Though initial installation might seem like a drag, there are several reasons why having a backyard pond can enhance your backyard lifestyle. Ponds are relaxing, beautiful to see and hear if there are water features, and downright fun.
But there are pond benefits that go beyond style and tranquility. Here are some of the reasons you might consider installing a pond:
1. Get rid of boring and expensive yard work
Lawns can be pretty, but they use a lot of water to keep green; they always need mowing and fertilizer. You've probably lived around lawns most of your life or your whole life. But fewer people have ponds.
Because they have submersible pumps, they recirculate the water and usually evaporate less water than it takes to water your lawn. And a lot of pond maintenance is fairly simple if you have the proper installation. Of course, you have to feed the fish, but that can be quite enjoyable. Owning a pond does not necessarily take a lot of maintenance.
2. The pond can become the centerpiece of your yard
There's the pond itself, which is going to bring in critters besides the fish. Frogs, for one. And birds. Dragonflies.
And, of course, waterfalls, perhaps the easiest thing to install, add pleasant sounds and beautiful enchantment to a pond.
Streams are easy to build as well, as they are essentially liner with rocks on top of it. The same goes for waterfalls: they are liner with larger rocks on top and spillways to create splash.
3. A great educational tool for the family
Video games can be fun, but so can learning about the natural world. Pond uses are not limited to swimming and fishing, there’s also an educational opportunity! Ponds, streams, and waterfalls allow families to spend some real quality time together learning about how an entire ecosystem works together: plants, fish, and all the other animals that live around a pond.
The family can get together and witness how everything works together through the various seasons. You probably know of Thoreau's famous "Walden Pond," in which he closely examined and documented the life of that special natural world.
4. Expand the use of your green thumb
Just like any other kind of gardening, pond plants require attention and change during the seasons, growing in spring and peaking in summer. Then there comes fall, when they fade. The changes allow you to expand your gardening skills and offer the family great ways of working together and learning.
5. Enjoy nighttime life by adding lights
Adding lights to your pond is one of the easiest things to do. Imagine nighttime barbeques and campfire parties around the pond. Lights are relatively inexpensive to add as well.
6. Add value to your home
Adding a water feature or other statement accessory to your yard instantly adds value to your home. A beautiful pond with a small fountain can enhance your curb appeal, encourage leisurely outdoor activity among children and bring more wildlife to your yard than before.
This blog was written with the small backyard pond in mind. For those large ponds out there, everything changes with scale, especially the ability to fish and go boating! No matter the size, the benefits of ponds make it simple to consider a water garden or other similar aquatic feature on your property.