i started digging a new stream in sept. i would like to thank pixydish and TXMel for answering all my questions. they help me get started. this is the start of the stream.
new stream - thanks pixydish and TXMel!
i put down a 40 ft liner and used 1.5 tons of rocks.
i have 2/3 of the rocks placed.
OH Wow! That looks fabulous! I cannot wait.... our cool weather is coming and I need to "upgrade" my stream.... and I am taking notes!
You did a great job! Keep us updated!
melanie
closeup of the stream.
top part of stream, with a bridge halfway down the stream.
This message was edited Oct 21, 2005 6:04 PM
the bridge, dad built for me..
this is the lower part of the stream going into the pond.
this is looking at the stream from the other side of the pond.
really close-up of the stream. i have planted japanese irises along the stream and louisiana irises in the stream. still have to add more plants. i want to get a weeping japanese maple to put on top of the stream and another one for along the stream.
OH...MY...GOODNESS ! ! ! ! !
That is GORGEOUS! You have done an EXCELLENT job on that!! And next year you've GOT to post more pics as the plants come up and fill in!
What is that large leafed plant just to the right of the bridge in the 4:07 pm post? That would make an AWESOME hypertufa!!
Gail (who is now trying to decide where I could have a stream!)
hi gail! thanks! i enjoy building the stream. the upright plant it an elephant ear. i lurked in your thread, you have a beautiful pond. belinda
Hi, Belinda!
Well my pond surely no match for your stream, but it's EXACTLY the kind I wanted for that space. It's my first, but probably not my last... lol I've been working on landscaping it but progress has been slow. Next spring I'm going to put in some fish. Every time my 3 year old granddaughter comes over, she says "you got fish in there?" and I say "no, not yet... do you think I should have some fish in there?" and she says "yeah... you GOTTA have fish!" So as the humble servant grandma that I am, I'll be getting some fish for her and I'll let her name them. She's used to going fishing with her daddy, though, so I hope she doesn't want to go fishing in there! lol
I thought that might be an ee. Are those 'Illustris' in the pot in the lower right corner? I just got one of those from ButterflyChaser this year (a little 3" plant) and it has really shot up there and I have about 5 or 6 babies! It is beautiful. She also gave me some running ee last fall, but they don't get as large as the bulb kind.
Gail
gail,
this is the second pond for me. i have a 39 gal. pond, that was my first. i wanted one that i could keep my fish over the winter. it has taken me 25 years to get this far. if i had to do over i would build even a bigger pond than the 1200 gal. i have now. i couldn't do that so i added the stream. my cats try to fish in my pond.
the elephant ears are in the filter system to my pond. i have 10 different varieties of ears. i'm not sure of all the names but i do have illustris.
Hi Belinda,
You did a super job there! What a great looking setting for your stream. I can't wait until next spring when you will be showing off the lush foliage around it. Your Dad did a great job on the bridge too. Thanks for sharing your work.
Sheila
Belinda, this has turned out to be just fabulous! What an excellent job you have done. I'll bet you are totally proud of it, and you should be! Now I'm wishing my stream were a little bit longer, although I do lose a lot of water from it in the summer due to evaporation. Please be sure to post photos as your plants fill in next year.
Texmel is coming to visit next week! She'll be up here visiting family, so she's coming out to the house. I'm looking forward to it!
Melissa
melissa, i had to add extra water to the pond. now, i need help on adding more plants? any ideas? i wanting the unusual, besides the jap iris and louisiana iris. i'm going to get lights today, i will be putting them along the bridge. i have been thinking of adding lights in the stream. hope you have a great time with txmel. i met my first dg this summer, hostanquilts. she was visiting close by, we had a great time.
thanks, shelia! dad has built me alot things, i just love the bridge. we debated over adding rails and decided against it.
belinda
Ooooo! Lights! That will be so beautiful at night! And be sure and tell your dad about all the kudos he's getting on his bridge, it looks great there, and rail-less was the right decision, I think.
Gail
It all looks SO good! Lights would be a great accent! We only have 2 lights around our stream, one is a small spotlight near the inlet, shining on the waterfall/spillway area, and the second is one we added to a concrete Pagoda near the base of the stream, kind of like a "lighthouse" look........ which would be a good accent, too!
As far as plants in the stream, we have some Parrots Feather in a crook of one turn, and some other filtering plant (not sure where it came from) near the top of the stream.... BUT they are doing a great job of filtering the water as it runs to the pond!
I Love the bridge over your pond! My rock bridge is where we had a BULLFROG living for 2 years.... until his unfortunate christmas morning suicide.... more on that later....
I am looking forward to visiting Pixy next week! I hope to bring back LOTS more ideas, along with some cool weather, and maybe some rain... to our very dry Texas weather!
melanie
Lights will be great! I wish I had planned for them because now I wish I had them. It's starting to get dark early already.
