really cares about their yard.
You must also consider the surroundings when you are getting ready to incorporate the design of a fishpond into your yard. Indeed, if the surroundings look bad, then you cannot hope to have the yard fit together. With something as affluent as a fishpond in your yard, you need to make sure that the surrounding design is aligned with the pond. So include some luxurious hanging plants and some very nice flowering bushes. This will generate an overall comforting and enchanting ambiance that anyone would be thrilled to have.
There are numerous websites on the Internet that specialize in backyard fishponds. You can find companies that will build a pond for you and companies that will sell you premade ponds that you can set up as above ground ponds or ponds you bury in the ground. Many nurseries, pet stores and building supply stores also carry supplies that will allow you to build a pond in your backyard.
As with anything, if you are really motivated to get your fishpond to work in your yard, you can probably do it successfully. But remember, don't just dive in without consulting with family and friends and perhaps even some professionals before you begin. Also, remember to take your worst case scenario about the amount of work and cost associated with a pond, triple it and you will still be low. I don’t want to scare you from considering a fishpond, but you will find it more costly to maintain than a backyard swimming pool. A water garden, without the fish, is a much cheaper alternative and just as attractive. Also, the maintenance on a water garden is minimal. Having been through the backyard fishpond phase, mom and dad would not consider it again in this northern climate. We do have a small pond in our backyard, but with no fish in it, maintenance is almost non existent and that is a good thing because it leaves mom and dad with more time to spend with me.
Until next time,
Teia
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