Category: Ponds

Something terrible happened recently. Someone broke into my yard and caused some damage. I think it was just kids, because they didn’t steal anything, but they destroyed some of my landscaping features, most notably my pond. You know how much I love that pond and they ruined that.

For a while I couldn’t relax outside with my cup of tea as I enjoy doing. And having afternoon tea is not the same without the view of my pond. That is why I decided to do something, so that this never happens again. I decided I needed to get a system of security cameras, not only in order to prevent a break in, but also to catch whatever intrudes on my property.

I went with a battery powered surveillance camera from a company called Zumimall. I read a lot of reviews and did a lot of research of different security systems, and I decided on this one for one simple reason. It runs on batteries. That’s right, it does not require you to run a power cable and it also does not require you to connect via cable to a base unit.

Instead, it runs on batteries and it connects wirelessly to an app on your phone. This means you can monitor your camera feed in real time, which is great when one of your motion sensors gets set off. No matter where you are, you can quickly check and see what is going on at your place. Then, if you see the need, you can notify the police. This is perfect for me.

The reason I really wanted a battery powered camera, is that a regular security camera would require wiring, but with my large yard and all my landscaping like my pond, etc., it would be a difficult and expensive job to wire everything. It seemed like it would be much easier to just use a wireless camera that runs on batteries. All I had to do was hang it up and be done with it.

That said it was a little more complicated than this. I bought numerous cameras, so that I could get full coverage of my yard. I had to strategically choose the locations where to hang up all the security cameras and then get them hung. That took a while, but it took much less time than it would’ve if I had had to wire them all.

Now my pond and my entire garden area are under constant surveillance. If someone else decides to intrude on my property, I will know right away and I will be able to call the police to stop them. I will also have video proof of their intrusion which the police can use to prosecute them.

I got lucky the first time in that they didn’t actually steal anything and only caused some damage. But imagine if they had taken my LED grow lights. Those things are expensive and they would cost me a lot of money to replace. Without my grow lights, my tea plants would die.

This could’ve been catastrophic. Not only would I have lost my crop, but also a lot of money. I’m kicking myself a little bit for not being prepared. If you have anything of any value, you should look into getting some kind of security system immediately.

I would definitely secure my garden and home and get some good quality security cameras to cover the main access points of your house and property. Then I would get some fake security cameras, to cover other areas. Cover is the wrong word, but they should be highly visible so that any intruder sees them and immediately leaves again.

You can also get things like fake TV simulators, that make it look like someone is home watching TV, when they really aren’t. These also help to deter criminals. Finally, you might want some motion sensors.

I am also going to get some floodlights. These are the types of lights that when the motion detector is triggered, they turn on and are very bright. I will get solar powered ones, so that, again, I don’t have to run any cables. I can just hang them up somewhere and they will work on their own.

From now on, if someone comes onto my property without permission, they will be bathed in bright light and be caught on camera red-handed. Then they will go to jail.

Obviously, I have a fondness for ponds. I talk about them all the time on this site. And there is a reason for that, of course. This site is called ponds plus and it’s all about ponds. I started because I love ponds. I wanted a place specifically to talk about them and that’s what I got. So for those people who complain that I talk too much about ponds: you’re on the wrong site. This site is about ponds

What’s the purpose of that little intro? To let you know that I’ll be talking about ponds. Just kidding. Not to say that I won’t be talking about them. I will. Again and a lot.

Now, this post is about a new acquisition of mine. You see, I have this pond, as you may know, but I feel like I wasn’t enjoying it to its fullest. I did have a nice little gazebo where I like to drink my tea and look at my pond and also a basalt bench that looks really cool in my garden, but isn’t the softest seat for relaxing for long hours.

Something was obviously missing.

Then it hit me. I needed a hammock. What better way to enjoy the pond than to sway gently in the breeze in a hammock strung between two trees?

I didn’t know anything about hammocks. I knew I would buy them online, because I buy everything online. And it turns out, there quite a few specialty hammock stores online.

So I looked at a bunch of them and actually changed my mind about the hammock thing. One store had these things called hanging pods or hanging chairs. They are like hammocks, but slightly different in that they are more upright.

I know I’m not explaining it well, so go check them out here: this is the cacoon double hanging pod. It is the one I bought.

