Pond Construction - Assistance Needed

We've decided to tackle our circle center in the drive up to our house sooner than planned. This was to be a spring project for next year. We've flipped back and forth between fountain (giant one needed - yuck) and pond. I found something that we've both agreed looked interesting at a local nursery that we'd like to use as a compromise. (Yes, DH and I have different views on what would look great). We have a 3 independent - tiered oak/maple leaf staggered fountain set up we like that isn't too big. What I'd like to do is add a pond at the bottom and incorporate it into a raised bed for this center area.

What I need is some professional help constructing my vision. I've never had a pond and don't know the first thing about maintance. Since I'm new in town, I'm not sure where to look for help. The nursery didn't have anyone specific they use as they do their own. I wanted it raised so I can add 'good' dirt to plant in and around the pond bed and hide the leaf pedestals.

Anyone have someone they've used or suggestions on where to start?

Where abouts is Carnation? North or somewhere closer to me?

Try posting this on the water gardens forum, there are a LOT of knowledgable people there that would love to help you with this.

Have a couple of questions for you. How big is the area that you are working with? How deep did you want to go? Do you want plants or fish or a combination of both? Any chance for a pic of the area that you have in mind and the fountain that your are building around?

I put in my first small pond several years ago and have expanded it every year. You will never regret having a water feature in your garden. :^)

wow! taking on a new project so soon after you move! you're my hero! :)

I cant answer as to professionals in the area there....but I DO want to see pictures as you progress :) please?!

We are just a bit NE of Seattle.

I went and measured, 32 feet across if it's really round.... my eye says not really. I'd like not to have to drain it in the winter, nor have critters fishing in it if I can help it. Yes to plants and fish. I'd like the pond 24" deep, but I'm not sure I want to move that much dirt into the area if I set it flush on the ground now. Perhaps if I sink the pond 6-8 inches and then build up 18 - 24"around it that is better. It sits in the middle of a black top circle drive, has small gravel at the edge and the builder's idea of dirt in the center. Plants he planted are not doing well which makes me believe the dirt isn't very deep - 4"?, with rock underneath.

Not my choice to start the project now, but better than having a 3 tiered, large fountain. I'd like to have a water feature but I'd like some plants too (actually more plants than water). I'm more for the sound and grace of the water feature than the statement a large fountain makes. DH doesn't want the upkeep of a pond - therefore I need pro-help.

Camera is still boxed, I'll look for that tonight and see if I can't post some pictures. Might need help with that.

I'll post this to the water gardens forum too, great idea.

Kris - try calling the following places. They might be able to steer you in the direction of someone who can help:

Squak Mountain Nursery, Issaquah (off I-90) 425.392.1025
They have an incredibly nice water feature done with very large boulders - it would be worth finding out who did it.

Marenakos Rock Center, Preston (off I-90) 425.392.3313
These folks have lotsa rocks, but when I was there last time, they were giving a customer recommendations of people that build fountains & water features. A pond is a bit different, but the engineering principles would be similar.

You would get to either place by heading south towards Fall City, then west on I-90.

I built my own pond, so I know it can be done. The water garden forum has many knowlegable. There is a large water garden place up north of Seattle called Russell Water Gardens. http://www.russellwatergardens.com/ You can get ideas there, and I think they build ponds, too, but they are likely to be very pricey. Supposed to be good, though.

I can tell you that raising the pond up, as opposed to digging down into the soil, makes it a little more complicated and may pose a design difficulty unless you can really slope the soil gently around it. On the other hand, if you plan to have fish, the deeper the better in terms of water. Racoons do not like deep water and you can provide better hiding places for them to avoid bird predators. I'll share these things I learned:

The deeper, the better. If you want a shallow pond, don't bother with fish. At least 3 feet deep is required for safety for fish. Otherwise, you'll be feeding your fish to the wildlife all the time.
The bigger, the better and the easier the pond is to keep clean and balanced. Small ponds are like small aquariums: hard to keep clean.
Koi and plants can and do co-exist.
Unless you want to deal with baby fish, don't get comets or goldfish.
You cannot have too much filtration. Don't skimp on it. Have a skimmer, and more than one biofilter.
If your pond is deep, it's nice to have a bottom 'drain' that pulls debris off the pond bottom and dumps it into the skimmer.
If you want plants, you need to have the pond in full sun up here.
I leave my pond running all winter. It keeps the pond from freezing over in the cold snaps. Your biofiltration basically dies in the winter, but at least you get the nice sound and it stays pretty. I think my zone may be warmer than yours, though.

