Why You Should Create a Beautiful Outdoor Oasis

By: Alton J. Andres

Like most of us, you love the great outdoors and the peace and tranquility in which it offers .We all look forward at one time or another to relieving our day to day stress by relaxing and unwinding at our favourite natural outdoor Oasis. A sanctuary where we can dwell in the songs and serenity of Mother Nature. Many home owners are now including rock gardens, waterfalls, and ponds in their landscaping plans to further enjoy Mother Nature’s full benefits in their own backyard.

Just imagine your very own backyard Oasis… a place where you and your family can relax and unwind while enjoying all the wonderful wildlife and plant life in your own backyard habitat. Your family, friends, and your neighbours will be envious of the beautiful ambiance surrounding your home. Everyone will absolutely love it. Imagine a wayward trip that once took precious time out of your day to that Natural Outdoor Oasis… is now merely a few feet away from your own back door!

Depending on your geographical location, your backyard Oasis will surely attract numerous varieties of birds, small animals, and even certain insects, all of which are attracted to your water source. A good idea would be for you to obtain some books with photographs showing all the different types of birds, small animals, and insects that thrive in your area, which could and most likely will pay your backyard Oasis a temporary…. if not permanent visit. I personally enjoy sitting out on my backyard deck, coffee in hand, listening to the sound of running water, and watching my prized Koi and Gold fish perform their little tricks and stunts and the birds and wildlife bathing and drinking out of my pond. It’s just such a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere.

Once you decide to go ahead and build your backyard Oasis and pond, make sure that wherever you place your pond there is adequate access to an electrical source which will be required to run your ponds pumps, filters, and any other electrical pond accessories you may need or desire. I installed and cemented in next to my pond a 4 x 4 wooden post with an outdoor electrical box which allowed me to plug-in all of my pond equipment, reducing the hazardous task of having to run outdoor extension cords above ground. The best location for your pond would be a place that is clean and free from any debris or waste material that would likely enter the pond and harming or even killing your fish. Choosing a shady area will help moderate water temperatures and provide some cover for your fish. You can design your pond using a pre-formed unit, cement, or rubber lining, and filtration system of you’re choosing.

Speaking of fish, you may want to add some to your backyard pond and if so, I would suggest that you check with your local pet store in your area to see what types of fish are suitable for your pond, and the caring and maintenance of same. In my case I discovered that a mix of Koi and Gold fish thrived very well in my pond, and soon became very friendly pets. There are a wide variety of colors and types in which you can select. Be aware though….the addition of any fish to your pond can and most likely will attract certain types of predators.

There is nothing worse than caring for and raising your prized Koi and Gold fish only to lose them to a predator like the famous “Blue Heron” whom in my neck of the woods thrives on feeding on outdoor pond fish. It’s a good idea to have fish that are a little less colourful and camouflaged, which will increase their survival rate, however there is no guarantee… so what I did was purchase a net from my local pet supply store and whenever I was away for any length of time, I covered my pond with the netting and protected my prized fish from predators. Believe it or not, I even once had a “Cat” reach into the pond for a fish….falling in and having a heck of a time getting back out. Funny thing is I never ever saw that cat back in my little Oasis again.

A few things you should take note of here when it comes to adding fish to your pond. Generally and within reason, Koi and Gold fish will grow in size to that of their environment. This simply means that the larger your pond, the larger they will grow depending again on the number of fish you plan on raising. My pond was approximately 6’ wide X 12’ long, and 36” deep and held approximately 1200 gallons of water. During the winter months with this depth and the fact that I kept my pond pump circulating under water, I prevented my pond from freezing over. I also installed a small pond heater for these cold months, and my fish survived the winter just fine. I had a total of six fish with each ranging in size from 10” to 15” in length.

I invite you to visit my website for more information on the creation of rock gardens and ponds as well as numerous tips on the type of plants, pumps, design idea’s, and how to create waterfalls in your backyard pond.

Your imagination is the limit when it comes to creating the perfect rock garden, ponds, and waterfalls, that will provide an incredible habitat for your backyard, as well as increase your properties overall value. However please keep in mind that it’s always a good idea to check with your local municipal office to see if any deed restrictions are in place in your area which may prevent you from building or having a pond in your backyard. There are numerous resources offering different types and sizes of pre-formed ponds in which you can choose from, available both online and offline.

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