Are you wanting more plants for "in the stream" or "by the stream".? I had some good luck this year by making planting pockets among the rocks on the stream edge, actually in the steam, and putting clay in them. I also planted a lot of stuff in pea gravel with no soil of any kind. Most things did very well, just using the nutrients from the water. Can you grow primroses there? It may get too hot for them but if you had a shady spot and they grow there, they would look lovely along the stream. If you like tropicals, cannas work well along the edge of the water. You can grow them in the water, too. Email Butterflychaser for tips. She's an expert canna grower. I have calla lilies growing directly in gravel and water and they absolutely love it there. I've never had such big callas.
Then there is Petasites japonica, which is horribly invasive if you don't contain it, but would be great along the edge of the stream. I don't know if it would take your sun in the summer, though.
Well, there are some ideas. Mel, I think the Texas weather has preceeded you here! The last two days have been sunny and 70 degrees. This is totally unheard of in October! We're all in shock! Better leave room in your suitcase. You'll probably bring home plants, too!
melissa, i was wanting plants for both in the stream and out. i will check out primroses. i have a small weeping jap maple between the deck and stream. i have small hosta's planted there, i think i will add primroses. i would like to add a few pitcher plants. i have tried cannas along the pond and they didn't bloom. i would like to find some miniature plants for the stream. i have callas lily, will have to put some in the stream. thanks for the help! could you send the warm weather this way! belinda
Well, I'd like to send the warm weather but thought maybe you got it already! We certainly lost it overnight, so someone else must have it. Its rainy and 53 degrees today. Rats.
You know, one plant I got that I'm really fond of in the pond is the water hawthorne. It's still blooming when the water lilies are done. It smells fabulous, like vanilla, and the leaves are long and oval.
Another thing that would look nice maybe in the steam would be some horsetail reeds. It can be very invasive here, but maybe not so much there. To avoid invasiveness here, you just have to keep it from going to seed.
I like the Carex species at the edge of the water, like Bronze sedge. But I think many would not be hardy in your zone. You'd have to check them out.
I planted many cannas this year. The ones I got from NancyAnn bloomed, but the ones I got from Walmart did not. I'm going to give them another year. Maybe they were not mature enough when I put them in. Also, we didn't get any sunshine until July, so they may not have had time. But the ones that did bloom were spectacular! Maybe you should give them another year.
Looking out at the pond, I see another plant that I like which is the miniature papyrus. I have the regular papyrus too and it is very cool. The miniature grows well in the very shallow area of the pond so would do well in the stream.
Edited to say: check out the carnivorous plants forum if you are interested in putting in pitcher plants. You'll get all the help you need there.
This message was edited Oct 23, 2005 10:09 AM
Belinda, If you haven't purchased lights yet, look at Harbor Freight. We found some there really inexpensive. We really weren't looking for them, but the only hold back is they have the large square plug in and block a second outlet.
Pixy, I am so jealous! Mel is coming all the way up there to see you and I haven't gotten her to come 30 minutes North yet!! I am not sure where Lakewood is but I have a cousin in Valley, WA; maybe I can hitch a ride with Mel and come see you too! Just kidding! You two have a wonderful visit. Oh, and it is 40 degrees here tonight! What's with you being warmer up there???
Sheila
thanks, sheila! will check out harbor freight. didn't find any i like yesterday. belinda
Sheila.... funny girl! We will have to get together next week when I get back! Just this week we were 90 degrees, remember.... and today, we were simply chilly! Only in Texas!
mel
Sheila, I'll try not to Lord it over you that Mel is coming up here! LOL Hitch a ride anytime you want. Lakewood is attached to Tacoma, about 30 miles south of Seattle. And we said goodby to our warm weather. Today was rainy, gloomy, and 53 degrees. Not exactly cold, but it's the bone chilling wet that gets to me.
Mel, we had a bit more than chilly early this morning. In a rush to get to work I almost had a three point landing on ICE on my deck going to feed fish! I will be glad when the time changes. Hope you two enjoy the visit!
I can hardly wait... I am packed, and boarding pass in hand! Can't believe I'll be in the Pacific NW tomorrow!
=D
Just said goodbye to Melanie and her lovely mother-in-law, Gloria. What a great couple of gals! We had a wonderful visit and tea party, and were so busy talking that I totally forgot to show them some 'before' photos from the house. Oh well, we just had too much to say.
It was such a neat thing that Melanie could drive up for the afternoon! I just wish we'd had more time to hit nurseries. We went to one, but they didn't really have what she wanted, and, though it is a really good nursery, their prices were pretty high. She'll just have to come back in the spring or summer so we can do a nursery tour! And she'll have to bring some of the other Texas DGers!
Here is a quick pic of Melissa and I at a local nursery.... checking out a gorgeous Japenese Maple tree!
Melanie
Thanks! I will have to set up a home for the gnome first... so we shall see.....
You both are looking so cute but maple tree is blushing and enjoying your company : )
Kaleem
O.K. I'm fairly new here, so who's on the left and who's on the right?
Gail
Oh, sorry, Melissa on the left, Melanie on the right...
mel