New Small Water Feature

I had a very pretty bowl that I was going to turn into a small water feature. I picked up a fountain for it thinking it would be just a small spill over fountain. I had a few water plants in some large pots that I was going to sit near the fountain. While looking for a collection basin for the fountain I picked up a small preformed pond liner that was marked down. Then I saw a clearance sale add from TWL and thought Hey I have a nice start on a small pond. So my very small project turned into a nice small pond. Added a small plastic mud tray I had been using for some extra plants. Who knows what else might develop around the pond. Probably do something about the black edges later, I have a few ideas on that.

GREAT JOB!, I love the wood at the top and all the layers down, each is beautiful. I look forward to watching any additions that come to this beautiful spot in your yard.

Jan

Thanks Jan, We have had that driftwood for years. We were on vacation in N.C. Ric was out in his boat the day after one of the hurricanes blew through. He brought in a huge load of driftwood, That piece was too big to get into the boat so they towed it in. We had a whole truck load of driftwood to bring home.

Great job! I love the continuation of each part of it! The small purple lilies are my favorites. I used them in small bowl gardens here too, they look so nice once they start blooming. It seems like you probably could continue on and on, if you find more large bowls and more aquatic plants! Water irises, water cannas, different colocasia/alocasia/elephant ears... :)

Originally it was to be a temp water feature until we put in a larger pond in that area. But the larger pond always gets pushed back on the to-do list. I was thinking it might end up just being extended a bit more here and there.

That sounds just like me, lol....Through the years, I went from a water iris bowl..to a larger water proof normal planter that I planted water lotus in...then added a few goldfish for mosquito control...then got a plastic preformed pond....then built a 7 x 9 pond that was 2 feet deep with filteration and small koi....then 3 ponds that size....then a larger one....and now I'm working on a 20x30 with an upper level that will be a bog pond and will be around 7 x 16.... It's been so much work, but so much enjoyement through the years.

Once bitten... :)

Can't have too many water features. LOL Haven't posted many pics lately but I had 3 small ponds this is the fourth. There is the Bird Bath Pond, BathTub Pond and Box Pond plus a bubbler and small wall fountain.

Join us in some of the other water forums too, we're all insanely addicted! :)

Holly,
Thats absolutely beautiful. I love the continuity you have going there. That lilly is beautiful.
Just rec'd 2 and everybody tells me I can't put them into pond and just let them float cause koi will eat them up so I was thinking of someting small to keep them in. I have never grown any water lillys so I am excited to try some. Happen to have a new little fountain my son bought for me and haven't used it yet. You are an inspiration. Thanks much.
Bonnie

Holly

Beautiful - eveything you and Ric touch is gorgeous - please tell me your secret.

Also, don't push back the larger pond too long or it will be one of those things that never gets done.

Thanks everyone.
Merry, I don't post near as much as I use to. But I do lurk around the threads.
Bonnie, Good luck with your Water Lilies, I don't have Koi just gold fish and they don't bother the plants.
Carolyn, You may be right. This pond has been on hold for a good 15 years. At first we were waiting for the addition and patio to be done and then we were ready to start digging. Then the site for the pond started sinking. Turns out that trees and bush were buried there before we bought the land and we waited for it to stop sinking. Last few years it seems to be ready but I'm not sure that our plan with the very large rocks isn't more than we should do. Maybe a large pond but down-scaled on the rocks and waterfall.

Holly

You and Ric have all winter to think about it and figure out what you would both like to have....... you have all of us to help you through it.

It is still on the back burner for now. Next big project will probably be bricking the potting shed area and a large arbor for the wisteria that grows in that area. We also want to get the GH heated and Ric is wants to build a head house for that. See why the pond always gets pushed back. LOL

Update on my small pond feature. A few months ago I came across a free small preformed kidney shaped pool liner. It was sitting near the curb with a free sign on it. First idea was to just add it along the side of the existing feature where the little mud tray sat. Then I started thinking it wouldn't be too hard to add a small water fall of some kind since there is a small hill there. So I have decided to do several large concrete leaf molds to make into the water fall. I have large portadora alocasia that I have wanted to make into molds for a long time and this will be a great way to use them. Then I thought there is plenty of space at the top for a nice size inground pond to feed the waterfall. Not sure how long this will take I am hoping to get the pond dug this fall but it may not get done till next spring. But I have removed most of the sod in the area I am going to work on. Next step will be to make the leaf molds and arrange them in the loose dirt of the hill to get an idea of how I want to set it up. Once I get that done I will try to hand dig the pond and see how far I get with that. I am heading back out to finish up the rest of the sod at the top of the hill. This is what I have gotten done so far.

You have the perfect site for falls runing from one to the other pond. I'm sure it will be beautiful. You sure have beautiful grass. Most of mine died and I've planted it twice. I'm about to give up and just make flower beds larger.
Bonnie

Holly -

it is going to be beautiful. Can't wait to see it when it is finished.

It won't be set up before next spring. We will start traveling soon and be gone for 6 weeks spread out over Sept thru the beginning of Nov. My son and his family will be staying here while we are gone to take care of the dog and plants. I would rather pay them than a kennel and the extra $$ will come in handy for them. I was thinking that between trips I may get some of the pond dug but I was out there with a tape measure and I am looking at approximately an 8ft X 6ft in ground pond with at least some of it 3ft deep. Might be just a bit much for me with our rocky ground. I did move a pile that was larger than that a few years ago but a pile is easier than getting it out of the ground. I will post new pictures as I do more with it. I was wondering if the fact that the larger pond will be the top pond. The smaller pond will be the lower pond. Will make a problem with the water fall? Well Ric will figure that out, he knows about the pumps and flow rates. He doesn't have time to work on this at all right now and said "I see you are determined to get that pond in whether I am helping or not." LOL

looks good so far, but don't over do yourself.