There is no such thing as a pond that doesn't require work, unless you pay someone else to do it. You can get the amount of work down to a minimum with good filtration and enough depth,, especially if you do not overplant or overpopulate with fish.

If you want the sound and beauty of a water feature, but not so much work, have you considered doing a pondless waterfall or fountain? There are some really pretty water features that focus only on the sound and look of cascading water and don't include all the upkeep.

this is my pond and greenhouse area. I think the year this was taken we must have had a good summer. I didn't get this many good plants in the pond this year. In fact, the plants in the pond were really pathetic this year because it was too cold.

Wow Pixydish! That is an amazing set up you have there! I'm green with envy!

Thanks, I'm glad you like it! I do enjoy it a lot, but the pond can be a lot of work in the early spring. I lost 5 of my fish to a heron this year. So this pond spent most of the late spring and early summer covered by a net. :(

Wow! Places to visit and scope out before we go any further. I love your set up Pixydish, it looks wonderful. Lots to think about. We want sound but I don't think I'm at the point of wanting the upkeep just yet - too much else to do to add that. However, I'll no doubt want it in the future as the garden comes together. I'd rather do larger/deeper pond up front than dismantle and change it 2 years from now. I can live without fish for a while. We've maintained a pool and that's about the sounds of the work/tools your suggesting.

It will get full sun and it will be in the main hub of activity, but I'd like to not loose too many fish.

Thanks for the field trip suggestions and directions Katye, I'll check those out and ask builder questions. That should get me started in the right direction - maybe convince DH that this is a spring project after all. We could spend the winter - planning!

The planning is half the fun, for sure! Also, educating yourself on the requirements for a pond that is a fairly balanced ecosystem. There are lots of people who will try to sell you a pond 'kit' that will be 'low maintenance'. I'd want to talk to pond owners first! And there are a ton of them on the water garden forum. Good luck with it!

Thanks for the advice, I'll ask over on the water garden forum before I get into 'buying' much of anything.

wow pixy! I love that pond.... AND the greenhouse! I sooo want that! teehee!
gotta wait til we move to WA before I can get a greenhouse tho :(

1Anjl, you gunna move North? Oh wait, its coming back to me... something about retirement?

lol! yep....2 yrs and 8 months to go :(

but who's counting?! LOL!

I have to weigh in on the depth. My little ponds are less than two feet deep and I have never had losses due to predation. I know that we have a lot of wildlife around as we are in a wooded area that is old strip mine ground and has a nice sized body of water not too far from here. I would think that it would be a magnet for herons and other critters that would enjoy fishing but have never had a problem. I know that I have a racoon family or two, I have seen them eating alongside the feral kitties that I leave food for.

As far as having a raised or semi-raised pond goes, why not?? I have seen a lot of pics of beautiful single ponds and pond systems that are built that way. In your zone I would not think you would have the freezing/heaving problems that I would face here. Just make sure your site is level and do some research regarding how to build for the pressure the walls will be under from the weight of the water.

My biggest recommendation would be to make sure you have adequate filtration and a UV that will handle that number of gallons in your pond. You do not want to have a big green bowl of pea soup in such a prominent spot. Some folks will say a pond is high maintenance but the about only thing I do is clean the pond filters to keep them in good working order. I never test the water or do any of the stuff a "good" pond owner is supposed to do and enjoy my water gardens immensely. I do spend a lot of time there but it is because I just find the pond itself fascinating with the fish and other critters it draws such as birds, frogs and dragonflies.

As far as the planting around it are concerned I would say that a depth of 4" with rock underneath is definatly why your plants are not doing well. They are probably being cooked from the full sun and the radiant heat from the rock. But hey, work with it. What is to stop you from planting hardy cacti or succulents that would thrive in that kind of environment? There is an amazing variety out there that would really make a fantastic garden. If you decide against plants you could alway put interesting tiles surrounded by gravel of some kind too.

Kris - my neighbors have a nice little pond. I'm sure they would love to show it off to you to give you a sort of baseline idea.

And from another angle:

Great information. I will take it all in to consideration as I plan for the pond. I may sink the liner only 8 inches and then build up from there. I will have to work with the area over time to find the right plant mix. I will be adding better planting base materials as I'm not trying to kill them on purpose. We'll see how I do. We may add structure and stop there for now, fill in with smaller plants starting in the spring. I still need to learn about what grows well in my area.

Katie59 - that is probably more of what I was looking for. I'll make some garden visits over the next week or two and then maybe your neighbors will have time. I have other garden projects to tie off first so I can spend some quality time on investigating ponds.

Thanks.