Any pond is a real microcosm. Nature does not tolerate emptiness, and no matter how small the reservoir is, on its shores there will be a place for plants, flowers, and small inhabitants will appear in the water. Inside our miniature, shallow pond, life will always boil, and its compact size will allow us to better communicate with this amazing world of wildlife.
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| Photo: Marat Yakhnin |
A miniature body of water has its own advantages in terms of aesthetics. It is all in full view: here a small ant drags a twig into its large anthill house, here a water beetle hastily swam, next to a bright butterfly perched on a petal of a water hyacinth, and over there, a large dragonfly, like a helicopter, landed on a pebble near the shore. Next to such a miniature pond, it seems just huge!
Of course, a noisy company cannot be placed on the shore of such a reservoir, but this is an ideal corner for solitude and relaxation, a place where you can be alone with yourself, reflect, dream and observe the measured life of its inhabitants. Admiring the small pond will be very pleasant for children who are just beginning to learn and discover the world of wildlife, so a mini-pond can be arranged next to the playground.
It is also convenient that there is no need to look for a place for such a pond. Any piece of land on which you can install a bowl of a future reservoir will do. Not to mention saving money on materials for "building" a pond - if you wish, you can easily find them in your household.
Create a live thumbnail
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Photo: Marat Yakhnin |
The principles for creating a small pond are no different from those that should be followed when building a large reservoir. Therefore, first you need to dig a pit that is suitable in width, length and depth, and then cover it with coconut mats, geotextiles - or fill it with sand by 5-10 cm. Further, the film from butyl rubber, PVC or liquid rubber remaining from the construction of a large pond will be used. Of course, you can also resort to concreting, but in this case it is not advisable. But a ready-made plastic form of a small volume will be very useful.
If the pond is small but deep, the dug earth can be immediately used to build a stream or waterfall. They will fit very well into the miniature we create. As a finishing of the pond, both a film with pebbles glued to it and natural pebbles neatly laid out along the bottom are suitable.
The charm of minimalism
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Photo: Marat Yakhnin |
Plants for a small pond don't have to be big either. They need to be selected so that they do not drown out our small reservoir over time. For example, if you decide to plant a tree on the shore, let it be a dwarf form of some coniferous tree that grows rather slowly.
Of course, you can plant several large aquatic plants so that all the attention is concentrated on them. But these must be very beautiful ornamental plants. For example, if you plant one large nymph in the center of the pond, you can come and watch her, her growth, how she behaves at different times of the day, and make your little discoveries. By the way, the nymphea blooms at sunrise, and after sunset plunges its buds under the water. And you can see it very close! And how quivering and joyful the moment will be when the first petals of the water hyacinth, which you have been watching for a long time, will open up!
The main rule that should be followed when landscaping a small reservoir is not to overload it with a large number of plants. Of course, I want to plant both this and that, but in our case it is better not to deviate from minimalism.
My wonderful pond, how to decorate you?
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Photo: Natalia Ivanova |
The best answer to this question is no way.In fact, why does a miniature pond need any decorations if it itself, like a small sparkling pearl, is a garden decoration?
A small pond can perfectly complement a rocky Japanese-style garden. As you know, the hallmark of this style is minimalism in everything. So we will not violate this harmony of grace and asceticism.
Playing on contrasts is another matter. If a single sculpture of a large frog, snail or turtle is placed near a small reservoir, thereby emphasizing the tiny size of the pond, then such a game will appeal not only to a child who has managed to get acquainted with the work of Jonathan Swift, but also to an adult. After all, we are all children at heart, and someone, perhaps, often recalls the time when he was small, and the surrounding objects are big, big.
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Photo: Natalia Ivanova |
Continuing the fabulous theme, in the evening, with the help of colored lights and a fogger, you can turn your little pond into a real mystical, mysterious reservoir. Mysterious, scary - and very romantic! It is only necessary to take into account one circumstance: the additional equipment in a small pond is visible at a glance, and unmasked hulls are striking because of their large (compared to the reservoir) size. Therefore, instead of one powerful lamp, it is better to use several small ones, and their bodies are reliably masked with stones.
Adhering to minimalism in everything, guided by a sense of proportion, you can create with your own hands a real small world, beautiful, inimitable, unique. The small pond is the perfect hideaway for romantics and dreamers. Contemplation of this filigree, amazing microcosm will touch the most delicate strings of your soul and give you a wonderful feeling of peace, joy and harmony.
Snezhana Kholodova
"Landscape solutions" No. 3, 2008
