As my love of gardening grows with each season, I have come to appreciate the sanctity of water in my landscapes. The sound of moving water has become as integral as color, shape, and texture in my designs.Water not only gives a garden a natural sound and striking visual element, it entices the visitor to take pause and drink in the total environment.
Historically water played an important role in gardens. Here in Saratoga Springs water gardens are front and center. The city’s centerpiece, Congress Park features the likes of the Italian Spit and Spat fountains and the natural pond bordering the historical Canfield Casino. The natural rock bubbler at the Adirondack Bank courtyard attracts bird activity daily that gives the passerby a front seat to nature. The entry waterfalls at the National Museum of Dance provide sound and visual elements of surprise that blend a long, diverse garden area. Natural or art inspired, water in the garden can be an invitation to increased health and wellness. There is nothing quite like coming home after a challenging work day and taking time to de-stress nearby a water garden. A well designed feature can give you the moving water sound that can take those day to day stressors away for a time
This week I also rediscovered the joy of caring for my water garden. It was time for me to start my “in the water” seasonal maintenance of my backyard pond. I traded my garden jeans in for water resistant shorts and flipflops and set about with deadheading and removing “weeds” Yes this time of year the water lilies need their spent leaves and flowers removed same as my dirt based garden perennials. And I consider the “weeds” the debris the winds and storms have dumped into my pond bottom that takes on string algae.
I had forgotten how enjoyable this routine is. With our summer heat this week, the water was far more refreshing that bending over in my dirt based gardens. I enjoyed my fish swimming around me and actually got a closer look at their size, while discovering….babies had arrived! Pond side I missed these new additions to my pond family. Along with deadheading my water lily leaves came the discovery that snails had taken up residence in my natural ecosystem! Ahh the wonders of nature. With good design, Mother Nature brings in her own to help you keep it natural and sustainable.
Water gardening can really take your garden skills up a notch. The rewards are many, the health and wellness factor huge! As always keeping gardens “sensible and sustainable”.
