Water Features

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The koi ponds seen in Japanese gardens are an extraordinary backyard water feature.

Koi ponds are carefully crafted works of art, and they present some special engineering challenges that aren't seen in most ordinary koi ponds. For one thing, aesthetics play a critical role, and the appearance of the pond itself is usually more important than the fish swimming in it. A pond's shape, position, edging materials, and construction techniques are all finely tuned to create the desired scenic effect.

A pond's edge treatment is particularly important. There are several commonly-used edging techniques, but the standard gogan pattern and the use of large edge boulders are particularly important. Nearly every successful Japanese garden waterfeature includes at least a few huge rocks positioned at the waterline. These large boulders can each weigh several tons, and they require special engineering systems that are hidden from view but important nevertheless.