Pond Predator Control

The question that I hear the most when it comes to water gardening is, how do I keep predators from eating the fish in my pond? There are a lot of ways to keep birds, raccoons, and other animals out heres a list of a couple of ways to do it.

When building your pond, remember to add a fish cave in the deepest part of your pond by stacking flagstone and leaving enough space for all of your fish in there. This will give all of your fish a place to swim and hide if a harmful predator is in the area. Most animals, like raccoons, will put their paws in to grab a fish but almost never fully submerge themselves in the water.

Scarecrow motion activated sprinklers are another way to scare away birds and other animals that have wandered into your backyard for a meal. These are the quickest to install and very popular with pond owners. They work similarly to motion activated flood lights, except they emit a 3 second burst of water to scare the pond predator away. These can easily be found online and in the ground in minutes.

 

Netting is also available to keep out those pesky predators from munching on your fish. There are lots of different sizes to choose from and can be trimmed down to fit your water feature. Visually this is not the best choice since you will see a black net over your entire pond, but it is effective.

Get any pond products you need at at our Pond supply website www.propondsoutlet.com

Pond Seminar – 20 Pond Myths Destroyed

If you are considering the addition of a pond, waterfall or any other water feature to your yard, then you may have a lot of unanswered questions. This mini pond seminar will help answer some questions that you may have and shine some light on other misconceived myths about water gardens.

If you would like further information on ponds and water gardening, give California Waterscapes a call at 818-244-4000.

Parade Of Ponds 2010

It’s about that time of the year again for the 6th annual Parade of Ponds to come back to town! This years tour will have over 30 of the most magnificent backyard ponds and waterfalls out there. Also as a special dedication to Memorial Day, over 25 veterans will be honored by having the ponds dedicated to them with information on the veteran also on display.

The parade will start at the Pacific Outdoor Living Design Center in La Crescenta at 9am on both days. Advance tickets are available for $20 at the Design Center online at CaliforniaWaterscapes.com or by calling 818-247-9595.

All ticket proceeds will benefit Five Acres and The American Red Cross. Also while your there, don’t forget to enter the raffle for a chance to win a free pond for your home.


2727 Foothill Blvd La Crescenta 91214
818-247-9595

The Making of the School Pride Ponds

This video shows the making of the School Pride ponds at the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES) High School in Culver City.

This is a full video of the work California Waterscapes and its sister company Pacific Pavingstone did to completely upgrade the Quad area. This was done in conjunction with the new School Pride show. This involved two ponds, a pondless creek bed, a paver bridge over the main pond and a long and winding pavingstone path including two paver circles and walls for students to talk and relax between classes.

You will see the building of all the ponds and the pondless stream in addition to all the paving stone paths and artificial turf.

 


Water Gardening – The Tranquil World

Water Gardening

Natural Waterfall and Pond

The water gardening lifestyle is becoming more and more a way of life in Southern California.

More and more home owners are stepping out of their work-a-day world of deadlines, cell phones, traffic jams, anti social co-workers and entering the tranquil sanctuary of their own water garden.

How many people do you know who escape from our technical concrete jungle and go to a lush green golf course, escape for a hike in the mountains, venture into a forest or lay at the beach soaking in the sounds of cascading waves?

40 to 60 hours a week most of us are surrounded by computers, pagers, mass media, Xerox machines and all the other things that come in this vast sea of circuits and technology that is anything but natural.

C-3PO from Star Wars may feel at home in this environment, but for most of us humanoids, this daily interaction leaves us with a longing to escape to Mother Nature.

And that is the pleasure of water gardening!  The Zen atmosphere and tranquility of Mother Nature right in your backward.  No need to jump on a plane or to drive hours out of the city to feel close to nature.

Imagine sipping tea with your spouse, listening to soothing sounds of water spilling over the rocks and into your pond.  Colorful Koi swim about a lily filled pond.  You take a deep breath and inhale the aroma of the surrounding plants and flowers.  A blue jay lands, skips over to the water and bathes in the stream. All this while having a quality conversation with your spouse that you can’t have in front of the television.

Water gardening provides a hobby for the whole family to enjoy. It’s very common to hear a home owner describe how their water feature has increased communication between them and their spouse, how it’s lured the children away from the mesmerizing effect  of video games and TV with pond critters that are far more interesting.

Water features also make an excellent place to entertain friends and family. Chat with neighbors over coffee or just to spend some quality alone time with oneself.

Natural and magical ponds

The new eco-friendly water features support all kinds of beautiful creatures to enhance that close-to-nature feeling.  Fish, frogs, Koi, dragonflies and turtles are a few of the beautiful critters that you can purchase and or naturally attracted to your pond.  Birds of all kinds visit often to drink and bath in the clear water. There are a variety of lilies, flowers, aquatic plants, and grasses that enhance the beauty and fragrance of your water garden.

This a great time to add a natural pond and waterfall to your backyard.  Call today or fill out a Free Estimate form on this page to receive your Free Design Consultation with one of our expert water gardening professionals.

Pond Design – Pond Construction

Natural Waterfall

Pond Design

It is important to work out your pond design before beginning any construction. Overlooking any essential factor can become very costly in terms of having to redo work already completed.

Pond Construction

One essential ingredient to consider in your pond construction is the depth of the pond.

Determining Pond Depth

There are many factors to consider when choosing a pond depth. These include climate zone, fish number, size and type, sunlight conditions, winterizing options, pond size, and shape.

 

As a rule of thumb, California Waterscapes has experienced that a two foot deep pond can support fish and plants year round in the extreme winter and summer temperatures. With proper precautions, a two-foot deep pond can be made to support aquatic life virtually anywhere.

Of course, another consideration is the building and safety requirements. Most city municipal codes have regulations that state that once a pond is over 2 feet it must be treated as a pool and must follow the same rules and regulations of pool safety such as fences and locked gates. In some cities, this is 18 inches. So keep that fact in mind in your pond design.

Our design consultants will help you determine the appropriate depth for your pond so that it will work with your location and your other pond elements. Contact us today for your Design Consultation and receive a design consultation with one of our expert water garden professionals.

Constructing Eco-system Pond