Most likely you've driven past homes with water gardens and appreciated the lovely landscaping. After all, burbling, cascading water and the sight of a beautiful pond, fountain, or waterfall can make any back yard prettier, as long as it's designed with taste and an eye for curb appeal. You might have even dreamed of having a water garden built into your own yard until you learned the cost of the project. Fortunately, you can do the work on your own water feature and save on all the labor costs you'd have to pay otherwise. By following a few basic guidelines, you'll be well on your way to being the envy of all passersby.

You may be objecting, “But I'm not very handy that way.” The majority of us aren't, but building a water garden is more dependent on your creative planning and hard work than it is on having a resume filled with building skills. If you can garden, you can build a great water garden in your yard.

Get started by learning your community's codes about where you can build your water garden. There are most likely rules governing the placement of your water feature as well as its size and depth. Some towns will have safety rules, such as how deep you can dig your pond without needing to fence in the area. You are going to also need to learn where pipes, wiring, septic system, or other underground utility features are located, because you obviously can't excavate in those areas.

Decide on your location carefully. Once you know what you're dealing with, you're free to choose a location where your water garden will be both visible and functional. If you are only planning on cultivating water plants in and near your pond, it will be fine to locate your water garden in bright sunlight. However, if you want to add fish to the pool, you have to locate it where where it will receive some shade during the hottest times of the day.

Actually, the time you spend planning and shopping will most likely take you longer than building the water garden itself. You can begin the project with nothing more than a small pump, a pond liner, and a shovel. Over time, and as you are able to afford it, you can add to your water feature and make it more intricate and fancier so that someday you'll have the water garden you always dreamed about, and you'll have built it yourself.

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