At Great Brook Farms , we specialize in designing, building and maintaining beautiful water gardens and water features, turning your yard into your own beautiful paradise.
Just imagine sitting by your own pond after a hard day at work - watching beautiful Koi fish swim beneath colorful water lilies and relaxing to the sound of running water cascading over rocks nearby. Or, if you'd like something extremely low maintenance, consider a Pond-free system (All the benefits of having a stream and waterfall in your backyard with little to no maintenance!) Either way, its like a little piece of Heaven in your own backyard...
Located in Bolton, Massachusetts, we offer a complete array of "on-site" design, consultation, installation, aquascaping, landscaping and maintenance services.
Call NOW for a free consultation!
978.779.6680
Aquatic Plants The fragrance of a water lily blossom, the contrast of variegated foliage, the filtration qualities of Water Hyacinth - these are just the beginning of the benefits of plants in your water garden.To many, aquatic plants are the highlight of their garden. But, I am often asked about selecting the right plants. Aquatic plants have many functions in the water garden. The obvious is that they provide beauty. The foliage and flowers offer the finishing touches to complete a dazzling aquatic display.
Pondkeepers with an understanding of filtration know the nitrification cycle and how plants play their role. Fish naturally secrete ammonia into the pond water. Biological filtration works to convert the ammonia into nitrites then the nitrites into nitrates. The nitrates are then used by the plants. If there are not enough plants using up the nitrates in your pond, you end up with an algae bloom (in extreme cases of nitrate buildup the fish may suffer as well). Plants that cover the pond surface also reduce algae by limiting the amount of sunlight reaching the water. For the best balance in a water garden around 2/3 of the pond surface should be covered with plant foliage.
Another, often overlooked, use of plants in the pond is protecting your fish from hungry predators. Whether it is tall plants at the water's edge that help prevent a raccoon from reaching the pond or the water lily pads covering the surface that give the fish a place to hide from a heron, a few plants may be all that is needed to avoid making a meal out of your pet fish. When it comes to actually selecting the plants for your pond, there is nothing more important than your eyes. While there are certain types of plants that you may want as we will discuss in a moment, choosing plants that you think look good is the most effective way to get a water garden to be proud of.
