Think about how great it would be to add a pond to your garden, it would definitely enhance your garden. Imagine sitting in your garden admiring the sound and sight of a well stocked pond full of happy fish.
photo credit: [3/4 of zer0]

With a pond you will create a focal point in your garden that will be admired by all. Ponds are peaceful and serene whilst also being an enjoyable hobby.

You can go for a wild life pond where you will not put any fish in or you can opt for the full fish experience. What about the type of fish that you might want to keep. Some people just have Koi so there whole pond is all about Koi, which are a beautiful fish and are not as hard to keep as some would have us believe.

Goldfish are a worthy contenders for any pond, they come in many different forms from the fancy Oranda’s, Black Moors and Comets and there are many more, right down to the common goldfish. There are a lot to checkout.

That greenish coloured Tench that has change to a beautiful Gold fish with blue grey fins and darkish red eyes through years of breeding now named quite rightly the Golden Tench. The Tench is a great fish to consider for your pond.

What about the Golden Orfe these are a very lively fish that are fast swimmers and on occasion have been known to jump clear of the water. I like the orfe’s because they are so active.

Before you start to dig your garden over there are a lot of things that need to be thought about before you take the plunge into building a pond. A pond plan is what you need if you want to get the pond of your visions. The more information you can put in your plan the better, it will help you decide such things as whether your pond will have a water feature, how big you want your pond and what plants you want in your pond.

For your pond project to be the success that you want it to be, it is going to take proper research that will make up the blueprint of your pond which you will enjoy for so many years in the future.

Technorati Tags: backyard oasis, fish keeping, fountain, garden pond, goldfish, Koi, koi fish, pets, plants, small backyard designs, waterfall

A free standing garden trellis or flat trellis added to a wall will add growing space, artistic design and pattern to your small backyard design projects.
photo credit: greengardenvienna

Bentwood trellises are also fun to make and if you have smaller brush on your property you will have a free supply of material to use. If you don’t have small brush, ask you neighbors. They may have a small overgrown area of property that they would gladly let you trim.

On my property I have a nice supply of hickory, apple (better for small projects), willow and pine. The area needs cleared so I have no problems using the live branches for arbors, arched trellises and flat trellises.

This you tube will give you an idea of how to do make a trellis. I will add the best time for using branches is in the spring before the sap in the wood rises. You can use the branches after spring but it will be best to apply glue where you nail. The reason is that after sap is in the wood the wood will expand. After the wood is cut it will dry and the nail will not be as secure. You can stop this problem with a little glue where you nailed.

Bentwood trellises are fun and easy to make. They make a great family project and are very reasonable to make. And the best reason to make a bentwood trellis is that they add to you garden art and accessories and being handmade you can tailor the size and shape to any location you have. They are perfect for the small balcony garden that needs to utilize every inch of space to its fullest potential.

Technorati Tags: balcony garden, bentwood trellis, garden art, how to make a bentwood trellis, small backyard designs, Small Space Garden, trellis for the small balcony

When your backyard needs redesigned but time or money may be an issue there are a few quick pick me ups to give the backyard a new look and welcoming atmosphere. With a trend in people vacationing at home, this is the year to make those changes.

Fire pits will quickly become a gathering point for family and guests to warm themselves and have outdoor cookouts. The light from the fire will stretch the time you spend outdoor into the evening hours. Your children may even want to pitch a tent and invite friends over for the evening. Fire pits can be hand made or store bought.

In the next year or two you may want to enhance the fire pit area with an outdoor fireplace or kitchen room.

Outdoor lighting adds to any backyard or patio area. Light a pathway, one of one your trees, backlight a plant with interesting foliage as a focal point, or wash a wall with light. This looks particularly pretty if it’s a rock wall or has a trellis with flowers and hanging baskets in front of it.

Tikki lights also add to backyard lighting along with mini lanterns placed in trees and on posts.

Today’s solar lights are getting better and low voltage lights are more affordable too. Theses solar lights places along gardens, paths and near water ponds add an atmosphere of relaxation to the backyard paradise.

Water ponds, water gardens, mini waterfalls and fountains are easy to set up. They can be store bought or made from items purchased at auctions and garage sales. If you have small children you may want to set up a child-safe pond-less fountain.

The addition of gardens, new plants or hanging baskets will brighten and change the look of the backyard quickly. Many people are setting up container gardening for just this reason. The pots can be moved around every week for a new look to the backyard garden area.

