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Aquatic landscaping. Creating artificial ponds, cascades and waterfalls. Adds serenity or motion. Aquatic landscaping . Adds visual or auditory impact. Acts as mirror in landscape. Provides habitat for wildlife. Effective for dividing units of landscape.
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Aquatic landscaping • Creating artificial ponds, cascades and waterfalls • Adds serenity or motion • Aquatic landscaping • Adds visual or auditory impact • Acts as mirror in landscape • Provides habitat for wildlife • Effective for dividing units of landscape • Blue or green lighting makes dramatic effects at night
Aquatic landscaping • Designs range from formal to natural • Even-radius curves and straight lines more formal than uneven-radius curves • Designing water features in landscape • Cut-stone edges more formal than irregular stone edge • Usually a point of emphasis in landscape • Position in low area of landscape where easily viewed • Or conceal in landscape to create sense of discovery (remainder of landscape must lead viewer to water) • Water gardens need 4-6 hours of light (too much light will encourage growth of algae)
Aquatic landscaping • Masonary (cement) • Costly and difficult to build • Selecting pool type • Custom-made to fit into landscape • Preformed plastic or fiberglass pools • Easily built and inexpensive • Limited in size and shape • Pools made with flexible liners • Somewhat difficult to construct but least expensive • Custom-made to fit into landscape
Aquatic landscaping • Size, shape and depth determined by hole • Remove rocks and other objects that might puncture lining • Construction of flexible liner pool • Add layer of sand or clay to protect liner • Liner will snug up against sides of hole when filled • Depth should vary • If including fish, deepest part must >30” or else you’ll make ‘fishsicles’ in winter • Make 9-12” soil benches on perimeter for submerged plants • Cut rocks at edge should also be placed on ‘shelf’
Aquatic landscaping • Side view of design • Construction of flexible liner pool
Aquatic landscaping • Top view of actual design • Construction of flexible liner pool
Aquatic landscaping • Size and placement of liner • Size formula: 2Depth+Length x 2Depth+Width • Construction of flexible liner pool • Liner stretched over hole, keeping taut along bottom • Hold liner in place with rocks along edge
Aquatic landscaping • Emergent • Rooted in bottom but produce leaves at or above the water surface • Types of aquatic plants • Examples: Arrowhead, cattail, water lily
Aquatic landscaping • Submergent • Rooted in bottom; leaves remain below the surface of the water • Types of aquatic plants • Examples: Elodea, Parrot’s feather (invasive)
Aquatic landscaping • Floating plants • Freely float on surface of water • Types of aquatic plants • Examples: Duckweed, Azolla (fairy moss)
Aquatic landscaping • Marginal plants • Grow well in very moist soil (e.g. margins of ponds) • Types of aquatic plants • Examples: Iris, marsh marigold, ferns
Aquatic landscaping • Aquatic plants grow in nutrient-rich soils high in organic matter • Soil for aquatic plants • Decomposition of organic matter produce methane-rich substrate (smelly!) • Suggest use of chemical fertilizers • Plants can be rooted into bottom of pond or (more often) in pots or crates • Use 50-50 mix of garden soil and sand • Plants can be over wintered in cool place inside
Aquatic landscaping • Largest problem with artificial ponds is preventing algal growth • Maintaining water quality • Incorporate floating plants to shade water surface • Select fish that feed on algae (e.g. grass carp); don’t add too many fish • Use a submerged pump and filter • Mechanical filters trap debris in mats • Biological filters use bacteria to breakdown ammonia and organic waste
Aquatic landscaping • UV sterilizer used to kill algae pond • Incorporate bacteria and enzyme ‘clarifiers’ • Maintaining water quality • Chemicals such as algaecides • Maintain oxygen levels with running water