Add a pond to your garden and it will not only enhance your outdoor space, but it will introduce a favored spot for calm moments and quiet contemplation. This was the idea behind actress Jennifer Aniston's Japanese garden with koi pond. Originally designed by Hal Levitt, a sensory garden with a pond is a must-have as it's the best place to immerse yourself in nature.
A well-planted, well-maintained garden pond doesn't just look good – it's also beneficial to all sorts of wildlife. Over the last century, a large portion of ponds have been lost from the countryside, meaning that man-made garden ponds have an increased importance for wildlife.
A pond attracts and supports a wide range of aquatic species, and its margins will provide food and shelter for frogs and other creatures, including hummingbirds, butterflies, and dragonflies, which bring life to the garden.
Water is an integral part of the traditional Japanese garden. Adding a water feature is a wonderful garden decor idea that brings an extra dimension to the garden, providing a focal point and lending a sense of peace and tranquillity.
With such a big focus on biodiversity in garden design at the moment adding a garden pond has never been more topical. The planting in and around it is vital to the overall effect of the water itself. There are many benefits to adding pond plants. They not only create a stunning feature but also help maintain the water quality, keeping it well-aerated, clean and clear.
Classic and iconic, no pond should be without water lilies. They are available in a range of colors including white, pink, purple and yellow, and also come in various sizes that will suit any sized pond. They have beautiful flat, round leaves and large showy flowers that sit on the surface of the water.
As with any pond or water feature ideas, the first decision to make is where to position them. This may then dictate the options open to you in terms of what will work with the rest of your space. Aniston has chosen to introduce her water element in her front yard. This might seem like an unusual option, but the tranquility associated with water in Japanese culture means that Aniston and her guests will feel calm on entrance to the Beverly Hills home. It is an inspired choice.
The landscaping around the pond is just as important as the pond itself and often includes at least one garden path idea, walkways, bridges, and gates.
'Pathways are used in Japanese gardens to help the body and soul to wander,' says gardener David Domoney. 'Most Japanese gardens feature decorative paths, walkways and bridges that meander to unseen areas of the garden.'
Many Japanese gardens have gates that aren’t intended as physical barriers. A gate or bridge can give visitors a sense of discovery and will make a garden feel bigger by dividing it into zones. Each area should be subtly concealed from the next, yet there should also be a sense of connectivity and harmony.
While wanting to create a zen garden is a universal thought, ultimately one should never borrow from another culture without truly understanding its significance throughout history.
The classical Japanese garden is a landscape, artificially contrived, and redolent of symbolism. Contour and contrast are everything; color is unimportant, except for a small accent. The purple is the only colorful aspect of Aniston's space.
Instead, the garden is an extension of the house, and the patio is a platform from which to view the landscape and contemplate its meaning.
Shop the look
Presenting a picture akin to Monet’s Water Lilies, this garden pond plant is a classic option for any space. These water lilies have beautiful flat, round leaves and large showy flowers that sit on the surface of the water.
Ideal for small gardens, Frogbit is a sweet and attractive floating plant that looks a little like a tiny water lily. Frogbit is also easy to grow. It prefers still water, just like lilies. Its small lily-pad-like leaves grow out in a rosette from the center and can form attractive rafts that are great for providing shade in the water and hosting plenty of aquatic life.
Flag Iris are beautiful, tall plants that can help add a wow factor to your pond as pond plants. Always choose native plants where possible as part of your permaculture gardening practices as these are more likely to grow in your climate – and less likely to become a problem over time.
