Have you considered adding a pond to your yard but you’re just not sure whether it’s the right choice for you, your style or your space? Do you worry about the maintenance and maybe the mosquitos? (Pro tip: only still water attracts mosquitos, and a pond done right will NEVER be still!)
Or perhaps you love ponds and you’re convinced…. That they’re definitely not for you!
Either way, we want to share some reasons why people love their ponds – in their own words. Even people who never wanted a pond or were skeptical and had reservations. Perhaps some of these reasons will strike a chord with you. Perhaps they’ll reinforce your decision to add a pond, or tip you over into the pond-lovers camp.
We hope they’ll inspire you to dream and to imagine what your space could be like with the addition of a pond. If that happens, let us know! We’d love to take the journey with you.
A Pond Creates A Peaceful Space
What does a “peaceful” space mean to you? It might be a quiet place to sit and unwind after a stressful, hectic day. It might be a place to connect with nature, or someone you love. It could be a spiritual place where you feed and soothe your soul.
Whatever that space means to you, would you be surprised to learn that a pond can provide you with all of that, and more?
It sounds so simple, and yet sometimes the simplest truths are the most profound. Water has been shown to have tremendous healing powers, from helping people recover from surgery faster to having a positive impact on the behavior of Alzheimer’s patients. But don’t take it from us. Here’s what Barbara said about the pond that we installed for her.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to let you know how special our yard is now that we have our new pond. The same way not every house is a home, not every yard is an oasis. All the beautiful flowers and trees, with their color and texture and shade can bring nature closer, but they can’t insinuate themselves into your soul the way a yard with a pond can.
The pleasureful sound of the falling water, the beauty of an entirely independent “universe”, the familiarity of the fish and the wonder and purity of nature are an overwhelmingly necessary part of refreshing and recharging your spirit at the end of the day.
Just as the earth is mostly water, so are we, and the connection to the running water and the beauty and strength of the pond’s ecosystem connects with me on a spiritual level. I am at peace when I am at home in my yard. I am connected in a much deeper way to life’s cycle and life’s beauty and it instills in me a deeper respect and honor for all that I encounter. It is my center for meditation and replenishes my connection to life’s simplest and most important treasures.
A Pond Is A Great Place For Children To Play And Explore
Do you sometimes catch yourself mid-sentence admonishing your kids to “get outside and play” and think, “Sheesh, I sound like my mother.”
There are even more distraction now that there were just 20 years ago, and fewer reasons for kids to leave the sofa. If yours spend too much time in front of TV, phones, and video games, you might be pleasantly surprised when they start spending more time outside by the pond. They just need something to *do*, and sometimes an empty green lawn (in spite of all the toys in the shed) doesn’t offer the same type of engagement as a running stream and a pond full of jumping, playful fish.
By the way, did you also know that a pond can double as a natural swimming pool? Ditch the chlorine and vacuuming. A pond is Mother Nature’s pool, and it’s healthier and more fun, too.
Listen to Kathy and Harry’s experience with their two year old niece:
The pond has beautiful waterfall with subtle twists and turns, a stone bridge, stone steps from our deck, wonderful plants and even caves for our fish. We love listening to sounds of the water and the way the lighting adds to our enjoyment in the evening. Everyone is happy, even the goldfish. All our visitors loved the changes even my 2 year old niece who after swimming in the pool asked her mother if she could go to the park. She meant the stream; she wanted to walk in the waterfall.
Want some creative ideas for engaging kids (and maybe even grown ups)? This is what Bonnie had planned after we installed her pond.
I’m having a reveal party with my family and I’m going to let the kids name the fish. I worked as a missionary in Korea and everyone there has a Korean name and an English name. So there’s an opportunity where people can give the fish a Korean name or even a nickname. My Spanish friends can give them a Spanish name. I’m also going to set up some art supplies so people can draw pictures of the fish. There are endless possibilities for what the children can do. Maybe I’ll even let grown ups do it. At my age I don’t have toys to play with anymore but I can invite family and friends over who have children and now I have a fish pond. The kids don’t want to go to some boring house.
A Pond Is A Low Maintenance Hobby
If you’re used to spending weekends behind a lawn mower, you’re going to love the simplicity of pond maintenance. Even more importantly, you might just find that you *enjoy* pond maintenance!
