Is There An Ideal Spot For Your Artificial Water Garden?

How are you ever going to choose the perfect spot to build the lovely water garden you’ve been planning for months? There are so many factors to consider when picking that ideal spot that it can be a tough decision sometimes. With a bit of time and thought you can make choosing the best location a lot easier. To speed up the process, we’ve put a list together of things to watch for and find out.

1. It should be a natural to call your utility companies prior to digging in your yard. We’ve all heard about homeowners who ruptured utility lines while doing landscaping projects, and you’ll want to make sure it doesn’t happen to you. By making short calls to your phone, gas, and power companies, you can know where lines are located and save yourself a world of trouble. Those calls can mean the difference between a project that moves along smoothly and one that is stalled indefinitely. Besides, your neighbors will be happier if you don’t do anything to disturb their utility services.

2. Take the time to study the way sunlight plays across your yard. What areas are the sunniest, and which are often in the shade? Keep in mind that sun patterns will change during different seasons of the year. Its track will be different with an entirely different angle which will create different areas of shade and sun. You need to remember that water plants need at least six hours of sunlight each day. Therefore, the sun could definitely impact your placement of trees and your water garden.

3. The size and type of water garden you build will be greatly influenced by the features of the soil in your yard. What type of soil do you have? Is it the ideal farm soil of the Midwest or the rocky orange clay found in the Southeast? Do you have a lot of sand? Consider all of these things when you plan the types of plants and trees you’re going to use to create your water garden.

4. Look at the stationary features in your yard, such as where trees, fences, and patios are located. Are any of them going to interfere in your new plans? If you need to remove trees or rebuild fences, you will need to adjust your estimated project time and budget. The same is true if your new water garden isn’t going to fit the mood of your existing backyard which will necessitate even more changes and expense. Discuss what you’re planning with your neighbors. Who knows? Maybe they’ll want to help foot the bill for having a tree removed or building a new fence.

5. Is your lawn level, or does it slope down in spots? When it rains, does water collect in certain low-lying spots? When planning your water garden, you will need to know these things and take them into consideration. Too much or too little water can have a serious effect on the plants you choose for in and around your garden. One option with an uneven lawn would be to take the time to level out the low spots so that water won’t all run to them.

6. Always check on city building codes before adding any structure to your property. Do you know where the property lines are? How close can you build to the line and still be in compliance with the code? Your neighbors have rights, too. If you don’t consider them in your building, they could cause you a lot of problems.

7. Why are you building this water garden? Your answer will seriously impact the type of garden you want to build. Is your garden going to be used as a secluded hideaway where you can escape and relax? It could be that your purpose is to build something for the whole neighborhood to enjoy. Or, maybe you’re thinking of moving and are just looking for a way to entice buyers?

You can see that you have a lot of things to consider before you even start to dig the water garden you’re dreaming of. Take the time to consider the things discussed above, and use them to plan your artificial water garden. A little extra time spent in advance can ensure the success of your finished product.