For the small backyard designs the addition of a mini table fountain and a trellis for plants will fit on a patio or balcony and add beauty and comfort to these small spaces.
photo credit: bunnygoth

New patio furniture will also give the backyard a new look. Nice furniture can be picked up at sales and an auction for a few dollars. With a new coat of paint and cushions that match the colors in your backyard you will make an area to read or relax that also creates a design flow in your garden area.

These are just a few fast and modestly priced ideas for a quick and easy backyard design projects.

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Water features are a wonderful addition to any backyard, garden or indoor living space.  The sound and flow of water adds instant relaxation to any area, particularly a small space design area. Mini gardens or apartment dwellers that have a small porch deck or balcony can easily create a backyard oasis feeling with the addition of a small water pond created in a garden pot.
photo credit: SuperFantastic

First select a glazed ceramic pot without a hole in the bottom. You can purchase one at a store or add to the fun and challenge by picking one up at an auction or garage sale. Select a style that will fit with your home design or go for a natural garden look.

Wash the pot well with a natural soap without perfume or chemicals and fill the pit with water. Select a few varieties of aquatic plants and perhaps a dwarf water lily. Your selection of water plants will be based on the size of the pot and whether you plan to add dirt to the pot. Your local pet store or garden center will be able to help you with your selection.

A quick guide for water plant selection is that some plants do well planted in a plastic plant basket filled with compost and topped with gravel. Others float freely on the surface of the water and are known as floaters. If you choose a water lily, which needs soil, place the basket on the bottom of the pot and the leaves will naturally float to the surface. Water lilies are one of the more popular water plants because of their beauty.

If your planter is large enough you might want to add a few small fish, but due to the size of the mini water pond you are creating the fish must be small and only purchase a few. The plants will keep the water clear in your mini water garden and give the fish oxygen and shade.

If you add fish, remember to feed them according to directions on the food container, check the water regularly and don’t purchase Koi fish for a small mini pond. They can grow quite large and will outgrow their home very quickly.

If you live in a cold area you will need to protect your mini water garden from freezing during the winter, especially if you have fish in the container. If you have room in your home you may want to bring the mini water pond indoors. It will definitely add to the atmosphere. If you leave the pond outdoors, cover it and in cold areas find an indoor home for the fish.

Each spring you will need to clean the pot thoroughly and prune the plants to a manageable size. During the seasons keep the plants groomed by removing any sad looking leaves and dead blooms. This will keep your mini water pond healthier and your plants blooming all season long.

One final note, place your water pond in an area that gets about 8 hours of sun and remove any leaves that blow into the pond.

This small mini water pond will add to any patio, balcony garden or even the indoor living area. With proper care and cleaning it will be productive for many years.

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With the increased interest in gardening, gardening space has become an issue. You may have a large backyard but other areas also need space or you may have a balcony and only a few feet of gardening space available. But with small backyard designs and creativity you can make the best use out the space you have.
photo credit: ginnerobot

Another issue with gardening and backyard maintenance is time. Everyone wants a lush backyard with shrubs, trees, fruit and vegetables and room for family activities but backyard gardening can take time so setting up a small garden or Postage stamp garden as they are often referred to makes sense.

A postage stamp garden is considered a small area that can produce abundant herbs, flowers and vegetables. It can also be an ornamental garden of annuals, perennials and shrubs planted in the ground or in containers making full use of a very small space. How is a postage stamp garden possible? With careful planning, using intensive gardening practices and careful selection of the plants you grow.

In the last few years’ small growing shrubs and fruit trees have been developed. Fruit tree can also be espaliers and grown on a wall. Grapes and other fruit can be trained for arbors and trellises.

Many vegetables are available in a mini size that will be perfect for the small garden and saving space. And even with larger plants if you grow them vertically you will save an amazing amount of space and I find it helps with insect control too. There are fewer places for the insects to hide. My one word of advice with vertical growing is to make sure your trellised, posts or way you fix for the produce to grow on a wall is firm. Theses plants can get heavy when laden with produce so take extra care to ensure they are sturdy.

There are flowers that also stay compact and if you chose carefully many flowers are edible and serve two purposes, beauty and use. And don’t forget potted shrubs, which can be placed outdoors in the summer months and if the right shrub is chosen brought indoors in the colder months for more enjoyment. Shrubs left outdoors may need to be winterized depending on your climate.

Container gardening and vertical growing are two perfect solutions for the balcony gardener or apartment renter with very limited space. Between hanging baskets and containers you should be able to grow flower and produce and create a nice secret garden oasis. And by trying to combine the style of the indoor space with outdoor space you can create a large feel of space in both areas.

If you feel you don’t have a lot of space for a garden look into postage stamp gardening and intensive gardening for ideas on how to grow in a smaller space and how to save time working in your garden area.

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