1) Cost. Although this is generally a topic no one wants to think about before day-dreaming it is important to decide your budget prior to looking through the many different ponds, waterfalls and streams. Simply looking at items without a price idea can change your price amount from five thousand to thirty thousand in a second. Set out an amount you would like to stay within, as an estimate. Once this is completed you will want to come up with a second amount you will not under any circumstances go over.

2) Location. Whether you want your pond to be in the back corner or right in the middle in the full sun can actually make a large difference in the type of pond you can have. If you are looking for a shade pond, for example, having Koi fish pond with waterfalls may be an alright idea. Similarly, a swimming pond would not be great temperature wise. If you are looking to have a waterfall, consider the sound of running water near your home. While some may find it soothing, other people may find it horrific (near a bedroom, for example).

3) Type of the pond. Look into the different types of ponds on the market (not specific features yet!). You will want to note the types of fish ponds, frog ponds, swimming ponds and any other waterfall/rock feature ponds, they may have available Note that while Koi ponds may be beautiful to look at, you will not want to swim in them. Likewise, a deep pond for swimming will need full sun to help warm it.

4) Features. Once you have determined the type of pond you want, you will want to consider any additional features around the feature. These can include different waterfalls, rocks, trees, plants or fish. If you are looking forward to making a Koi pond, you will want to start researching how to care for the fish prior to purchase. The features chosen can make or break a backyard pond's design... so be sure to investigate the products thoroughly prior to purchase.

5) Hire professionals. Once you have your plans settled properly, you will want to contact professionals and let them know what you are looking for in backyard ponds. Sit down with a planner and let them know the different types of features you were looking for, as well as any pricing issues you might be having. Work with the company to plan your perfect backyard waterscape and start the process on the right foot.

Algae thrive in hot weather and having it built in the shade would help control this problem. The fish would help control this problem along with a good filtration system. Being in the shade would further benefit the pond and keep it looking less green as the weeks pass by. You could plant a bush or tree that does not have a lot of leaves. You could also design some type of screen that would allow less sun to penetrate through.

Hiring a contractor will be useful as to which filtration system you will need. Taking the guess work out of equation will allow for success. Being knowledgeable about aeration, filter systems and the cleaning of your new design will lower your stress level, allowing you to enjoy the garden pond as you should! In the winter months, depending on the area you are in, you may need a pond heater. Having this installed at the beginning of the building process will allow the unit to be used when needed instead of scurrying around at the last minute. Backyard ponds should be built from the ground up with all the correct items and systems along the way.

Let’s get the paper and pen out and make some decisions! After you have decided whether you want plants or fish in your garden pond, there are three other important factors to decide. The first factor is the size, dimensions and placement of your new addition to the yard. Perhaps you want an over-sized pond in the middle of the yard, allowing for great size with no restrictions.

Corner ponds might be more like the waterscape feature you are thinking of, the structures surrounding this area must be taken into consideration. If you desire only a few plants with cascading waterfalls or a small amount of fish surrounded by grounded plants, then a smaller garden pond would be the choice to make. Perhaps you would like both fish and plants in the pond. A larger size would be needed in order to house such quantity and at the same time allow for growth.

The next factor you need to look at are the aeration and filtration needed in order to maintain the best support for both healthy fish and plants. Fish ponds will need more aeration then that of just plants. This will keep the water flowing and circulating throughout the pond maintaining healthy fish.

Knowing what kind of fish and or plants you would like to see in the pond will decide what systems are needed. A lot of research should be done ahead of time to determine if the products you decide on are feasible. Two of the popular fish used in fish ponds are Koi Fish and Gold Fish. Both are quite different physically, although both are hardy fish that can grow and flourish if the surroundings are proper.

The last factor in designing backyard ponds is desired look of the pond itself. How much time do you have to devote to the pond once living fish and plants are in it will also play a role in the overall design. You may need to change the location of the pond based on what the fish or plants thrive in. Too much sun or shade can make a huge difference in the end. Will you be placing seating around the area so you can enjoy the new addition when it is finished? Lots of research on all of these factors needs to be done to be completely successful with the garden pond result.

There are professionals that can answer questions or give advice. Maybe you have an idea what you would like and want someone to do the work for you. With the research done, there may still be the need for adjustments upon completion. In the end, whether it is a fish pond or a garden pond or perhaps both, you will find relaxation while you watch and enjoy the tranquil moments such a pond with waterfalls has to offer.

Follow these tips to achieve professional results!

1) Create a Perfect Atmosphere
Before you begin building backyard ponds you will want to consider the size, location and specific placement within your yard. When considering the size of the pond try to think big. Koi fish enjoy large open environments, depending on the number of fish you would like to have, you will want an area big enough to accommodate them. Once you have determined the size of the garden pond, you will want to have an installation company come and quote the job. Hiring a professional allows peace of mind knowing your fish will thrive, and your pond will not flood the rest of your backyard.

