PONDS, WATER FEATURES AND wATER GARDENING
Recommended reading

Greenoak, Francesca. Water Features for Small Gardens: Creating Compact Gardens. S.l.: Sterling Publications, 2002.

A water feature adds to the beauty of even a small backyard.  In addition to project ideas, Greenoak includes advice on suitable plants and information on aeration, water purification and pump care.  

Ortho’s All About Building Waterfalls, Ponds, and Streams. S.l.: Ortho Books, 2002.

Ortho provides ideas and plans for water features plus information on building materials and techniques, necessary equipment, and stocking the project with fish and plants.

Bridgewater, Alan and Gill Bridgewater. Outdoor Water Features: 16 Easy-to-Build Projects for Your Yard and Garden. S.l.: Storey Books, 2001.
Sixteen projects ranging from simple to more difficult with easy-to-follow instructions are presented.  Included are a wall-mounted fountain spout, a traditional cascade and water sculptures.

Allison, James. Water in the Garden: A Complete Guide to the Design and Installation of Ponds, Fountains, Streams, and Waterfalls. Boston, Mass: Little, Brown, 1991.

Beautiful and practical, this book contains many ideas for incorporating water into garden design.

Matson, Tim. Earth Ponds A to Z: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Woodstock, Vt.: Countryman Press, 2002.

Over two hundred terms related to pond building and maintenance are defined in this handy reference tool.

Matson, Tim. Earth Ponds Sourcebook: The Pond Owner's Manual and Resource Guide. 2nd ed. Woodstock, Vt.: Countryman Press, 2004.

Extensive resources for the latest in pond technology, techniques and supporting organizations make the updated version of this detailed guide to pond design, construction and maintenance an excellent sourcebook.

Matson, Tim. Earth Ponds: The Country Pond Maker's Guide to Building, Maintenance, and Restoration. 2nd ed. Woodstock, Vt.: Countryman Press, 1991.

This updated version of the original Earth Ponds will walk readers through the process of planning, digging, sculpting, maintaining and enjoying their ponds.

Nash, Helen. The Complete Pond Builder: Creating a Beautiful Water Garden. New York: Sterling Publishing, 1996.

A nice overview of all aspects of building a pond--from selecting a design to construction and plant selection.  Expert tips for all topics are featured throughout.

Adkins, Dorcas. Simple Fountains for Indoors and Outdoors: 20 Step-by-Step Projects. Pownal, Vt.: Storey Books, 1999.

Adkin's can-do attitude is infectious in this guide to making fountains for your home or garden. She recommends readily-available materials and simple crafting techniques so that almost anyone will find these projects accessible.

Robinson, Peter. Splash! Rock and Water Design in Gardens. London: Southwater, 2003.

This guide's best feature is a section on those vital finishing touches that can transform a water garden, including bridges, decking, stepping stones, islands and lighting. Other helpful sections include choosing materials, safety, sizing a pond and more.

Axelrod, Herbert R. et al. The Atlas of Garden Ponds. Neptune City, N.J.: TFH, 1992.

This volume contains as broad an overview as one could wish for when planning and maintaining a water garden. Includes a special chapter on "Diseases of Koi and other Coldwater Fishes" in addition to its extensive sections on pond animals.

Archer-Wills, Anthony and Helen Woodhall. Designing Water Gardens: A Unique Approach. London: Conran Octopus, 1999.

Imaginatively structured, each chapter mirrors part of the water cycle and relates it to a man-made garden equivalent--from hot tubs to wildlife ponds. The beautiful photographs are sure to get any pond-designer's ideas flowing.

Swindells, Philip. The Master Book of the Water Garden. Boston: Bullfinch Press, 2002.

This indispensable book helps minimize the problems faced in building and maintaining a water feature with its wealth of practical ideas and tips for both the amateur and experienced gardener.

Nash, Helen. The Pond Doctor: Planning & Maintaining a Healthy Water Garden. New York: Sterling Pub, 1994.

This troubleshooting guide by water garden expert Helen Nash will help you keep a beautiful and healthy water garden by either preventing or solving a variety of problems that you may face.

Nash, Helen and Greg C. Speichert. Water Gardening in Containers: Small Ponds Indoors & Out. New York: Sterling, 1999.

Just because you don't have room for a full-scale pond doesn't mean you can't enjoy a water garden--gardening in containers is part aquarium, part terrarium and easy-care if you follow this guide.

Van Sweden, James. Gardening With Water. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications, 2003.

This exquisite book by internationally-renowned landscape designer James Van Sweden will provide much food for thought by ranging through influences such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Japanese Palace Gardens to modern constructions by Van Sweden himself to help you come up with the perfect design for your water garden, no matter what the size of your yard or the extent of your experience.

Dawes, John. The Pond Owner's Problem Solver. Oxford: Andromeda Books, 2002.

More than 175 questions about pond design, stocking and management are answered in a practical way by landscape experts in this handy guide.

Speichert, C. Greg and Sue Speichert. Encyclopedia of Water Garden Plants. Portland: Timber Press, 2004.

This is the definitive photographic reference to the full range of plants available to the water gardener. With more than 700 photos and helpful introductory chapters on pots, soils, and fertilizers, this book promises to be the bible for the selection and cultivation of every water garden plant.