| Roy's Pond |
Roy had had a pond installed several years earlier, but was
ready for something bigger. There were also a couple of
commonly seen problems with his pond that he wanted
corrected in his new pond. First, the sides of the pond
were sloped, and all the river rock along the outside edges
had slid to the bottom of the pond. Second, the walkway
around the pond was too narrow and unstable to feel
comfortable walking on.
ready for something bigger. There were also a couple of
commonly seen problems with his pond that he wanted
corrected in his new pond. First, the sides of the pond
were sloped, and all the river rock along the outside edges
had slid to the bottom of the pond. Second, the walkway
around the pond was too narrow and unstable to feel
comfortable walking on.
Roy also had a number of terrestrial plants behind the old pond
that we needed to remove and temporarily relocate. Above,
you can see some of the oat grass clumps, but he also had
sedum, coreopsis, and cardinal flower, among others. The root
systems on some of these plants were so huge that we had to
use the backhoe to get them out!
that we needed to remove and temporarily relocate. Above,
you can see some of the oat grass clumps, but he also had
sedum, coreopsis, and cardinal flower, among others. The root
systems on some of these plants were so huge that we had to
use the backhoe to get them out!
The area we had to work with was quite large, and he
wanted to utilize as much of it as he could. We first
removed his fish and holding tank because there were too
many to keep in the little tank I had on site. Next, we
began the process of removing all the nasty, filthy river
rock in and around the pond and setting it aside. The
plants were a bigger challenge, as they had broken free of
their pots and rooted in the river rock.
wanted to utilize as much of it as he could. We first
removed his fish and holding tank because there were too
many to keep in the little tank I had on site. Next, we
began the process of removing all the nasty, filthy river
rock in and around the pond and setting it aside. The
plants were a bigger challenge, as they had broken free of
their pots and rooted in the river rock.
Finally, we were able to remove the old filter box, skimmer and
liner and call in the backhoe to start digging.
liner and call in the backhoe to start digging.
If you ever want to see a pond at it's worst, take a picture
of it in the spring, before anything has time to green up.
of it in the spring, before anything has time to green up.
Certainly pond technology has changed a lot since his
original pond installation, but I still see new ponds
constructed like this all the time.
original pond installation, but I still see new ponds
constructed like this all the time.
I ended up having to use a cable wrapped around the plant roots
to pull them out of the pond with my pick up truck.
to pull them out of the pond with my pick up truck.
| Audio sounds provided by www.Freesound.org 38391- volivieri water flows over rock.wav 72722 - Manuel Calurano - Conversation between a nightingale and a frog.mp3 |
| Write me at: pondgal@gridcom.net |
This is Roy's pond now. Before leaving the job site, we replanted all of his terrestrial plants around the pond, and Roy added a
few new ones, including the crimson birch on the right, behind the bog garden. Originally, we had not planned on installing a
bog garden, but because of the shape of the main pond, we had a lot of extra liner in that corner, so I suggested we make a bog
garden there. (You can tell we gave it a couple of months for the plants to grow in before we took this picture!)
few new ones, including the crimson birch on the right, behind the bog garden. Originally, we had not planned on installing a
bog garden, but because of the shape of the main pond, we had a lot of extra liner in that corner, so I suggested we make a bog
garden there. (You can tell we gave it a couple of months for the plants to grow in before we took this picture!)
The bog garden is separated from the main pond by a foot and a half wide compacted dirt wall. (This is dirt that was never
excavated, so the bog garden was dug completely separately. Had we disturbed the compacted dirt, the wall would have had to
be built with concrete block under the liner and underlayment, or else it would have settled.) The liner was then laid OVER the
dirt wall and into the bog garden. When the pond is full, water can flow into and out of the bog garden but the level of the dirt
wall is high enough to keep dirt from sifting from the bog garden back into the pond. Three layers of flagstone were installed
over the dirt wall and liner to create a walkway between the pond and the bog garden area, and to hide the liner.
excavated, so the bog garden was dug completely separately. Had we disturbed the compacted dirt, the wall would have had to
be built with concrete block under the liner and underlayment, or else it would have settled.) The liner was then laid OVER the
dirt wall and into the bog garden. When the pond is full, water can flow into and out of the bog garden but the level of the dirt
wall is high enough to keep dirt from sifting from the bog garden back into the pond. Three layers of flagstone were installed
over the dirt wall and liner to create a walkway between the pond and the bog garden area, and to hide the liner.
| BEFORE: The view from the deck |
| AFTER: Same view from the deck |
| BEFORE: The view from the driveway |
| AFTER: Same view from the driveway |
Because of the size of Roy's pond, his waterfall is fed by two skimmers (one on either side of the pond), which, each have their
own 4,600 gph pump and are each fed by their own bottom drain system. Both pumps don't have to be running at the same time
to have a very nice waterfall effect, so he can alternate which skimmer box he wants to use if he doesn't want to run both at
once.
own 4,600 gph pump and are each fed by their own bottom drain system. Both pumps don't have to be running at the same time
to have a very nice waterfall effect, so he can alternate which skimmer box he wants to use if he doesn't want to run both at
once.