Water Gardens & Hydroponics

Water Gardens

Name: Water Gardens
Author: Jacqueline Heriteau
ISBN: 9780395656334

by Jacqueline Heriteau

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Overview

All over North America, from Alaska to Florida, gardeners are discovering the magic of water in the landscape - the gentle sounds; the reflections of trees and clouds; the butterflies, birds, and dragonflies that water attracts; and the exotic plants that float on its surface. With new pond liner materials and aquatic plants that thrive in an eighteen-inch-diameter container, even the tiniest garden can be home to a pool, a fountain, or a pond. As homeowners discover the possibilities and practicalities of installing a water garden, hybridizers are introducing water plants that can survive in every climate zone. Today there is no excuse not to give yourself over to the pleasures of a water garden. Everything you need to know to create your own water garden is in this book. Part One covers site planning, containers, pumps, filters, pond installation, and maintenance. Part Two is an illustrated encyclopedia of 200 of the best plants for gardens in every area of the country. Here you'll find hardy and tropical lilies, delicate floating plants, the sacred lotus, and plants for the edge of the pond - irises, ornamental grasses, and broadleaved background plants. Here, too, are the best fish, snails, and other helpers to keep the pond pristine and the gardener entertained.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Water gardens are a hot topic these days, and this may be just the book for gardeners seeking a soup-to-nuts guide to creating ones of their own. A collaborative effort by Heriteau (Feast of Flowers) and Thomas, a noted horticulturalist who owns a large commercial supplier of water garden material, the attractively designed volume is packed with 100 full-color photographs and expert information. The sole drawback, a somewhat stodgy prose style, is offset by the clarity and thoroughness of the instructions, which lead readers step-by-step through the entire process, from siting and installation of a man-made pond to such finer points as how to camouflage the water pump. In the second half of the book, the authors offer an exceptionally complete lineup of planting suggestions (water lilies, iris, wild grasses and so on) and tips on how to stock water garden fauna as well. (Mar.)

Library Journal

With many beautiful photographs accompanying a straightforward text, Heriteau, author of the National Arboretum Book of Outstanding Garden Plants (see Laura Lipton's ``Regional Gardening Books and How They Grow,'' LJ 12/93, p. 83-86), and Thomas show how to site, construct, and maintain water gardens in a home landscape. In Part 1, they discuss the practicalities of choosing the size and type of water garden, from small containers to large ponds. They also consider liners, pumping and filtering systems, and drainage. In Part 2, the authors describe briefly the various plants that can be used in and around a water garden and factors to considerin choosing them, including hardiness, colors, and planting and cultivating instructions. Also discussed are what kinds, and what numbers, of aquatic life to stock, such as goldfish, snails, frogs, and turtles (avoid the latter). For popular gardening collections.-- Pamela R. Daubenspeck, Warren-Trumbull Cty. P.L., Warren, Ohio

Alice Joyce

H{é}eriteau and Thomas provide a "formula" to help water gardeners with their primary challenge--avoiding an overabundance of algae in a pond and maintaining clear water. They outline the necessary balance between submerged and floating plants, fish, and snails. This useful advice is presented along with technical information on such topics as siting, measuring, and installing a pond liner and calculating the correct pump size for a given water garden. Overall, this manual contains essential advice on plants, including a glossary of ornamentals and recommendations on specific underwater plants for their algae-clearing tendencies. A brief summary of water creatures rounds out the package. The finished book will have color photographs illustrating many concepts, flowering plants, and water garden environments.

Booknews

Covers all aspects of installing and maintaining a water garden, from a small tub to a small lake. Discusses site planning, containers, pumps, filters, installation, and maintenance. Includes a color illustrated encyclopedia of 200 of the best plans for gardens in all climate zones of the country, and a list of the best fish and snails. The authors explain how to create a balanced ecosystem that requires minimum maintenance. Beautiful color photos throughout. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)