Houston landscaping with koi ponds is a big investment with a very high potential for return on investment.  Such a water feature adds natural beauty, drama, and interest to your yard.  At the same time, it is admittedly one of the most deceptively complex structures to located, design, and maintain.   One should only consider such a pond as an essential element of a master landscape design plan intended that will significantly upgrade the entire curb appeal of the property.  Otherwise, a standalone pond or do-it-yourself cheap solution will cost far more in the long run that it saves in the beginning.

As beautiful as koi fish are, and as tranquil as they make us feel, the fish themselves are not the most important thing to consider in Houston landscaping with koi ponds.  Koi are a very hardy fish provided they are introduced to an environment suitable to their life cycle.  The challenge lies in creating this environment with the right level of water depth, appropriate pH balance, and appropriate level of shade for the fish.  Proper water sourcing and drainage have to also be built into the design to keep the water at desired levels and to keep the water pure.

Exterior Worlds will be able to construct an aesthetically pleasing structure that technically functions according to all of these parameters.  We will also maintain the pond for you so that you can count on enjoying it for many years to come.

The first order of business for our team is to always identify the very best location for the pond.  Houston landscaping with koi ponds requires setting aside a very large surface area for the pond.  We cannot build the pond under trees for two reasons.  Tree leaves can fall into the water and decay, releasing methane gas.  Tree roots will grow toward the water and upset the pH balance of the water.  The pond must therefore be built in an open area, and it must be designed with organic and inorganic elements that give the fish the right amount of shade. 

Houston landscaping with koi ponds requires building the pond slightly higher than the plain of the yard without making it look noticeably elevated.  We do not want rainfall to drain toxic elements from the lawn into the pond, so water must always run away from the pond to keep the fish safe.  We may also have to amend the soil with certain kinds of clay that provide the fish with the minerals they need to stay healthy.  Once this part of the design is accomplished, we then work on blending other practicalities with aesthetics.

We mentioned several times that koi fish need shade, but we also mentioned that using shade from trees is out of the question.  Instead, a blend of rock borders, special water plants, and architectural elements have to be employed to make the pond look attractive and give the fish what they need to survive.

Common elements used to do this in Houston landscaping with koi ponds include stone bridges, water lilies, and decorative boulder arrangements that put shade over the water’s edge.  We also build waterfalls in many of our ponds so that the vertical impact of the falls also casts a certain level of shade into the water while at the same time magnifying the pond’s drama and interest.