Sustainable happiness is...
found in our relationship with place.
– Richard Louv, The Nature Principle
Water restores. Here on our island home, we are blessed to be surrounded by water, giving us access to places that rejuvenate our senses, decompressing the stress and overstimulation of the modern world. We’ve all come to accept the benefit of having access to ‘green space’ as a keystone to building healthy communities in the 21st century, however, the newest research into the health benefits of nature is now expanding to insist upon the inclusion of water. As it turns out, water; seeing it, being in it or near it offers palpable benefits to our health and wellness (but we kind of sensed that, right?). Here in Hawaii, the notion of ‘Ola I Ka Wai’ or ‘water is life’ is deeply revered. Clean water IS wealth.
The way that we are drawn in by the movement, reflection, and shimmer of clear water can be traced back to our evolution. Our human ancestors did right by seeking clear drinking pools. These reflective pools were likely the shiniest thing they had ever come across under the sun. As humans co-evolved with water, the combination of clear water and plant life (habitat) that supported aquatic creatures meant that their diet naturally began to include brain–building foods rich in Omega 3’s. We even came to appreciate fish for their beauty beyond sustenance, breeding koi and medaka for their beautiful dorsal patterns as seen from above. Perhaps these reasons are a part of why we are seemingly hard-wired to be attracted to water.
The combination of clear water and plants give us a sense of peace. Light is seemingly clearer and more vivid through the lens of water. When you are peering down into the ecosystem of a water garden or an aquarium, you are connecting with something embedded in our DNA. After all, these are the ecosystems that we co-evolved with. That said, how can we include these high-impact therapeutic waterscapes into our daily lives? Water container gardens or indoor aquariums can give us compact nature doses that help us de-stress closer to home and in small, meaningful quantities.
The value of incorporating water container gardens into your life:
-Easily adapted into any space
-Shade-loving or sun-loving plant possibilities
–Opportunity to slow down and observe/reflect/contemplate
–Access to the microbes of a balanced ecosystem
–Gain water’s health benefits even when you can’t make it to a waterway
–Water gardens and aquascapes are easier to maintain than land plant gardens
–There’s (generally) less weeding
-No need to worry about overwatering/underwatering.
–Mosquito reduction in your neighborhood
At Garden Ponds, in addition to water lilies, lotus’ and bog plants that adorn the ‘above-surface’ area of water gardens, we propagate underwater plants. These aquascape plants provide habitat for your fish, create natural beauty and promote a balanced ecosystem.
Tape grass, hornwort, and anacharis are three of our favorites for ‘below the surface’ water gardens. We also have some additional underwater plants that work well in aquarium settings such as sagitaria, pink sprite, and bacopa. These clarifying plants work to produce oxygen and consume CO2 during the day. This process helps stabilize pH and filters the water from a buildup of excess nitrogen. Less nitrogen in the water means less likelihood of algae overgrowth so that you can see clearly into the nuanced layers of your aquascape and fish habitat. Come and see us to get a water garden started today! We have just unpacked and priced a container of gorgeous ceramic pots that would serve as the foundation of a successful water container garden.
Learn more about these topics and more in our upcoming classes:
Secrets of Water Gardening: Saturday, October 23 at 10:00 am-noon
Water Lily 101: Saturday, October 30 at 10:00 am-noon
WE NEED YOUR HELP: Please contact us if you know anyone raising Medaka fish on Kaua’i or elsewhere. We have recently been collaborating with Steven Waldron of Aquarium Zen in Seattle and he has piqued our interest in these beautiful varieties.
We are located in Kilauea, next to the Kauai Mini Golf and are open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Give us a call at 808-828-6400 or visit us at gardenpondskauai.com
