Pond or Pondless Water Feature: Which is Better?
Most Rock Valley, Iowa residents want an outdoor living space that allows them to soak up the sights and sounds of nature, providing solace against the daily grind and the stresses of the madding world. This is why you go to great lengths to implement a beautiful landscape design, add useful hardscape elements like paver patios and walkways, and highlight the best features of your yard with appropriate landscape lighting.
Of course, you can significantly elevate the relaxing ambience of your space with the addition of an eye-catching water feature that attracts fauna, enhances visual appeal, and instills a sense of tranquility thanks to the sounds of bubbling or falling water. The first thing you’ll want to decide is if a pond or a pondless water feature is better for your home and your sensibilities. How can you tell which is right for you?
Benefits of a Pond
It’s possible for both ponds and pondless water features to share similarities, namely elements that include falling water that is caught by a larger body of water. This is typical of both ponds and fountains, for example.
The main difference is that a pond tends to be significantly larger and often deeper than pondless water features. This is great for yards that offer a lot of space that you’d like to utilize for added value. Because ponds are built into the landscape, they often appear more natural, and it’s easy to add plants and even fish.
Ponds are designed to become their own ecosystem, which means they generally entail more upkeep and they can be more expensive than pondless water features, but you also have more options if you want a water feature that blends seamlessly with your landscaping.
Benefits of a Pondless Water Feature
If you don’t have a lot of space in your Sioux Center, Iowa backyard, you’re working with a limited budget, and you have little time to devote to maintenance and upkeep, your best bet is probably to opt for a pondless water feature. Many deliver the same beauty of a waterfall or stream, depending on the configuration, but without taking up the same space as a pond.
Pondless water features could function with a small basin as shallow as about six inches in depth. If you are worried about the presence of standing water, you can choose to add a gravel or rock bed to the basin, so that there’s really no visible pool at all. Pondless water features are easier to clean and maintain than ponds, but you won’t be able to include living plants or fish. You can add substances like chlorine for algae control without fear of harming a living ecosystem.
Which is Right for You?
You’ll have to consider available space, your budget, and your ability and willingness to maintain each type of water feature before you decide on the right element for your yard and your personal preferences. Keep in mind, you don’t necessarily have to choose one or the other. With ample space, time, and budget, you could have both.