Have you ever looked at a garden pond and wondered how much it would cost to get one installed? With the price of digging out and building a pool in people’s backyard, a garden pond must surely cost quite a bit as well – but the truth is that people tend to make these themselves.
Garden ponds are actually not that difficult to make as you won’t be swimming around in it yourself. Just find a weekend or two where you have all the time you need to get your hands dirty and get started so that you’ll be able to enjoy it before spring.
Here is a handful of tips in terms of building your own garden pond so that your neighbors can be glancing over at your garden with envy.
First: Repurpose or buy
First of all, you need to consider what you’re looking for. The bigger the pond is, the more money you might have to spend on it as smaller ponds easily can be made out of repurposing a very large flower pot or sink a rubber container into your garden. You could sink the flower pot in as well, though, but it will look pretty as it is just standing above the ground.
If you’re not that into repurposing stuff to make a pond out of, there are many alternatives to buy online instead. They will, of course, cost a bit more but may also look even fancier; have a look at this article, for example, to get started and consider your options first.
Keep in mind that any watertight vessel will do, really, so have a look in your garage before you decide on anything final.
Next: Mark out the area
Before you start digging, it’s best to mark out the area where you’d like to have your pond and lay the water circulation pipe that goes from the pump to the waterfall on the ground. Throw some soil on top of it, by the way, to save you the time of digging a trench to bury the pipe.
It’s a good idea to have everything you need for the job ready at hand before you start to do this so have a look at these sump pump prices right away. This will usually be the most expensive thing you have to buy so it’s better to get it over with as soon as possible.
Digging out the pond
After this is over with, you can start to dig out the pond. Terrace both shallow and deeper areas for plants, and remember to remove everything that might puncture your pipes such as sharp rocks, roots, and anything else you might find down there that isn’t pure soil.
Now you can place a layer or your container into the terraced area. If you’re using a liner, remember to simply spread it loosely within the pond and don’t stretch it tight as you might find that you need a bigger sheet.
Line the pond sides with rocks and place the pump container before installing the pump and filling the pond with water. Remember to decorate with some plants, rocks, statues and whatever else you might like.
Now you have a beautiful garden pond to make the time you spend out there even better.
Do you ever wonder what your neighbors think of your home? Believe me, they are looking. They might subtly suggest that the weather’s nice enough to trim the grass. That’s their way of saying that yours is a little too long and it’s making their home look bad. Or, potentially, they could notice a lovely colorful new array of flowers in your garden. They could ask where you bought the seeds or what your secret is for getting them to sprout so beautifully. Sometimes we want to impress our neighbors and other times we want to beat them to see who can have the prettiest home.
This could be simply to make sure that your property is the crown jewel on the street. Or, perhaps it’s because you’re selling and you don’t want attention taken away from your house by other homes in the area.
This is all about curb appeal, and we have some fantastic tips for you.
Going Green
It’s a big change, but you might want to consider adding solar panels to your roof. Solar panels have been a big deal for companies and businesses for years, helping them save money. You can find more from Big Dog Solar Energy about this and discover the benefits of a feature for companies. Or, you can start to look at the new trend where homeowners are getting in on the action. Yes, homeowners can now invest in solar panels as well, getting the energy saving solution they need and the home redesign they want. With solar panels, your home roof will look fantastic and modern. The energy saving is really just a bonus.
Get A Carport
Don’t worry, all the ideas aren’t quite this grand, but a carport could be a fantastic option. With a carport, you can add an exciting new feature to the front of your property and will have a practical purpose. With a carport, you can protect your vehicle from the worst of the elements. However, it’s also consider a luxurious build. So, if you want to upscale your home, this could definitely be the right choice for you.
You can think about using a professional landscaper to keep your garden looking lush and lovely. People will often hire a landscaper if they are thinking about selling to make sure that their yard makes a tremendous first impression. However, this can be an expensive service so you will need to think carefully about whether it’s worth the charge. The cost will typically depend on what you want to do. Tidying up the grass and making it green won’t cost a fortune. But altering the levels and layers of your yard definitely will.
Go Astro
Finally, if you want to cheat, you can think about investing in astroturf. Similar to solar panels it’s a concept that started off as a commercial choice but was ultimately embraced by homebuyers, and you can see why. With astroturf, you will have gorgeous lush green grass no matter what the weather is like outside.
My garden is a very busy place these days! Butterflies, bumble bees, hummingbirds — all bustling around pollinating their little butts off. I’ve really enjoyed watching all of the activity and wanted to share a little research I did on the Top 10 Butterfly Garden Plants. I plan on expanding my garden next year and want to be informed on what I should be on the lookout for. This is the perfect time of year to pick up some clearance perennials at the garden center, save a little money and help foster a healthy ecosystem.
Snapdragon (Antirrhinum)
10. Snapdragon (Antirrhinum)
A common perennial used in flower pots and garden borders, this flower is great for butterflies, humming birds and honey bees.
(Nectar & Host) : Cabbage White, Common Buckeye, Grey Hairstreak, Pearl Crescent, Swallowtail
Daisy (Leucanthemum)
9. Daisies (Leucanthemum)
This classic summer flower attract butterflies as well as serving as a host plant.
