Decided i wanted to put a pond in the garden

[JohnHuff]

Pecan, that's beautiful!

 

[sissy]

young or old huh .I was on my knees next to the side walk level of my pond today and happened to reach to far leaning one hand on the liner to get a leaf floating and hand slipped and well the rest is wet history .Note to self you are short and so are your arms and liner muck is slippery .

 

[adavisus]

Thinking about the river, moat water feature, it's doable as long as there's plenty of demarcation between the pit trap hazard of a pond and access routes, open lawns are well separated.

Subtle cues like, paving, rockery, shrub beds to steer folk a safe distance

Go to any moated castle and often theres a slope and rough beach to make walking awkward, reeds, iris, cattails making a natural barrier, with a few accessible favourite places made for seclusion, leisure, boarding boats

Regards, andy

 

[Lisak1]

Rope or garden hose can be a helpful tool in deciding where to place your pond and other garden elements. As suggested, don't forget to allow space for walkways and allow for bushes and shrubs to grow into their full size. Another trick we used was to take a photo of our yard from a second story window, enlarge it and use that as our "drawing board". I'm spatially challenged, so that helped me a lot to visualize just how much space we wanted to devote to the pond. And you basically have a blank canvas to work with - fun!

As for someone accidently stumbling into a pond, it seems highly unlikely in daylight hours. (Although you do, naturally, need to watch children at all times around any type of water - pond, pool or moat! - as their curiosity will naturally draw them to it.) But we did worry about someone falling in at night (although our yard is fenced, that may not stop someone from deciding they want to cut through - older kids out after dark was one thought we had). Our pond is well lit with lights - both in and out if the pond - that come on at dusk every night. We plan to add more underwater lights next year - nobody can miss our pond, day or night.

Like sissy, I too have fallen victim to the "I can reach it if I stretch just a liiiiiiiiiitle more" thought process. But another thing to consider is how difficult would it be to get out if someone did fall in? Strategically placed shelves create a safe way to get in or out of the pond. We built our pond with one "stair step" shelf area. The first shelf is about two feet down - too deep for a raccoon to stand on and fish! - and then it steps down from there to the bottom. I am in my pond every other week tending to my plants and this makes it safe and easy for me to climb in and out. This area is also our feeding area, which is fun because the fish can come right up to the water's edge to say hello!

You have lots to think about and lots of work ahead of you, but oh the fun you will have!

 

[pecan]

I have never really worried about anyone accidentally falling in (except children of course who you always need to watch). There is landscaping on all sides except one, with stone borders and a patio you have to step up on is the only direct access to the water. Plus we have a motion sensor flood light that light the pond up at night when there is any movement.

 

[sissy]

My pond is raised on 3 sides but level with the sidewalk on 1 side ,But no children and no laws here in farm country .Oh yes this was the third I can reach ,I guess you never learn .
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[JohnHuff]

Parental vigilance is the number one priority.

We've somehow gotten to thinking that technology or some kind of device is all that is needed to keep a child safe. Most drownings are not due to a gate not being unlocked or a safety barrier not being high enough, it's due to a parent not being there.

What are we going to do, build a world that has no sharp edges? No, just as our hominid ancestors did, we need to tell our kids that saber tooth tigers are dangerous, not lock them in so they never encounter one.

The world has changed so much since I was a kid. We had playgrounds with hard concrete surfaces, slides that were 30 feet off the ground, swings that had wooden seats, and if you fell and bloodied your knee, it was a good lesson to learn so you didn't do that again. Passive safety designs has its uses but we still need to be ever vigilant.

Safety is number one priority when considering what pond to do.

In the middle anyone galloping around could trip and fall in, kids especially.

After dark, a pond in the middle is a pit trap in which a heavy laden fireman would drown in the event of a fire

Set to one corner, or off to one side, with some sort of barrier or landscaping around it, a pond can be a pleasant, safe and attractive feature

Regards, andy
http://swglist.wordpress.com/
http://www.pinterest.com/adavisus/pondering/

 

[sissy]

That is because parents are to involved with technology and spend to much time on the devices than with there children .I see it even with my nieces .Quality time with children and play and fun and learning should be number one .I saw it in the grocery store ,a mom and dad texting on there phones and there's the child doing what ever he wanted and they didn't even notice .

 

[JohnHuff]

Doesn't have to be technology. They could be watching TV, gambling or even taking a nap.
Instead of taking prenatal classes, people should be taking mandatory post natal parenting classes.

That is because parents are to involved with technology and spend to much time on the devices than with there children .I see it even with my nieces .Quality time with children and play and fun and learning should be number one .I saw it in the grocery store ,a mom and dad texting on there phones and there's the child doing what ever he wanted and they didn't even notice .

 

[sissy]

A license to drive a license to have children . :cheerful:

 

[HARO]

I'll second that!!
John

 

[JohnHuff]

I'll second that!!
John

John, since you are a pond'crastinator', you will always be second :biggrin:
Dr. Sir John Huff

 

[sissy]

Haro is first in my book even with the big rock he had delivered and put next to his driveway .Did he ever move it ,well not sure so it may all be true :cheerful:

 

[HARO]

The rock is now resting comfortably in its final position beside the pond. I have built a structure over the pond to keep out the kingfisher and heron, and this spring I will complete the vegetative filter and waterfall, and post pictures! As for the rocks, there are 5 or 6 more at the garden centre which I can have if I can move them. Still working on the logistics!!!
John

 

[sissy]

eat spinach lots of spinach Haro and you can carry them home . :cheerful: I still remember when you posted the pic of the big rock ,how fun