Where there’s water there’s life. And nothing adds movement and fluidity to a garden, like water features do. Do you find that yours is somehow lacking the water element? If you like many homeowners think your garden is too small to include a water feature, you should start thinking outside the box and see the potential hiding inside the bowl. You see, something as simple as a lightweight bowl can become a wonderful landscape element if you just add water. Here are a couple creative ways you can transform a bowl into a charming water feature that will breathe more life into your garden.
A Lively Pond in a Pot
Who says your yard is to small for a pond? A water pond of any size can be an oasis that attracts butterflies, dragonflies and can be the home of some fish. A pond created in a pot, is able to nestle nicely in your small yard, whether spread out on the lawn or on the deck. All you need is a non-draining, porous-free pot and the right water plants.
The perfect pot for a pond is the one that’s wide enough to give the plants enough space for growing but not too deep as to drown them. A raven bowl in a neutral, earthy colour like chocolate brown or copper can offer the perfect surroundings to grow water plants and can look charming in any landscape setting. Materials such as ceramic, plastic, cement, porcelain or metal are perfect for a pond. However, avoid using wooden containers as they may be the source of bacteria that’s harmful to plants and fish.
As for the plant life, any kind of floating plants will thrive beautifully, like for instance, water lilies. Hyacinth and water lettuce are low maintenance, floating plants which prevent algae from forming in your water garden. Another good choice are marginal plants which have roots underwater but bloom above it. The yellow iris is one luscious marginal plant that can add some lively colour to your bowl pond.
A Welcoming Bird Bath
Make your garden more inviting to friendly fliers by including a bird bath. Isn’t it amazing to care after nature’s musicians while they infuse your garden with magical sounds? And you don’t even have to go out of your way and look for one in pet stores, it can be simply done with the help of a simple pot or a wide raven bowl.
The nice thing about a bird bath is that it can fit anywhere, whether on an open lawn or in between flower beds. It can even be slightly elevated and become an instant focal point in the garden. For an elevated bird bath all you need is three wood dowels and a bowl of your choosing. Hammer the dowels into the ground at a distance needed to support the bowl, and use a level to measure whether they are the same hight. Then place the bowl on top of them and voila – you get an instant bird-friendly water element for your garden.