(Nectar & Host) : American Painted Lady, Cabbage White, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Mourning Cloak, Painted Lady, Queen, Red Admiral, Pearl Crescent, Sachem
8. Goldenrod (Solidago)
Goldenrod, a fall bloomer, attracts native pollinators and beneficial insects to your garden. It’s beautiful golden color adds a needed pop of color to a late Summer/Fall garden.
(Nectar) : American Painted Lady, American Snout, Clouded Sulphur, Common Sulphur, Great Swallowtail, Gorgone Checkerspot, Monarch, Painted Lady, Pearl Crescent, Red Admiral, Red-Banded Hairstreak, Sachem, Viceroy
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
7. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
Another long-blooming summer perennial that butterflies love! Fun fact!: The black-eyed susan have an invisible (to humans) pattern on their petals that only butterflies (with ultraviolet vision) can see. How cool is that?
(Nectar) : American Snout, Great Spangled Fritillary, Hayhurst’s Scallopwing, Orange Sulphur, Pearl Crescent, Sachem, Silvery Checkerspot, Silver-Spotted Skipper, Spring and Summer Azure, Variegated Fritillary
6. Verbena
Verbena is also drought tolerant, make a great choice for rock gardens or planting in cracks between stones. Verbena are the ideal plant to cascade over retaining walls, containers, baskets, and window boxes. This versatile flower is perfect for any butterfly garden and it’s clusters bloom all season long.
(Nectar) : American Lady, Black Swallowtail, Cabbage White, Common Buckeye, Clouded Skipper, Clouded Sulphur, Crossline Skipper, Dun Skipper, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Fiery Skipper, Gray Hairstreak, Great Southern White, Great Spangled Fritillary, Hayhurst’s Scallopwing, Horace’s Duskywing, Least Skipper, Little Glassywing, Monarch, Ocola Skipper, Orange Sulphur, Painted Lady, Pecks Skipper, Pearl Crescent, Pipevine Swallowtail, Red-Banded Hairstreak, Red Spotted Admiral, Sachem, Silver-Spotted Skipper, Silvery Checkerspot, Swallowtail, Tawny-edged Skipper, Variegated Fritillary, Wild Indigo Duskywing, Zabulon, Zebra Longwing, Zebra Swallowtail
Lantana
5. Lantana
Lantana are full of color — bright and cheery. Their blooms last all season long and they attract both butterflies and humming birds to your garden.
(Nectar) : Cabbage White, Fiery Skipper, Great Swallowtail, Gray Hairstreak, Hayhurst’s Scallopwing, Little Glassywing, Monarch, Red Admiral, Sachem, Silver-Spotted Skipper, Skipper, Spicebush Swallowtail, Swallowtail, Wild Indigo Duskywing, Zebra Longwing
Salvia
4. Salvia
Salvias come in a wide range of colors, are drought tolerant and their bloom life is exceptionally long. They not only attract butterflies but hummingbirds as well!
Asters are a late summer and fall blooming perennial and not only attract butterflies for the nectar but also as a host plant. They are a daisy-like perennial with star-shaped flower head and come in a wide range of varieties, colors and sizes.
(Nectar & Host) : American Lady, American Snout, Anise Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail, Buckeye Butterfly, Cabbage White, Clouded Skipper, Clouded Sulphur, Common Buckeye, Common Checkered-Skipper, Common Sulphur, Eastern Tailed-Blue, Fiery Skipper, Gray Hairstreak, Horace’s Duskywing, Lorquin Admiral, Monarch, Orange Sulphur, Painted Lady, Pearl Crescent, Peck’s Skipper, Question Mark, Red Admiral, Red-Banded Hairstreak, Sachem, Silver-Spotted Skipper, Sleepy Orange, Swallowtail, Variegated Fritillary, Viceroy, West Coast Lady
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)
2. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)
This widely versatile perennial can be planted almost everywhere in the US and attracts a ton of butterflies. Purple coneflowers, also known as Echinacea, are attractive and hearty flowers that not only draw butterflies to your garden but songbirds too!
(Nectar) : American Lady, Banded Hairstreak, Black Swallowtail, Clouded Sulphur, Common Checkered Skipper, Common Wood-nymph, Eastern Tailed Blue, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Fiery Skipper, Giant Swallowtail, Gray Hairstreak, Great Spangled Fritillary, Gulf Fritillary, Hayhurst’s Scallopwing, Horace’s Duskywing, Little Glassywing, Monarch, Orange Sulphur, Painted Lady, Pearl Crescent, Peck’s Skipper, Red Admiral, Red-Banded Hairstreak, Red-Spotted Admiral, Sachem, Silvery Checkerspot, Silver-Spotted Skipper, Spicebush Swallowtail, Swallowtail, Tawny-edge Skipper, Variegated Fritillary, Viceroy, Wild Indigo Duskywing, Zabulon
Butterfly Bush
1. Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)
The name says it all, Butterfly Bush is hands down the best plant for attracting butterflies to your yard. Each plant can support hundreds of butterflies feeding on it at one time. Beautiful, fast-growing, deciduous shrub with masses of blossoms that bloom from summer to autumn.
