Articles

As the water garden plant life withers in the gloomy short days of our long winter and an icy grip draws a veil over the whole scene, many of us are already yearning to be back amongst the bounteous activity that surrounds a water garden in early summer. An expensive winter holiday in a tropical paradise in the southern hemisphere can bring temporary respite but on return things only seem worse. Now you want to have a piece of that tropical paradise closer to home.

Northern hemisphere weather considerations are considered here in creating pond landscaping solutions so make necessary changes if you live in warm and beautiful places like South Africa and Australia in the Southern Hemisphere.

The first thoughts that you must seriously consider for the benefit of the water garden and yourself are in regards to siting the pond itself.

Now here's another rosy domestic scene: the family happy, jolly, smiling, tucking into their breakfast on a bright golden spring morning. This was a new house, a new home and a new garden; an opportunity to make a fresh start. Dad suddenly swishes the morning newspaper closed with a flourish.

" Gosh, I've suddenly had an amazing idea!" He cries.

" What's that Dad? " Mum and the children sing in unison.

" I think we ought to have a water garden, wouldn't that be wonderful ?" He replies.

" That would be AMAZING!" Comes the chorus.

IT’S NOT WHAT YOU DO, IT’S THE WAY THAT YOU DO IT

As any teenager will tell you, if you want to be accepted as fashionable or stylish (as in ‘with it’ – in past parlance), you need to do more than just dress up in the latest gear and parade about. You really need to think, be and breath life into the image that you are trying to create.

The same applies to style from another culture and not just in the fashion that affects clothing, but in all artistic endeavours that involves personal expression, which definitely includes garden and landscape design.

Liners are the most cost effective method of making a waterproof pool in your garden, but what is there really to choose between all the makes and materials?

Peter May tells you what will help you make it neat or natural.