It has space for two people and is much more comfortable with two then it would be sharing a normal hammock. Those are great too, but these hanging pods are something new and something different. I really like this thing.

There are actually versions without the top part. Basically they are just the bottom foot or so of material and then the rest is open.

This is cool in that you have a much greater view of the world around you, but what I don’t like about it as much is it you can’t sit in it when it rains, unless you get some kind of cover above you. The cocoon double hammock chair that I bought has a waterproof cover that lets you sit in it even if it is raining. That way you can hear the rain hit the fabric above you and look at the bad weather outside, while sitting all snug and cozy inside your hammock chair/hanging pod and sipping on that hot cup of tea. This is pure bliss and I now have discovered the best way ever to enjoy my pond.

So if you have your own pond and you haven’t found the the perfect way to enjoy it, give a hanging chair a try. Or a hammock if you prefer. Both would be great options as they are both ultra-relaxing and that is really the most important thing when you are gazing out at your garden and at your pond and sipping on your tea. You just want to relax. You just want the stress to melt away. And few things do that like a hammock. Or, as it turns out, a hanging pod.

Even better is if you have some relaxing music playing while you are swinging in your hammock with your tea. Few things reduce stress more than good music. Listening to music is always a great way to unwind.

My favorite thing about my pond is sitting on my deck overlooking it while enjoying my afternoon tea. Every day in the afternoon, I make a pot of tea that gives me several cups.

I vary the type of tea I make. I love green tea, but I love black tea and oolong tea just as much. White tea is perhaps my favorite of all. Then there is jasmine tea, which is the most relaxing. Any one of these is great. One of my favorite things in the world is to sip on my hot cup of tea while looking at my pond.

There are so many different types of ponds, which are suited for this type of activity. For relaxing. For having some tea and looking at it. For just enjoying the nature of it.

The truth is almost every pond works for this, but some are better than others. Let’s begin with the ever popular Koi pond. This is a pond, it can be many different styles and types, that has Koi fish in it. Koi are really just like large goldfish. They come from Asia, but are popular all over the world.

One of my favorite features to add to a pond is a waterfall. You need a little pump that pumps water up the hill and then have the water fall down over some rocks. I love the sound of this and it is so soothing. It is not just soothing during tea time, but also at night when you want to go to sleep. If it all possible, you definitely want to add a little waterfall to your pond.

One thing to be aware of is that ponds often attract frogs and they can be quite loud. While the waterfall at night is very comforting and easy to fall asleep to, the frogs are the exact opposite. It can be difficult to fall asleep with a bunch of frogs croaking all night long, so beware of this when installing your pond.

Another thing a pond can attract are thieves. Some of the equipment, especially a pump and a fountain, can be expensive, so you want to get some surveillance cameras to keep your garden secure. Since you probably don’t have power outlets, opt for a battery-powered surveillance camera. That way you don’t have to worry about running a bunch of wires to your cameras.

As mentioned, you can use any type of pond for this. The best generally have a lot of plants in them and they look natural. I don’t like artificial ponds. Of course all these ponds are artificial, but you want to make them look as natural as possible.

Another type of pond of mentioned a few times on this site is an indoor pond. These are not as popular, but in many climates they are great. They are also good if you have space indoors but you don’t outdoors. For these you would want artificial grow lights, with LED grow lights being the best and most efficient. These horticultural lights will help your plants grow even indoors when there is no sun.

Adding some grow lights outdoors is not a bad idea either, if you are trying to grow plants that need more light than is available in your climate. Most ponds do fine without grow lights, but they certainly don’t hurt and they always help.

As for the size of your pond, it shouldn’t be too big. You don’t want to overwhelm your garden area and you definitely don’t want to create too much work for yourself.

But you don’t want a tiny little pond either, especially if you have fish in there. Koi grow to be quite big, so if you’re doing a koi pond, it does have to have enough size that the fish could comfortably live. And they need enough plants for them to feed on as well.

If you enjoy having a cup of tea (or two or three) as much as I do, then I’m sure you will also enjoy looking at beautiful scenery while drinking your tea. If you live in an area that already has a great view, you are lucky. But if you don’t, you can enhance your view very quickly and easily by installing a pond. Ponds are wonderful additions to any garden.