According to an article dated 12/19/22, Zillow data identifies the top five home trends to watch, including the return of mirrored walls and closed floor plans. 
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Backyards are mentioned 22% more often in for-sale listings compared to 2021. The humble backyard, once overshadowed by chef's kitchens and walk-in closets, is the new luxury for today's home buyers. Backyards are now highlighted in 1 out of every 5 Zillow listing descriptions. "The rising popularity of outdoor features suggests the pandemic has changed the way we want to live for good, priming the backyard for a 2023 evolution," said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert. "When the pandemic forced all entertaining outdoors, homeowners reclaimed their backyards from the kids or the dogs. Now they're rethinking how that space could serve as an extension of their home in new, creative ways."

​This growing trend in backyard landscaping involves the installation of ponds. Ponds are not only a beautiful addition to any backyard, but they also serve several practical purposes.
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​The first and most obvious reason to install a pond in your backyard is to enhance its beauty. A pond creates a serene and tranquil atmosphere, providing a place for relaxation and meditation. The water and aquatic plants offer a peaceful environment that is conducive to contemplation and reflection.
Moreover, the fish and other wildlife that live in a pond can add an extra layer of visual interest to your backyard. A pond can also act as a natural focal point, drawing the eye to the center of your backyard and creating a sense of unity and cohesion.
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A pond can provide a habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. Fish, frogs, turtles, and birds (native & migratory) are just a few of the creatures that may make their home in your pond. As a result, a pond can become a hub of biodiversity in your backyard, supporting a wide range of species that you might not otherwise see.
Not only is this great for the environment, but it also adds an extra layer of interest to your backyard. Watching the wildlife in and around your pond can be a source of endless entertainment and fascination.

The sound of running water has long been associated with relaxation and stress relief. By installing a pond in your backyard, you can create a calming and peaceful environment that can help you to unwind after a long day. The gentle sound of water can be soothing and therapeutic, promoting relaxation and reducing stress levels. Everyone wants to live or vacation near the water. Don’t wait all year for that vacation – take one every day!
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Finally, installing a pond in your backyard can increase the value of your property. A well-designed and maintained pond can add a touch of elegance and sophistication to your backyard, making it more attractive to potential buyers. Moreover, a pond can be a unique and eye-catching feature that sets your property apart from others on the market.
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​Turn your backyard from Mundane to Magical today!

A Spring pond is yawning and stretching (figuratively, of course) and getting ready to burst forth with life. The plants that were dormant and dull all winter start shooting out some new growth. This is when the old growth can be trimmed/thinned away to allow the new growth into the light. And algae is always the first weed in the garden, so there's some of that to deal with.

A Summer pond is growing aquatic plants like nobody's business! You have to stay on top of it, or your aquatic plants will eat the pond. It's an active time for water gardeners. And what better place to garden in 115 degree heat? Your Koi and goldfish are ravenously devouring food and constantly begging for more. This is the time of year you train them to eat out of your hand.

Aquatic plants are starting to slow their roll as the water temps begin to dip. You still need to tend to them, but not quite as often as during the summer. Koi and goldfish begin to go into their dormant season, as well, and you stop feeding them the commercial fish food.

During our "winter" months here in Phoenix, most of your aquatic plants are dormant, and your Koi and goldfish are generally hanging out at the bottom of the pond, clustered together for warmth. There are some cold-water loving plants, like Iris, that will give you some winter color. However, most of your plans will look a bit chlorotic during this season. Some areas of the Valley even have light freezes, so you might see some ice around the edges of your pond in the morning. 

​Water is Arizona wildlife’s most important resource, and it’s vital for more than just quenching thirst. Fish and frogs live in or near water their whole lives. Birds use water to keep their feathers clean and free of parasites, bees use water to cool their hives, and larger animals use water to cool down their bodies.
Arizona is in a cycle of long-term drought, which means there’s less available water for animals and a bigger fight for their survival. Urban sprawl has taken out many natural wetlands and catchment areas that our wildlife used to be able to depend on. As temperatures here rise, their search for water becomes even more crucial.

​Arizona Game & Fish Department and their partners use trucks and helicopters to haul water to remote sites and keep 3,000 catchments full. These partners are mostly individuals volunteering. You can help them out by donating at SendWater.org, or volunteering your time.

