Well I need to figure out what edging I want and need some inspiration. Would love to see your edging idea.
Help!!!! Show me your edging!
I like river stones along the edge of mine. The large stone to the left and center is where I park my fanny when feeding and visiting with the Koi.
Here is a shot in the winter for better view of the rocks. Boring but a better look!
oh that's nice. That's what I'm thinking about doing. So, looks like you dug some larger rocks down into the edging and left some higher up?
The whole pond is river rock. It is stacked from the bottom, up the sides and out to the edges.(there are nooks between some of the rock for the fish to hide) Some areas are leveled to use as plant shelves. By your picture I think I see a rock bottom. Just keep moving the rock up the edge and outwards. The largest boulders were placed around in various spots and then the smallest ones placed in around those. Sure wish I had video taped the process. It was facinating to watch. The man that did my pond, contemplated every rocks placement. He did a great job interpreting my ideas & design. I could have never even dug the whole without help! No upper body strength for this old gal!
1 real large boulder that was dumped in the yard is in the spot where it landed. Never made it to the pond. Even the pond crew could not move it. By that time there was not enough room left to get a back hoe back into the yard to move it. Made a flower bed around it and it looks nice. :)
Yes, i think I have to chisel away some of the dirt to make a more gradual slope. Here is a "during" picture where you can see that I went straight down to the first 4" shelf.
It look good to me. You do not want to many shallow flat spots as it makes it easy for critters ( racoons , etc) to get in there and have their fill of fish .Keep one spot clear of plants and large rocks so if necessary you can get in and out easily. You have done a great job so far and I look forward to your finished results. It will be great I am sure !
will you come out and plant it for me? :D
I would love to help, but I have a very busy summer ahead & I have the matter of my 2 Chihuhua's who do not like anybody but my family. We are better off staying home. I will gladly give suggestions when the time comes for plants.
Beahive your pond is lovely!! No problem with herons? I have flat rocks and river rocks on mine. My pond was designed by a pond maker, DH has no time to dig but he cleans filters. I will take some pix to post . Bellie
Bellie.. Thanks! I do have Herons in the area. I had one about two years ago try to land in mine. Luckily I was in the back yard at the time and heard him coming. It was like a 747 trying to land!!
The wing span on this one was enormous! Scared him off and purchased a heron decoy which is not attractive, but I have not had an problems with them since!
Wouldn't a heron decoy attract herons?
LOL
Love all of the pond advice, hoping to do this someday.
This message was edited May 6, 2009 12:25 PM
Well I'm already wishing I did a few things different and it hasn't even been a week!
Apparently they are very territorial and my pond now belongs to the plastic Heron. Works for me anyway!
Really Beautiful pond BeaHive! I put 2 iron birds by my pond just because I like them. I hope they don't attract Heron! I is good to know they are territorial.
Don't you find when building a pond, you always wish you did this or that different and you are changing you mind daily? That is how it was for me. Of course now I wish that it was bigger......and I want to make another one further in the back yard. This one not so formal.....
Mrs_Ed you will love your pond no matter what you do.....It is fun to plant and add.....get new fish....and the joy of just sitting and listening to the water is wonderful.....
Here is a photo of mine.....(June 2008)
And here is a photo of my pond on Memorial Day 2009
I have since removed the 2 iris pseudacorus from my pond. They are a danger to the environment and animals. Please if anyone has these in their pond get rid of them! You can use Japanese Iris instead and then put them in the ground in the fall if you live where it gets cold.
Thanks Kastrol! Yours is adorable
I finished the edging this weekend!
Great job! I see you got the bird too. I hope your are enjoying it as much as we do ours.
Yes, we've had "Harry" since our last pond, years ago. The birds love to perch on him.
I left extra wide 4" shelves in this pond because I do a lot of bird watching. They have been LOVING it. Me too. Fun to watch.
Here is my stream that leads to the pond
ooooh. Nice. I hope to add a stream in a year or two.
How much sun do you have your japanese maple in? Is it a Bloodgood? I'm looking to add maybe "Emperor" but worried I might have too much sun. It's sunny there at about 2p-6p.
Full sun all day long. They do fine - I have 3 along the pond.
I just want something to clean out the brown murk on the rocks after I've killed the algae. Best Nest sells Mean Green Algae Team and it really does kill string algae without harm to fish, birds, etc.
I would love to add a stream.....Would not look right with my pond though. One of the reasons I want to make a more natural pond in the back of the back yard. Also would like the low shelves for the birds to drink so I could watch. They do try to get some from the waterfall.....And also the Birdbath....but not he same....
The stream is just lovely! And the maples look beautiful next to it! I have a Japanese Cutleaf waiting to go into the yard somewhere....Wish I had the time for the new pond and stream now....Everything takes time and not enough play time to get it worked on!
For algae control I used something supposed to be new this year. 'Mirobial Algae Clean' by pondcare. Worked really well, it has lichens(sp) in it that are supposed to eat it all natural and all......
great. Now all I have to worry about is that I'm on the edge of zone hardiness.
I actually think it's fun to pull out string algae. I'm sick, i know. But it's something like weeding where I can SEE results. Not this waiting for days for the pond to clear up.
How cold does it get where you are from?
Me? Well I'm zone 5a. So according to the USDA map, that's 15-20 below.
Oh MY! That is cold!!!! Do you get used to it I guess? I am 6b, but we really haven't had too cold of weather for the past years. Last year my pond did freeze pretty bad. How deep is your pond in the deepest part? Mine is 3 feet. I did break down and get a heater last year. It seemed to help. All fish survived. Before I got the heater....
It can get pretty cold. It's not like it's that cold all the time. But still…
Our previous pond we got a tank deicer and loved it for keeping the pond open. That's our plan with this one as well. We did not go too deep. With rock in place, our deepest section is only 21". That should be fine.
My stream is great for birds. It's 45 feet from the waterfall to the pond fall. It's between 2-4 inches deep in the stream so the different size birds and get a bath and a small pebble spot that barely has water under it so butterflies and drink too. I also put sand in an antique platter with water so they can drink there.
My pond holds around 600 gallons and it is basically a 'pondless' version. I have a 55 gallon hard plastic tub with 4 inch holes drilled all around it so it takes up volume but not water space. I placed rocks around it so you can see it. That way my 3 shih tzu's can walk in the pond and even I can without falling through. Really nice way to have it work out.
do you have that sand/planter in the pond, or along side?
The sand dish is under a tree where it keeps cool. I have several sitting out. You know how butterflies love to get on small, drying mud puddles. This way the sand holds the dampness. In the stream I have a very shallow spot for them. Tiny pebbles in an area where the stream is curved so it only allows a small part of the water to go under the tiny pebbles.
I'll take some pictures
yah, i have a puddling area, but it is not by the pond.
would love some pictures.