According to a report released by Garden Research, a well-known and widely recognized leader in the US lawn and garden market, a record $47.8 billion was spent last year on DIY lawn and garden. Back in 2016, 74 percent of all households across the country were participating in lawn and garden activities.

Millennials were found to be leading the way, with 18 to 34-year-olds now occupying around 29 percent of all gardening households.

As the interest towards gardening grows, it’s no wonder that the types of gardens being seen in most households are diversifying in many different ways. Not only is flower gardening making a comeback, but water gardening is also showing growth in the consumer market. More and more homeowners are beginning to realize the benefits of ponds and water gardening.

There are many excellent reasons why you should hire pond contractors to build a pond and improve your garden. Today, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about 13 of them. Hopefully, you'll be "mow-tivated" to develop your own!

1. They Promote Health and Wellness

Having too much stress can lead to an unhappy life. The sound of running water in a garden pond has been found to have a soothing effect, while the presence of fish or other swimming creatures creates an aura of peacefulness and serenity. Being in a relaxing environment like this can lower blood pressure and improve anxiety disorders.

2. They Provide A Natural Way of Creating Biomass

Aquatic biomass is the term for any organic plant or animal material that is formed in water. The most well-known examples o aquatic biomass are algae and seaweed. These can be converted into biofuel, used as feed for livestock when dried or converted into compost which can then be used for the plants in your garden. This compost is very rich in nutrients and doesn’t cost you anything to grow it!

3. They’re A Solution to Environmental Noise

Having a pond in your garden is great for cutting out noise pollution and creates a venue to escape the urban buzz of the city. Masking vehicular sounds from the road and noisy neighbours can transport you to a place of timelessness, where reality slows down and all that matters is the moment.

Having a fountain or mini-waterfall in your pond also stimulates activity in the water, prevents stagnation, and keeps the water oxygenated and alive.

4. They Have A Low Maintenance Factor

A pond will practically maintain itself once you’ve properly set it up. Just do your part and nature will find a way to keep the cycle of life going. Aquatic sea creatures will do the job of removing pests while microorganisms in the water keep the phytoplankton at bay. This will keep the water clear as the organisms exist together with the environment in perfect equilibrium.

5. They’re Great for Personal Reflection and Reminiscing

While a garden is a great place to meditate and reflect, having a pond there will make the experience ten times better. This is because water’s soothing nature allows us to more clearly empty our minds and focus on what we want to reflect on.

Having a pond in your garden will truly make you feel closer to nature. Listen to the playful sound of the water droplets as they ripple through the pond, and who knows, you might discover the meaning of life.

6. They Make Your Garden an Interesting Place to Visit

Every garden that has a pond instantly becomes a hangout spot for families and friends. Children especially are attracted to the lush natural greenery – a welcome change for sure – after all the hours spent indoors and using technology.

A pond is a place where you can share a private conversation with a friend or confess your feelings to a loved one.

7. They Can Act as A Reservoir

Think about it. Ponds hold clean water. You can use them to catch rainwater and syphon off clean excess water that can be used as a supply for drinking if purified. The pond water can also be used to water your other garden plants.

There’s a huge potential for having a supply of clean water during hot summer months. And everything’s being provided to you for free, courtesy of Mother Nature.

8. They Make the Entire Property Look Better

Having a garden and pond area beautifies any property and increases its resale value. It boosts curb appeal and you can easily make a sale just by showing a potential buyer around the pond area.

Having a nature-friendly environment in the middle of a bustling suburban neighbourhood can create a surreal, almost fantastical setting.

9. They Can Be Used for Irrigation

By constructing your pond on higher ground, you could potentially create an irrigation system for it to be able to supply water to food crops or other plants that you would place in a garden on lower ground. Simply open a floodgate and your pond water does all the hard work of watering your plants for you.

You don't need to worry about running out of the water either, as rainfall will ensure that you always have a full supply.

10. They Can Create an Aquaculture System

Aquaculture is an ecosystem comprised of fish, aquatic animals, plants, and other microbiology organisms. Having an aquaculture system in place means that you can cultivate freshwater fish for eating.

Plants like seaweed can be grown and used as a welcome addition to many different meals. You can even grow fish for harvesting purposes.

11. They Effectively Manage Pests in Your Garden

Having a problem with pests in your garden? With a pond nearby, you can count on the forces of nature to act on your behalf. A newly-built pond will soon be teeming with wildlife after only a few weeks.

The biodiversity in this ecosystem is beneficial because it attracts bees to pollinate flowers, provides homes for dragonflies, frogs, and lizards, and encourages birds to visit. All these critters are helpful for managing harmful insects and pests such as bugs, mosquitoes, rats, and plant-eating worms.

12. They Help the Nearby Plants Grow Better

Sunlight that hits the surface of a pond will reflect and bounce around the area. And what do you have in your garden that needs sunlight? Lots of plants!

Having a pond will increase the sunlight coverage of your garden and ensure that your flowers are getting everything they need to correctly process their photosynthesis and in turn grow bigger and better.

13. They Generate A Microclimate

A microclimate is a specific area that has atmospheric conditions that are different from the surrounding area. Creating a microclimate in a garden or pond area means that you’ll be able to grow plants that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to.

Microclimates are formed when water from a pond absorbs heat during the day and radiates it back out at night, which warms the nearby plants.