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One water feature growing in popularity is the backyard pond. It is not uncommon today the find a well cared for lawn and a small pond to add some landscape design intrigue. Not only are these ponds a great addition to the backyard visually, but also can sooth the senses and be filled year round with plant and animal life.

The biggest obstacle many new comers to water gardening or ponds face is keeping the pond clean and clear. If a pond in not designed correctly or taken care of properly in can quickly become a smelly, ugly eyesore people do not want to get near.

As in most things in life a garden pond needs balance creating an ecosystem as close to natural as possible. When done this way, the pond can be enjoyed much more as the pond cleans itself.

Excessive algae growth is one of the biggest causes of a pond failure. Without enough plants or animals to keep everything in natural balance, algae will begin to growth out of control. This murky, stagnant and usually bad smelling pond makes a great home and breeding ground for mosquitoes and other bugs creating a pond of frustration.

Controlling algae growth is a matter of using specific types of plants in your pond to help keep balance. algae is a plant and needs sun to thrive, one way to help keep algae under control is to place water plants like water lilies in your pond which float on the surface. This helps block sunlight for the algae below in the water. water lilies are the most popular of the surface floating plants that help block the sunlight from encouraging algae growth. water lilies also have some very beautiful flowers as well, not floating leaves only!

fish is another item to include in your pond. fish love to nibble away on algae and helps keep its growing from getting out of control. Cleaning debris like dropped leaves and decaying matter from your pond is another way to control algae growth. Planting or placing plants in or around the edge of the pond can help keep debris from blowing in. Anyway to starve the algae stopping it from growing is the purpose.

Plants around the outside edge of the pond will help create a larger ecosystem. In turn this can attract a variety of wildlife like birds, squirrels, frogs and other wildlife will naturally help with pest control and help keep the pond clean and beautiful.

Thomas Fryd over at http://www.plant-care.com offers ideas on pool plants and gives some tips and ideas on pool landscaping to increase and add entertainment value to a home pool or deck area.

posted by 83212  # 1:27 PM