Welcome to Roy the Koi’s PondBlog. Our intent is to open up a dialogue between manufacturers, distributors, retailers, designers, installers and customers. We want this to become a forum for the exchange of information- anything and everything to do with decorative water features- the products that go into them, how to install them, how to maintain them and most of all how to enjoy them. If you have had a problem or issue, whether product related or not, let us know. We want to help you find a solution.
This is about more than liners. To that end, we welcome questions and comments from anyone who would like to contribute, including manufacturers, distributors and retailers of the other products necessary for a healthy, functioning water feature. Periodically, we will post “helpful hints” and “how to” type articles. So, if you have a topic in mind, please let us know.
I will admit, I am new to blogging and fairly new to the concept of decorative water features- especially in a residential setting. I was a military brat, which means I moved around a lot. I don’t remember anyone I ever knew having a decorative water feature. So, like many, I thought it was only for the extremely wealthy. Since joining Firestone a few years ago, I have come to realize how wrong an assumption that was.
Decorative water features are as diverse as the people who own them. They range from simple to the extremely ornate. Today, you don’t even need a large yard to enjoy the sound of flowing water. There are all types of pondless water features, some that take up only a few square feet.
So if you are someone who has always wanted to enjoy the calming sound of water, do some research and you might be surprised. Ponds and water features come in all shapes and sizes, in nearly any price range and in a variety of styles- natural looking versus highly decorative, koi ponds vs. reflection ponds, water falls, streams- in fact, nearly anything is possible.
To start your search, take a look at some of the websites offered by our PondGard distributors and installers. Some other great resources are
* HGTV.com- Great ideas for the do-it-yourselfer
* HGTVPro.com- Inspiration for more elaborate water features that will likely need to be professionaly
installed.
* National Association of Pond Professionals
* PondBiz Magazine
* Watershapes Magazine
* Water Garden News
Some additional publications available by subscription are Ponds USA & Water Gardens and Ponds Magazine. Both can be purchased at www.bowtieinc.com. Or simply enter key terms such as ponds, decorative water features, water feature design, into your favorite search engine and see what you find. The wealth of information is constantly growing as more and more people realize that having their own backyard oasis is easier than they thought.
So, with that, I will end my first post by asking you to post your comments, questions and suggestions.