2) Research Koi Fish
Having live fish in backyard ponds can be a very visually appealing environment. If, however, you do not know how to care for them, disaster can strike. Before investing into the pond you will want to have a great understanding of both the animal and the garden pond upkeep. Talk to the installer about any common troubleshooting with the pond, how to clean it properly (if needed) and the maintenance of the system.

3) Choose your Pond Pals
After completing your pond, you will likely want to select a few koi fish to fill it with. Keep in mind, these fish grow very rapidly and can be rather large. Talk to your pet store or installer about the amount of fish your garden pond can contain. A pet store employee would have the knowledge and understanding of the number of fish per square foot of the pond you should have. Choosing too many fish all at once cannot only over populate the garden pond, and possibly kill your new companions.

4) Pond Maintenance
Always check the water conditions in backyard ponds of any kind. Note any changes in the PH levels, water temperature and plant life, ensuring everything stays within the normal regions previously discussed with the installation team. If you happen to note any problems with the fish or tank, immediately correct the problem. If you are not diligent about this, your fish may infect others creating a larger problem; likewise, a pond issue can ultimately destroy your entire community of Koi. When adding fish to ponds, this is a crucial part to providing them with a healthy environment.

5) Koi Pond Additions
If you are planning on making any additions of plants or koi, isolate the new purchase from the entire population. Without checking to ensure the health of the garden pond plants, you can potentially risk the health and well being of all residents in your Koi pond. Remember... you are the curator of this miniature waterscapes eco system.

Expert garden pond designs provide a gorgeous spot to relax and enjoy the beautiful sounds of nature, erasing the stress of everyday life. Not only are they a great place to unwind and find peace of mind, they make the perfect place to entertain guests and spend high quality time with your family. Your visitors will be in awe at the beautiful atmosphere of the backyard oasis featuring pond and waterfalls.

Ponds create an ecosystem in your backyard. The best pond system installations are made up of skimmers, biological filters, rock, gravel, plants, fish, water, and the sun. If maintained and tended to properly, it will create a balanced ecosystem that can virtually run on its own. When we say 'maintained' it isn't meaning you must invest a great deal of time, more so it requires doing the right thing at the time it is needed. Each element of your pond and waterfalls will work together, creating a natural environment in your backyard.

There are so many ways to enhance the look of any backyard with backyard ponds and waterscaping. As partners of the leading manufacturers of pond equipment, we work directly with Aquascape to transform your private world into a beautiful waterside getaway. In case you aren't aware of it, Aquascape Designs is the #1 manufacturer of pond equipment in the world. This means your waterfalls pond will be crafted with the latest state of the art technology, allowing you to enjoy the many benefits of the best backyard ponds there is to offer.

It no longer costs a king's ransom to enjoy the healing wonders of ponds with waterfalls in your backyard. You can have the soothing and exciting waterscape of your dreams without loosing sight of your budget. Backyard ponds are a lot more affordable than you may think. The cost will vary according to the features selected in pond designs. This is something that is best planned in detail with an accomplished waterscapes designer.

The time that it takes to install your pond depends on the kind of pond being built. If you were to tackle it, this home improvement project could take you a great chunk of the summer. Experienced waterscape installation crews can finish a small backyard pond's installation in about a day. Including the waterfalls and shoreline rocks, lights, all of the equipment... and installing your flashy new koi too. Fast and easy pond and waterfalls installation with a 12 month guarantee, something no DIY backyard ponds can provide you with.

The best pond and waterfalls design and build company will make sure you are satisfied with the installation crew and your beautiful new backyard oasis upon completion. Professional pond installers will always provide you with an owner’s manual so you can properly maintain your new ecosystem pond and waterfalls with ease and confidence. If you’ve dreamed of being able to step into an oasis every time you walk into your backyard, make that dream a reality with the top Aquascapes contractor in LA.

Many times, the garden pond becomes part of a perennial garden or turns into one as the new pond owner begins collecting colorful plants that catch their fancy.

What if you wanted something more wild and natural looking than ponds that serve as the focal point to a manicured landscape setting? Perhaps you prefer a more subtle approach.

How to Create the Un Garden Pond
Imagine allowing a nice sized portion of your backyard return to an untamed state. Not weeds, mind you but a ponds edge planting that looked as if nature created it rather than the gardener. Sometimes, letting your hair down and taking a walk on the wild side is the most beautiful thing of all.

The un garden pond doesn’t look gardeny at all. Instead it has a bit of an unkempt attitude that is very misleading because it isn’t unmaintained at all. Even though it looks that way, the un garden is designed to put backyard ponds into an uncontrived looking setting. Landscaping doesn’t always have to look rigidly under control. This is your backyard – the place you have created to unwind. So let the garden pond unwind too.

Nature is rather bohemian, but she is just so stylish in how she goes about things. You can mimic her graceful unruliness quite easily with ornamental grasses and some select blooming perennials. The un garden won’t require a lot of constant watering once your plants have established their roots nicely into your soil. This is the complete opposite of water plants you will add to the pond’s water. Water lilies and rushes will make a simple, yet natural looking plant display in the un garden pond itself.

