A water feature is a great addition to any kind of garden, providing a great deal of aesthetic satisfaction as well as adding an interesting feature to the garden environment. There are a great variety of fishponds, however, all with different purposes or requirements in terms of what make great accessories for a fishpond.

It is always necessary to consider that each different outdoor fishpond will have different requirements, depending on its size, situation and purpose. Some gardeners may be looking to keep troublesome interventions from wild animals or local cats at bay, while others may need accessories to help deal with intrusive growths of plants such as algae.

Other gardeners may be looking for more cosmetic rather than practical accessories, such as water features like small waterfalls or fountains. These make a fishpond much more than just a hole full of water, giving it a life and status of its own in the garden.

Of course, a pond could be more about keeping fish in than looking good, in which case such features might well be at odds with creating the right environment for fish to live in. For those who are keeping fish, a net is the first accessory they should be looking to acquire.

Nets are useful as tools to help keep the water clear of rubbish or intrusive plants. They are also used to remove fish if the pond is subject to maintenance work, or the animal needs removing for medical reasons of some kind.

A small electrified fence is an accessory which some gardeners use to keep unwanted animals away from the fish in their pond. These give out a small electrical shock when an animal comes into contact with them, which hopefully makes it a relatively harmless way of keeping a pond free from predation.

This is an effective method of preventing predation of pond fish, but it can be dangerous for children and can seem a little harsh to many gardeners who like to see wild mammals and birds in their gardens. Often, a replica of a predator is used instead, such as heron, as these are territorial birds and may be fooled into thinking that another heron is already resident. Some experts refute this assertion though, claiming that it may actually encourage predators.

Of course, decorating a pond with some kind of sculpture or statue is a common practice. Natural looking rock sculptures can give the pond a rugged feel, especially if accompanied by suitable vegetation. Gnomes have been the choice of millions of gardeners over the years, and can still add a touch of kitsch humor or childish fun to a feature, especially if they are depicted as fishing.

Temperature management is a key issue for many pond owners, especially if they are keeping fish. It is unwise to try and feed fish at temperatures of less than ten degrees centigrade, for example. A pH tester is another useful accessory, keeping the right balance between acid and alkali can be crucial to a pond’s health.

As with nay kind of garden project, it pays to plan and prepare a pond installation well. Choosing great accessories for a fishpond depends on careful evaluation of what the pond’s purpose is, and it often pays to look round at other gardeners’ fishponds to see what might work best.

Outdoor Living UK offers beautiful water feature and accessories. Whether you’re looking for outdoor fishpond or something else, have a look through the extensive ranges