I’m not much of a list person. My son is, though. Every year since he was about 10 years old, he makes a “top 10” list of his favorite songs and albums over the past year. I guess he’s rubbing off on me, because now I have an urge to create a “top 10” list …
What is there not to love about Sagittaria latifolia? For starters, there’s its beauty. Sagittaria is known for its verdant green, sagittate (or arrowlike) leaves coming off a central stem that is held aloft over shallow waters. White-petaled flowers bloom from June to mid-August. These plants are often at their best in the withering heat …
Sagittaria Brings Food, Fowl & Floral Enhancements to the Water Garden Read More »
Growing up in southern Wisconsin, I never had a pool. I did, however, have a few spring-fed ponds and streams that meandered throughout our property. When the snow started to melt in the spring, my brother and I would race small wooden boats down the rushing streams. In the summer, we would catch hatchling red-eared …
A Picturesque Pond Emerges from Florida Pool Renovation Read More »
Choosing a proper water filtration system is a critical step in water-feature construction. It relies on understanding your customer and their budget, pond conditions and requirements. Proper planning can deliver clean, clear, healthy water, help to work within your budget and live up to the end user’s expectations. Understanding the features, benefits and drawbacks of …
We water gardeners generally enjoy seeing nature and the ecosystems that surround us. Adding a water garden to a landscape is a great way to add more nature that is up-close and personal. While many enjoy the sound of water and others are drawn to the beauty of waterlilies and fish, there are other ways …
Natural Ponds Attract Wildlife to Your Water Garden Read More »
All trades, including pond-building, have one thing in common: 90 percent or more of all owners used to be a tech working for someone else. One day in the field, a little light bulb goes off and says, “Gee, the company is paying me X dollars per hour, and they are charging the customer a …
How Pond Installers Need to View All Labor Angles Read More »
There are so many names for this variety — hirenaga (“long fin”), onaga (“long tail”), tenaga (“long arm”) and hagoromo (“celestial robe of an angel”) are just a few. I like to use Hirenaga, because it is the most commonly used. Hirenaga’s History Few people know that Hirenaga breeding traces back to Japan’s emperor. When …
Language of Koi | The Long-Finned Hirenaga Variety Read More »
Winter is here, so I feel it’s time to revisit short-term pon quarantine systems. Quarantine is a practice used for winterizing fish in colder climates, caring for sick fish and separating new arrivals for a period before introducing them into your existing system. It’s important to have a system that’s easy to set up, tear …
Best Practices | Short-term Pond Quarantine Strategies Read More »
The water garden industry as a whole is still evolving, and with that, there are few, if any standards or regulations in place for us to follow. As professionals, we are responsible for being knowledgeable about our trade and following procedures and any safety standards set forth by our local government agencies. However, the rest …
Installation Tips to Ensure Water Garden Quality Read More »
This year marked the second year that the International Waterlily and Water Garden Society (IWGS)’s New Waterlily Competition was held at its new home — Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. The entries were submitted from hybridizers worldwide to compete in three categories: hardy, intersubgeneric (ISG) and tropical. In addition to these categories, there was …