Since you would never find everything the same height in the wild, you will want to choose grasses that are different heights. Also be sure to pick out a few that have fine blades to add contrast with texture against those with broader leaves. When working with plants in any type of landscape design that are all pretty much the same color, you must pay a great deal of interest to the texture of your selections. You certainly don’t want your wild looking un garden pond planting to turn into one big green blob. It’s a mistake that is very easy to make, you will see it done in many yards all over town. In monotone design, backyard ponds or foundation plantings, texture is your biggest design asset.

Perennials to tuck into this mix of various grasses would be best chosen for their resemblance to wild flowers. The un garden pond should turn out somewhat like a meadow you transported to your back yard. Think daisies, butterfly weed, monarda, perennial geraniums, gaura and veronica. Your un garden pond should also only have a spot of color here and there as the seasons peel off. Soft, yet totally wild, and not a weed in sight.

The imagination is a wonderful thing, in it everything is fabulous… whether it’s possible or not. First of all, if your yard is not large, towering waterfalls are going to eat up a lot of your available ground space. Secondly, building backyard ponds is best done to achieve tranquility and soft background sound. Waterfalls are like anything else, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Big waterfalls make a lot of loud noise, making quiet conversation out of the question.

Backyard ponds without waterfalls rely completely on electric equipment to keep the water moving and maintain the needed oxygen levels that water plants or fish need to live. Oxygen is also part of the biological environment that makes today’s chemical free backyard ponds work. So designing backyard ponds without waterfalls is really the best decision. They look far more beautiful too, even if your falls of cascading water are rather low.

If you will be building a backyard pond to enjoy the beauty of flashy colored Koi, you will need to have floating water plants to give them shade and camouflage. Birds of prey can spot a wild fish from high overhead, how fast do you think those bright red and orange Koi will go undetected? Backyard ponds for the purpose of having fish means you will definitely need to get into water gardening.

Backyard ponds don’t have to have plants in them, but their presence helps to maintain the natural eco system that makes today’s biological ponds do more of the work in maintaining themselves than you will be required to do. At least you won’t have to worry about your water garden plants drying out. They help to keep algae at bay by using the available nitrogen in the water to support their life. Without the plants in ponds, it will be harder to keep it free of algae.

Not many people who decide it’s time to start planning backyard ponds want them without plants though. Lotus is high on everyone’s list for what they want to grow in the pond. They are quite fabulous both in bloom and just those round leaves floating about so dreamily. What would your new frog population do without the lily pads to sun on? You will have frogs, they’ll smell your garden pond and hop on over to check out this new resort.

Adding colorful blooming plants around backyard ponds is all part of the fun and excitement. There is something about flowers, leaves and rocks that just all make the perfect companions to each other. Backyard ponds and waterfalls will always feature rocks in an array of tones and hues. To duplicate the long lasting blooming and color in the garden pond in this photo is not hard.

Tiny yellow coreposis blooms for weeks and weeks without stopping and reblooming yellow daylily goes all summer long. The wonderful weeping grass in the foreground at the pond’s edge is gold Hakone Grass. All of the yellows are set off by the Blue Salvia which echoes the dark cold gray rocks in the waterfalls.

This isn’t the first time your koi and goldfish have been attacked in your garden pond. In fact, your pond has hosted a variety of predators since you installed it. From raccoons to herons, you’ve been pulling your hair out, trying to think of ways to keep your pond predator free. You’ve bought a heron decoy and installed it in your pond, hoping that the other herons would stay away. Instead, they sit at the edge of ponds all over town, waiting patiently for the fish to come their way.

Instead of going bald or giving up on your garden pond, you may want to try these predator preventative measures first:

1. Leaf netting
2. A motion activated sprinkler
3. Installing caves and coves

Leaf netting is one method that can keep birds out of your garden pond. Leaf netting is basically a net that stretches across the surface of the pond, preventing leaves and predators from getting in your pond. Typically most people use leaf netting in the fall so they don’t have to spend hours of their time getting all the leaves out that fell from the surrounding trees or blew in from neighbors’ yards. The major downside of using leaf netting on a year round basis is that it takes away from the look of backyard ponds. Too tacky for my yard!

The next thing you can use to protect your garden pond is a motion-activated sprinkler. A motion activated sprinkler can be attached to your hose and the minute a bird or any other predator crosses its path to hit up your pond, a burst of water will shoot out of it, scaring away the predator. Not only does this scare the predator but it also saves you money since it only comes on when the sensor detects motion.

If you don’t feel like having the hassle of installing a motion activated sprinkler and you refuse to take away from the look of your garden pond by using leaf netting, another method you can use is by simply installing caves and coves for your fish. Fish, like any other animal, have a survival instinct. The minute they see the sunlight disappearing due to a predator’s shadow, they’ll try to hide so they can take time to assess the situation and see if the area is safe. By installing coves and caves for your pond, not only do you provide a place for the fish to hide but they also enhance the natural beauty of the garden pond and are a one-time installment.