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birdfeedingThree Weeks for Dreamwidth runs April 25-May 15. This year, I have posted about birds in honor of birdfeeding. Today's topic is Water Features. This is the final installment. I hope you've enjoyed the event and this series of posts.
All birds need water. That makes a water feature a great way to attract birds in a wildlife garden. For birdbaths, drippers, misters, etc. see the previous post about Birdbaths. For large ponds, see the post about Waterfowl. For the purposes of wildlife gardening, water features can be divided into three groups: water gardens, wildlife ponds, and moving water. If you want to use a filter, consider a bog filter. Bear in mind that some wildlife prefers calm water while others prefer moving water. Many birds are attracted to the sound of moving water, but some are intimidated by it. So if you have room, consider offering both still and moving water in separate locations.
24 Outdoor Water Feature Ideas for Backyards, Gardens, & Patios
41 Stunning Garden Water Features to Easily Recreate
The Definitive Guide To Backyard Water Features
Using Water Features to Engage Wildlife
A water garden is a small to medium aquatic feature, often with a manmade appearance. The smallest of these are container gardens, such as a ceramic pot or a half-barrel. You can fit one even in a tiny space like a balcony, patio, or deck. Larger sizes may use a wading pool, a preformed pond liner, or a flexible liner. These combine well with other fixtures such as lights or fountains. They typically include live plants and a mechanical pump with filter, and they may or may not hold fish. The more fish, the stronger filtration the water garden requires to stay clean, so understocking is better -- unless you expect birds such as herons to eat them, in which case supply plenty of feeder goldfish.
13 Peaceful DIY Container Water Garden Ideas For Container Gardeners
Fish for container water gardens
How to Build a Small Water Garden
How to Create a Container Water Garden
Pond And Water Gardens – Information And Plants For Small Water Gardens
Selecting the Best Pond Liner?
A wildlife pond is a medium to large aquatic feature with a natural appearance. It can be made with a rigid liner but more often a flexible liner, and some people prefer clay. Some people prefer to avoid a filter or fish in a wildlife pond, but that's up to you. You can choose some like mosquito fish that will eat mosquito larvae but are too small to bother tadpoles. It depends how much ecosystem you're comfortable with, but realistically, if you make a wildlife pond then critters in it will eat each other. Include a slanted log for basking. Make sure there is a shallow area with beach for birds and small critters to drink or splash. Line the shore with a mix of rocks and plants to make hiding places. If you include a bog area, that may attract marsh-loving birds like killdeer or blackbirds.
Building a Wildlife Pond for birds. Key design ideas
Designing a Permaculture Pond - Part 1: Art and Cultural Patterns
How to Attract Frogs and Birds to Your Pond
How to Build & Make a Small Wildlife Pond (Preformed or Liner Options)
How to Build a Natural Stream Pond
Natural Ponds Attract Wildlife to Your Water Garden
Moving water includes a variety of features that can stand alone or work together. Popular choices include fountains, waterfalls, and streams. Fountains offer a unique safety option because they can fall into a pebble bed rather than a standing pool, useful if you have small children. Birds can still drink between the pebbles if the water level is high enough. Waterfalls can be made with rocks or preformed cascades. A shallow stream made with basins or a flexible liner will appeal to many birds. A dry streambed may be augmented with a dustbath or a ground birdbath such as a dish rock.
10 DIY Waterfall Ideas And Features For Your Backyard
17 DIY Water Fountain Ideas That Will Save You Major Time and Money
All About Garden Fountains
A Beautiful Way to Catch Runoff: How to Build a Dry Stream
Build a Backyard Waterfall and Stream (DIY)
Build a Backyard Waterfall and Stream: Step by Step Guide
HOW TO BUILD A STREAM IN YOUR GARDEN
How to Make a Garden Fountain Out Of, Well, Anything You Want
Pond, Fountain and Waterfall Projects You Can DIY
birdfeeding. Today's topic is Water Features. This is the final installment. I hope you've enjoyed the event and this series of posts. All birds need water. That makes a water feature a great way to attract birds in a wildlife garden. For birdbaths, drippers, misters, etc. see the previous post about Birdbaths. For large ponds, see the post about Waterfowl. For the purposes of wildlife gardening, water features can be divided into three groups: water gardens, wildlife ponds, and moving water. If you want to use a filter, consider a bog filter. Bear in mind that some wildlife prefers calm water while others prefer moving water. Many birds are attracted to the sound of moving water, but some are intimidated by it. So if you have room, consider offering both still and moving water in separate locations.
24 Outdoor Water Feature Ideas for Backyards, Gardens, & Patios
41 Stunning Garden Water Features to Easily Recreate
The Definitive Guide To Backyard Water Features
Using Water Features to Engage Wildlife
A water garden is a small to medium aquatic feature, often with a manmade appearance. The smallest of these are container gardens, such as a ceramic pot or a half-barrel. You can fit one even in a tiny space like a balcony, patio, or deck. Larger sizes may use a wading pool, a preformed pond liner, or a flexible liner. These combine well with other fixtures such as lights or fountains. They typically include live plants and a mechanical pump with filter, and they may or may not hold fish. The more fish, the stronger filtration the water garden requires to stay clean, so understocking is better -- unless you expect birds such as herons to eat them, in which case supply plenty of feeder goldfish.
13 Peaceful DIY Container Water Garden Ideas For Container Gardeners
Fish for container water gardens
How to Build a Small Water Garden
How to Create a Container Water Garden
Pond And Water Gardens – Information And Plants For Small Water Gardens
Selecting the Best Pond Liner?
A wildlife pond is a medium to large aquatic feature with a natural appearance. It can be made with a rigid liner but more often a flexible liner, and some people prefer clay. Some people prefer to avoid a filter or fish in a wildlife pond, but that's up to you. You can choose some like mosquito fish that will eat mosquito larvae but are too small to bother tadpoles. It depends how much ecosystem you're comfortable with, but realistically, if you make a wildlife pond then critters in it will eat each other. Include a slanted log for basking. Make sure there is a shallow area with beach for birds and small critters to drink or splash. Line the shore with a mix of rocks and plants to make hiding places. If you include a bog area, that may attract marsh-loving birds like killdeer or blackbirds.
Building a Wildlife Pond for birds. Key design ideas
Designing a Permaculture Pond - Part 1: Art and Cultural Patterns
How to Attract Frogs and Birds to Your Pond
How to Build & Make a Small Wildlife Pond (Preformed or Liner Options)
How to Build a Natural Stream Pond
Natural Ponds Attract Wildlife to Your Water Garden
Moving water includes a variety of features that can stand alone or work together. Popular choices include fountains, waterfalls, and streams. Fountains offer a unique safety option because they can fall into a pebble bed rather than a standing pool, useful if you have small children. Birds can still drink between the pebbles if the water level is high enough. Waterfalls can be made with rocks or preformed cascades. A shallow stream made with basins or a flexible liner will appeal to many birds. A dry streambed may be augmented with a dustbath or a ground birdbath such as a dish rock.
10 DIY Waterfall Ideas And Features For Your Backyard
17 DIY Water Fountain Ideas That Will Save You Major Time and Money
All About Garden Fountains
A Beautiful Way to Catch Runoff: How to Build a Dry Stream
Build a Backyard Waterfall and Stream (DIY)
Build a Backyard Waterfall and Stream: Step by Step Guide
HOW TO BUILD A STREAM IN YOUR GARDEN
How to Make a Garden Fountain Out Of, Well, Anything You Want
Pond, Fountain and Waterfall Projects You Can DIY
