Garden Office Blog

A Depth of Beauty

A Depth of Beauty

By Francesca McGlone on 16th September, 2010

A pond provides a magnetic focal point in any garden. Water, whether running or still supplies a constant source of serenity, where people are drawn towards the water’s edge, as rivers, lakes and beaches become populated with contemplative gazes. Water almost refreshes inspiration to replace a cluttered mind with a sense of clarity.

A garden with a pond makes the space immediately more appealing; it acts as a teeming centre of activity, as a portal is uncovered into another world. Ponds are a childhood love. Most people can remember the fascination that lay beneath, as tadpoles and small fish wriggled through dark waters. A garden building means that more time can be spent amongst nature, providing a comfortable and close shelter if the good weather changes.

Goldfish are a popular choice for most garden ponds, serving as riches that swirl in a dark pocket. The movements of swimming fish are mesmerising as the viewer devotes more and more time towards their meandering movements within transparent silk. Depending on the numbers of fish in a pond, shapes formed by fins and tails can momentarily fuse together and showcase patterns similar to that of synchronised swimmers, dancing in a pool.

The ringed ripples that radiate out when a fish touches the roof of its watery home also provide a hypnotic display, as the surface film reverberates. The occurrence can be induced when flakes of food are scattered across the surface. Feeding fish also provides a form of interaction, as you connect in a very therapeutic manner. The presence of fish tanks in a home reflects their soothing qualities, as people recreate the environment inside, borrowing a fluid section of nature to gaze and marvel at. Even screen savers on computers display the relaxing movements of swimming fish, as a testament to their powerful influence upon mood.

Fresh water accounts for 2.75% of all surface water on earth, two thirds of which is frozen in glaciers. Having a pond full of fresh water is therefore a valuable addition to a garden, supporting its own variety of wildlife, as an assortment of new insects, plants and animals enter the frame. Water lilies are the first thoughts of many when considering the look of a garden pond. Offering a burst of colour, they sit lightly on the surface, while their flat leaves spread out, providing a platform for the obligatory frog. Their supportive vines lie underneath the water, providing a maze for other aquatic organisms. The beauty of water lilies is unique, with Monet choosing them as his favourite subject. The Lotus flower is also a popular pond plant, laid out on the water’s surface, available in pure white, as well as a range of pink and purple shades, with flowers that can protrude out of the water on a raised stalk. The flower almost has magical properties, as at night it closes and sinks underwater and reopens and rises at dawn, demonstrating an enlivened garden space.

Although ‘pond life’ is a phrase associated with immoral practices and people, the array of life associated with the pond is actually quite beautiful. The silvery, blue-green of an elongated and almost pre-historic looking dragonfly is a common sight next to ponds, as well as mayflies, which add a certain delicacy with their net like wings and flowing stringed tails.


Just as the rest of the garden is influenced by personal taste, so is a pond. Its position, shape and the life you decide to introduce together with the materials used to create it, all communicate a specific taste. Waterfalls can be added to a garden pond, placing rocks in a stepped heap so water can cascade down to produce a rhythmic symphony that remains one of the most relaxing sounds of nature. A garden office that looks out onto a garden pond and has windows open in summer to hear the rushing relaxation of flowing water provides an idyllic environment for productivity and leisure. A waterfall will also act as a focal point in the garden, just as the roaring flames of a fireplace would draw the eyes into a sitting room.

The garden environment is a place where every inch of greenery can be freely relished. A pond simply adds to a garden’s already blossoming character, deepening its beauty through an enrichment of aquatic colour, sound and life.


Category:  Garden Buildings

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