​As a pond or water feature owner, you are already helping! Keeping organic clean water in your yard invites our native feathered friends and the visiting migratory birds to quench their thirst and bathe. If you live in a neighborhood with a NAOS area, the wildlife living within counts on your water feature to survive alongside our human-built habitats. Bees count on your water feature to gather water to take back to cool the hive, ensuring their survival (and we all know how important they are!).
By having an ecosystem water feature, you are actually helping to replace our disappearing wetlands. You’re one of the good guys!

MORE POSTS YOU MIGHT ENJOY:
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5 BASIC FENG SHUI PRINCIPLES FOR WATER FEATURES

​In today’s economic climate, especially, we’re all looking for ways to improve our quality of life, and to get the most value from our home improvements. Some people are even foregoing traveling and eating out in favor of cocooning.
A pond or water feature is a wonderful and valuable home improvement that provides hours of enjoyment while asking only minutes per week of maintenance. AND it’s environmentally friendly and responsible!

​Believe it or not, having the sight and sound of water in your yard makes it seem at least 10 degrees cooler than the actual outside ambient temperature. This is something that our clients report to us all the time. And in our Phoenix summers, that’s a big bonus! 

​A pond is great place to gather around – instead of the TV for a change. There’s no better way to bring the family together, whether that’s engaging the kids or just talking with your spouse.
When you have friends and family over, they will gravitate to the pond as the natural focal point in the yard. So much to see with moving water, lush plants, and graceful fish.
With underwater lighting, a pond is a whole new world, extending the viewing pleasure into nighttime – another bonus in Phoenix summers.

Plants in general add life to a landscape, and adding a pond or stream into the mix really makes the whole yard come alive with sight and sound! If you enjoy wildlife and cool native and migratory bird watching, there’s no better option – build it and they will come.

​After a techno-crazy day at work, come home and decompress to the sight and sound of water, lush plants, graceful fish, and just the general feeling of AAAAHHHHH! Leave the phone and computer in the house and let your mind rest.

​Meditation next to a pond will take you to a whole new level. By its very nature, water in the landscape is soothing to the senses. Watch out, tho – it can put you to sleep pretty easily! In fact, during the time of year when we can have our windows open, sleeping to the sound of a waterfall or babbling brook will aid in deep, restorative sleep. Living water is a big part of any healing garden.

​When considering different landscape and home improvement options, “green” is the language of the day. An ecosystem pond or stream does not require chemicals to maintain. It does not require the use of a lawn mower or blower, which items create noise pollution. It does not require fertilization, which poisons our groundwater. It is truly earth-friendly.
And wildlife digs it! It offers our native and migratory birds and wildlife a respite in the face of urban sprawl.

​And let’s not forget our beloved pets! All our pet-owning clients will tell you that they’ve ditched the smelly slimy outdoor water dish that they used to have to clean out constantly because their furry friends would much rather have the fresh organic water right out of the pond or stream. This creates a higher, healthier quality of life for them, as well.

​Check out what The Pond Gnome’s clients have to say about how their quality of life was improved. And we highly recommend that you experience the atmosphere in person by visiting one of our public displays, booking an appointment to visit our private showroom, or attending one of our open-to-the-public events.

​Many pond owners opt to locate their water garden in a shady location of the yard. This way, they can enjoy watching their fish while being protected from the heat of direct summer sun. While a shaded pond is ideal for cooling off in the summer, it can pose a problem for enjoying the beauty of waterlilies. Most waterlilies typically need a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight in order to produce beautiful blooms. Fortunately, there are a few hardy varieties that will bloom their hearts out with as little as four hours of sunlight per day. Following is our list of favorite shade tolerant water lilies categorized by color, along with their sunlight requirements.

​James Brydon – 3 hours sun
Little Champion – 3 hours sun
Red Attraction – 3 hours sun
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Comanche – 3 hours sun
Texas Dawn – 3 hours sun
Joey Tomocik – 3 hours sun
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Somptuosa – 4 hours sun
Arc-en-ceil – 4 hours sun
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Peaches n Cream – 4 hours sun
Sioux – 4 hours sun
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Berit Strawn – 3 to 4 hours sun
Graziella – 3 to 4 hours sun
Helvola – 3 to 4 hours sun
Hermaine – 3 to 4 hours sun
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​Toss aside the notion that you can’t enjoy water lilies if you have a partially shaded pond. The caveat here is that they may not all grow here in Phoenix. Here's a great resource for talking about and purchasing water lilies from a local supplier: Victoria Helton, Arizona Water Garden Oasis, (623) 239-8226.