If properly designed and maintained, backyard ponds and water gardens can offer tranquil refuges that lower stress and enhance the beauty of your landscaping and the value of your property. If you don't have the space for a full size water garden, you can still enjoy the beauty and sounds by using containers.

The containers should be as large as possible. The more water the pots hold, the longer it will be before they have to be refilled. Tall pots will cover the roots of the water plants better than a saucer shape. Use a variety of pot sizes, shapes and colors to make an attractive arrangement.

. Anything that holds water will work. I have seen old boots, bathtubs, half barrels, flower pots of all kinds and even kitchen sinks. A pot with drain holes can potentially have the holes plugged with rubber corks from the hardware store. Use silicone caulk on small holes or to help seal around the corks. The container can be metal, plastic, wood, or concrete, and it can be lined with plastic if it doesn't hold water on its own. If the containers are too tall for the plant pots, the pots can be raised with bricks or a more suitable stable base can be created with the Ups A Daisy planter insert that creates an artificial floor in larger pots.

The best location for the aquatic pot is where it will be the most visible from the patio and from indoors. Many aquatic plants do prefer full sun where they will flower better, but there are many that will do just fine in a lot of shade. Pots in full sun are more likely to grow algae.

Pumps move water to create fountains, waterfalls and for filtration. They are highly recommended to create moving water. Splashing water looks and sounds beautiful and attracts birds like no other garden feature. If there are no fish, the pump can be turned off at night or when no one is around to hear the running water.

Fish eat mosquito larvae. They add color and personality to any water garden container. They also add complexity. The water will probably need to be filtered to maintain the proper chemistry. They will need to be fed, and the water will need to be moving through the use of a pump. Be careful not to buy too many or let them outgrow the size of your container or the filter system. Remember that fish grow, but filters don't. Most small fish will need to be taken indoors for the winter in cool or cold climates.

Depending on where you live, you can have different kinds of predators come to your yard. Cats rarely attempt to catch fish in the containers because they can't see them like they can in an aquarium. Animals like raccoons and herons that can stand on the containers or knock them over are potential problems for containers with fish.

Shoreline plants are the most commonly used, but we can also use floating plants, some submersible plants and water lilies or lotus. Some shoreline plants grow with several inches of water over the roots, while others grow several inches out of the water. To grow properly, they will need to be placed at the proper depth in the container. Many garden plants that are labeled for growing in moist garden soil will do well in shallow containers, such as astilbe, caladium, canna, impatiens and lysimachia. The same design principles apply to wet containers as they do to dry containers. Use tall plants as backdrops, use a mix of leaf colors, textures and shapes and a variety of blooming times and colors.

You can't over water these plants and it is difficult to under water them. If the water starts to turn green, dump it out and refill it with clean water. If algae starts to grow on the inside of the container, you can drain it and wipe most of it off while it is still damp. Let it dry out for an hour in the sun and refill it. You can also add algae killing products from the pet store. It is not recommended to use household products like bleach to try to kill algae, especially if you have fish in the containers. There are algae eating fish at the pet store.

Very few chemicals are needed in a container water garden pond. City water must be de-chlorinated before it is safe for fish. Algae may require an algaecide if it gets out of control. Summit Mosquito Bits is a biological control that kills mosquito larvae. It is a naturally occurring bacterium that's deadly to both mosquito larvae and fungus gnat larvae.

Just like in the rest of your garden, some of the plants are annuals, and they are replaced each year. Some are perennials and may or may not be hardy in your climate. If they are hardy, then plant them in your garden or bury the pot they are planted in, and you may be able to use them again next summer. If they are not hardy, you can try housing them indoors for the winter.

E-mail questions to Jeff Rugg at [email protected]. To find out more about Jeff Rugg and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.