Sometimes even the most beautiful garden needs one final touch to elevate it from “ordinary” beauty to a level that is something else entirely. In many cases, a koi pond can be that extra crowning detail. Koi, with their beautiful jewel colors and unique patterns, are an ornamental Japanese species of carp that many designers of special garden ponds favor, for both public and private spaces. Instead of the expected pond fountain, koi can add distinction to these spaces in a different way.

One thing to keep in mind if you put a koi pond into your yard is that it needs to be big enough for these fish to survive in. Many experts suggest that for every 100 gallons of water your pond contains, you should have one fish. It might be hard to resist the temptation to add more, to add to the range of patterns and colors, but the fish themselves would be harmed by overcrowding. And fish pond predators will need to be thwarted as well. Making the pond between five and eight feet deep will help discourage them.

These ponds need protection in several ways, in fact. The depth will help reduce danger from many sorts of predators, from raccoons, to cats, to kingfishers. Great Blue Herons can do a lot of damage as well, so some builders even recommend placing a bird net over the pond. The fish also need protection from direct sunlight, so a koi pond should have some shade, yet without being directly under trees and getting clogged with falling leaves. Water lilies can help provide some of this needed shading effect.

If you take the proper precautions, then you should have a healthy koi pond. Be sure to take as much care over your fish pond supplies as you do in selecting the fish and creating the pond itself. Have the proper filters to keep the pond clean, and remember that in the winter, the pond can’t be allowed to freeze over, so you’ll likely need a heater too. The severity of the winter climate might even be a factor in whether you should have this type of pond at all. But hopefully, with the right preparations and precautions, you can create a jewel to set into your garden and lift it into the realm of the extraordinary.

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