A balanced ecosystem pond will just about take care of itself. And fish make the perfect pets. With proper care they can spend all four seasons happily living in your pond, and you can even take a long vacation without worrying about what to do with them. Set up an auto-dosing and auto-feeding system and your pond and fish will be as healthy when you return as when you left.
We’ve worked for many customers who’ve been hesitant, if not outright opposed, to installing a pond. Yet something convinces them, whether it’s a family member who is more open to it, or the anticipation of its potential. And so far we haven’t met one person who has regretted the decision.
Here’s how Megan and Harry felt about it.
From our morning coffee to our evening wine, you will undoubtedly find at least one of us enjoying the sights and sounds that our pond brings. At first I was opposed to the idea; “Too much work” “I’m not a fish person” “we won’t ever find time to sit out there.” Was I wrong!!! It has become one of our favorite relaxation areas.
Patrick sums it up well.
Thanks for talking me into the pond. It is indeed the central point of the yard and the flowing water is so relaxing and enjoyable, as are the fish and the bathing birds. The maintenance is simple for a novice like me.
And Esther and Edward discovered that pond fish are the center of their enjoyment.
The pond has brought the beauty of nature to our yard. The view and the sounds are peaceful and calming. We constantly observe new birds and butterflies – the aquatic plants are magnificent and constantly changing plus the fish are a pleasure to watch. In the evening the pond is lit by underwater lights and we look forward to relaxing and feeding the fish. Each day brings a new surprise. Last week we discovered a dozen baby fish!!
One of the truly wonderful things about a pond is that it can serve either as the focal point of your enjoyment, or as the backdrop for it. Whether you enjoy feeding your fish – or feeding yourself in your outdoor dining space! – your pond will set the tone and create the magical natural environment for it. Here’s what Laurie and Joe said about how their pond changed their lifestyle.
Neither of us realized how much we would enjoy sitting beside the pond, especially in the evening hours under the soft glow of the surrounding landscape lighting. It is so peaceful and relaxing and has really allowed us to enjoy our yard in a way we never did before. We find ourselves entertaining much more and our guests rave about the pond as well as the adjoining patio and pergola, which together create the feel of an outdoor room.
A Pond Brings Paradise To You
As more and more homes go up and more and more shopping malls and big box stores take over our natural spaces, we can start to lose touch with the earth and nature around us. Parks are encroached upon by development. Noise and light pollution inhibit our enjoyment of the outdoors. Ultimately we are worse for it – more stressed, less connected.
It’s up to us to create our own personal safe spaces, our own paradises in the midst of the chaos. One way you can do that is with beautiful landscaping – and a pond.
A pond provides a multi sensory experience, from the sight of its rippling surface to the sound of a waterfall running over stone. It showcases the best of each season, whether brightly colored plants and wildlife during summer, or enchanting ice formations during winter. Instead of looking outward, to fantasy vacation spots and deserted beaches, why not bring paradise to your back yard? You have that power. Just read how some of our customers have done it.
Here’s what Amy said of a DIY pond that she installed from one of our kits:
This pond is the best thing I ever did. It’s beautiful, it’s calming. It’s a great hobby for water gardening and watching fish. When you have a pond it just draws you. It’s such a good experience to listen to the waterfall. I have had nights where I sit outside with a candle and fall asleep. It’s that calming.
Connie and Ed found their much-missed connection with nature through a pond.
I enjoy sitting by my pond listening to the sounds of running water splashing against the rocks. My pond replaces that missing environment of running streams, fish and hiking trails. When twilight and darkness are illuminated by the special lighting, it creates a tranquil cozy atmosphere. My morning coffee tastes even better when I go out and walk around the pond.
As for paradise, Diane chose to use that exact word to describe the space she shares with Loretta.
The yard is so soothing and inviting at night. I walk out at 10 pm in my socks to just look into the pond and absorb the natural beauty all around me. Loretta loves the path lighting and the pond lights….we couldn’t be happier…We can’t thank you enough for creating “A Whole New World” in our back yard. People that visit are entranced with the transformation. You have created our paradise.
We hope that whether you’ve been thinking about adding a pond, or never thought of yourself as a pond person at all, we’ve inspired you to dream of the enjoyment, pleasure and peace it can bring. If you’d like to know more about how a pond can transform your space and lifestyle, or if you have questions about pond maintenance, fish care, or anything else, get in touch and let us know.
Your pond is our passion, and we’d love to make that dream come true for you!
