Water Gardening in Containers: Small Ponds, Indoors & Out (Hardcover)

~ C. Greg Speichert (Author), (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The authors combine the art of container gardening with that of water gardening, resulting in this engaging book on water gardens in containers. The Chinese have been doing this for nearly 5,000 years--in pots, urns, and tubs. Nash and Speichert explain the basics: how to choose containers and make them watertight, how to select and install a small pump, how to select the appropriate type of fish, and how to protect fish and plants from predators. There are chapters on creating tub gardens, dish and indoor container gardens, aquatic hanging baskets, aquatic planters, and window boxes. There is information on making an English trough garden, an aquatic topiary, a patio pond, a fountain sculpture, a lotus garden, and a carnivorous bog garden. There are helpful photographs in color on every page. Creating these water gardens is not as easy as the authors would have you believe, but with time and perseverance it can be done. George Cohen

Product Description

Just because you don't have a pond or even room or time for one doesn't mean you'll never enjoy a water garden. All you need is a container no bigger than a fish aquarium and a few minutes a week. The beautiful and simple water gardening methods presented here are inspired by the Chinese, who've been doing it for nearly 5,000 years. Choose from a surprising variety of containers and plantings, from classic lotuses and small water lilies peeking out of traditional urns to pots and tubs on windowsills and door stoops. These miniature water gardens are a combined aquarium-terrarium and can excite the imagination more than either, even though they're easier to care for than potted geraniums or pansies in window boxes. Here is the basic information needed on how to select a container (anything you can seal and make watertight); how to maintain water quality (only a small pump, or maybe none); the most attractive low-maintenance plants and how to care for them; how to stock fish, prevent predators and pests, adapt your care to the four seasons, and much more; all with color photos to inspire your ideas, and closeup photos and drawings to show how to carry out each step of preparation, manufacture, and care.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 127 pages
• Publisher: Sterling Pub Co Inc (August 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806981970
• ISBN-13: 978-0806981970
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,076,956 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Many pretty pictures and neat ideas, but not enough info, May 5, 2001

By	Evelyn Ivey (Havertown, PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Water Gardening In Containers: Small Ponds Indoors & Out (Paperback)

This book is well illustrated and is a great "idea book" for people who want to see the many types of container water garden possibilities. There are also several useful tips that make the book worthwhile. Contents are: 1. Basics, 2. Tub gardens, 3. Dish and indoor gardens, 4. Hanging baskets, 5. Planters & window boxes, 6. Creative containers, 7. Patio ponds, 8. Fountains, statuary & wall containers, 9. Paludariums (semi-aquatic glass tank gardens that can house plants & pets), 10. Lotus, 11. Carnivorous plants. Who knew there were so many types of water container gardens? Several chapters have step-by-step pictures for setting up the containers and placing fixtures and plants.

However, the book is terribly deficient in detail - each chapter has about a brochure's worth of text. Although many pond books suggest that novices will find a container garden to be an easy first water project, there are some unique challenges - in particular: temperature control, selecting pumps & filters suitable for small containers, controlling quality of a small water volume, and choosing plants that are best for containers. I have several pond/general water gardening books, and I bought this book hoping for more info specific to container gardens.

The book is particularly deficient in information about the various plants. Unlike most water garden books, there is no section devoted to plant specifications and requirements (other than lotuses and carnivorous plants). In many of the photographs, the plants are not identified at all, and in some they are incorrectly identified. This severely limits the value of the book as a brainstorming tool. The book also does a very poor job of explaining the water quality and temperature problems that will arise if one attempts to add fish or other animals to the container. Finally, there is no climate zone related information, and there is no discussion whatsoever of what to do with these gardens in the winter.

Part of my disappointment with this book is that I bought the hardcover edition and paid too much for it (doh!). I think this book is worth it as an idea book, just realize that to create a container water garden of your own, this is by no means the only book you will need.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent water gardening ideas and examples!, May 5, 1999

By A Customer

I love this book! I have always been enamoured with ponds and water gardens, but thought I would have to own a home to have one. This book shows how to create the perfect container water garden for any size yard, patio, or even room. Great how-to's step by step. Gorgeous pictures. Great ideas. Thank you for such a beautiful, practical and affordable book!

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another plus for container gardening, March 21, 2000

By	Melissa (Hamilton, ON) - See all my reviews

I have a smaller suburban yard and every corner is utilized. Though envious of a friend with an in-ground pond and waterfall, I did not want to dig up exsisting shrubs and perennials to satisfy my yen for water. Since I already grow vegetables, herbs, ornamental grasses and perennials in containers, I thought why not a water garden. This book showed me what I could do with one of my empty oak barrels. I had a lovely mini pond with running water. I added 3 fish, water plants, and bought some toad tadpoles from a nearby garden centre. I liked it so much I'm going to do some smaller containers as well as a couple of glazed pots with water lilys. The only thing is to overwinter water plants you need a small indoor aquarium with grow lights, or a helpful friend with a pond. Enjoy and experiment! P.S. Although the toads might not be able to breed in my yard, for the rest of the summer the little toadlets were happily hopping around in my yard eating bugs.