A pond, waterfall, or fountain tends to dominate any scenery.  Careful planning is a must.  What kind of water feature would you like?  Where would you like to put it?  How big of water feature will your budget allow you?  All these questions are important.  In this chapter we will explore some of the many landscaping ideas that I have discovered this last year.

To begin with, you need to assess your landscaping needs.  Have a family meeting and dream up with several ideas.  Don’t forget the children!  Some of my best ideas came from my twelve year old.  Visualize the backyard in five, ten, and twenty years.   

Things to consider in your decision are location of existing landscape and other structures.  The water feature will need to be places where everyone can enjoy it, and not too crowded by other landscaping objects.

Level ground is very necessary around a water feature.  You don’t have to have level ground to begin with, but if you have a level place, I would put that into first consideration.  Remember that water surface is level, even though the ground may not be.

What kind of existing landscape is there?  On a piece of drafting or graph paper, carefully measure all landscape in your yard that you are going to keep in place, and draw them on the graph paper.  From this plan, walk around the yard and assess the possibilities for the new pond.

You want to protect your water feature from the wind, but be careful around deciduous trees.  Leaves, twigs, and branches get into the pond and decay fast, leaving unwanted bacteria and other microorganisms in large quantity.  This not only leaves your pond smelling nasty, but soon fish start to die.

What size of yard do you have?  A big water feature can overwhelm a small yard, and a very tiny water feature can be lost in an open and vast yard.  The water feature must be directly proportional to the size of your backyard or garden area.

If you have grass in your yard, the ultimate place would be where the grass area has been worn down by traffic.  Here in Arizona very few people have grass; therefore, the perfect place would be where the rock in your yard is very sparse from the traffic.  Place a passageway around it, and you’ll indisputable have found a place where everyone will find it.

There must be a tie between the water feature and the house.  If you have brick on your house, then consider edging your pond with brick.  If you have an adobe type of house or stucco, think about a raised pond made of concrete block that is covered with mortar and painted the same color as your house.

What kind of water feature would like in your yard?  If you have a small yard, a fountain or small tub garden may be appropriate.  If you have a big yard, a pond would be more appropriate.  Or, you might consider combining two different water features, having a pond and waterfall or a pond and fountain.  Fountains enhance a formal pond, and waterfalls are better coming into informal ponds.

Exactly what are formal and informal ponds?  Glad you asked!  Formal ponds have standard shapes such as circular or rectangular, and a good deal of them are constructed a few feet above the ground.  They can follow many styles and many time periods from Victorian, Renaissance architecture, Japanese architecture, or Mid-eastern style.  The edging is usually done with tile, stone, or fancy brick.

Informal ponds have asymmetrical shapes and look like ordinary pools.  They are usually made using a liner.  There are no square corners, and all edges are natural, looking like the pond has been there forever.  The edging is usually done with native stone.

What do you want to make your water feature out of?  Simple ideas for water features not only include liners, preformed ponds, and concrete features, but what about an old hot tub, bath tub, or stock tank? 

Another consideration in planning your pond is supporting landscape structures.  Decks can be used for living spaces outdoors.  They bridge the inside to the outside.  They are particularly practical with sloped areas.

Patios set off the landscape, and can function as a porch, veranda, or courtyard.  A waterfall or pond can generate a very tranquil atmosphere while resting in your favorite lounge chair.

Other wonderful places to sit and view the water feature include an arbor or gazebo.  An arbor provides structure for vines and amplifies the size of your garden vertically.  A Gazebo emphasizes your garden and can contribute to the central point with the water feature.  The pond, arbor, or gazebo must be in balance and synchronization with the rest of the landscape.

Privacy and safety is a definite concern when it comes to fences and screens.  If your water feature is more than eighteen inches in depth, many states and cities have codes that require you to add a four to six foot fence.  Fences outline, accentuate, and provide background for your water feature.  A screen would be perfect around a medium sized formal water feature to provide solitude without the extra costs and enclosure of a fence.

Use walks and steps in your landscaping to guide people around with ease and security.  The walk should be at least three feet wide, and be consistent with the style of water feature that you have.

Walls are practical for those ponds that are built on uneven ground.  By using rock and/or concrete, a pond can be built on the side of a small hill.  Walls can also be useful if you decide on a fountain above your pond.

Lighting and electricity also need to be considered.  Outdoor lighting features can be used to brighten up the adjoining area of the pond.  By illuminating other landscaping such as trees and shrubs, the pond reflects the trees and shrubs creating an illusion of grandeur.  Underwater lights can produce dramatic effects allowing you enjoy your pond well into the evening hours.  According to some experts, lighting outside of the pond make the fish look the best.

With any water feature you must have ground fault circuit interrupters (GCFI) that immediately shuts off power should a malfunction or short occurs.  Unless you have tackled a few other indoor projects, leave this part of the project to a certified electrician.  All electrical wiring must be within city code. 

After you have decided on the structures that you want in your garden, it’s time to put them onto the plan.  Get an extra piece of graph paper and cut out your new shapes in their approximate size.  Then take the graph paper that has your existing landscape structures that are going to remain, and plan your new landscape by placing the new structure on top of the paper.  By cutting out the new structures, you are free to move the pieces around without having to use up that eraser.

Move them around for a few days and start getting ideas.  Don’t be afraid to go down to your local nursery and consult with them, or consider hiring a landscape architect to assist you with final plans.

Study other yards in your area and make a sketch or take pictures of things you like.  Talk with the people who live in the house, they will be ecstatic that you selected their house to get ideas from.

Keep moving things around and drawing.  No diagram is faultless, nor is any plan ever entirely completed.  When you get ideas or see something else, insert them in until you are ready to construct.

Once you are ready to go to work, draw on graph paper a final plan that is orderly and concise.  You can specify plants by general type then take to the garden center for a final plan, or again consult with your local landscape architect.

One other idea is to make several plans then have a family meeting to decide on the final plan.  All will enjoy the water feature when the family is involved in decision-making.  Have the children draw out their plans, and take them into consideration.  Children having amazing imaginations!