Here we go -- FINALLY! A pond for wildlife...

[YShahar]

I'm just taking a break to go to confession. I did it again. I pulled back the liner and carved out the end of the pond some more. I keep looking at all that liner and thinking "I can go bigger!" I didn't do a ton - but there was an area that was bugging me. Also, I am avoiding rocking some of the problem areas. I think my go-to stress coping mechanism is digging holes.

I'm in the same boat! I've been wondering how exactly to finish up the edging on the west side of the pond, which is quite shallow. As I was preparing to cut off some of the excess liner, I thought: wait a minute! If I just dig out a bit of the berm here, I'll have some iris beds! So that's what I'll be doing next week as I try to get things finished up.

Gives a whole new meaning to the expression "I really dig this!"

 

[GBBUDD]

"I really dig this!"

For my Mother's Day, I got the gift of bog plumbing! And I got to see my favorite bird mama bring her babies out to visit!

those three birds are lucky they are in your yard waiting for the pond to get fired up and not elsewhere....

 

[bagsmom]

those three birds are lucky they are in your yard waiting for the pond to get fired up and not elsewhere....

Last year I learned that flycatchers belly flop into ponds to bathe! It is the craziest thing to see! I sure hope these birds do stay and enjoy the pond. Mama bird was hanging out with me the other day when I was digging - coming very close to get the grubs and worms I unearthed.

 

[Cichlidboy]

Everything is looking really good I have been busy with other projects and work it's hard to catch up on everything

 

[bagsmom]

Here is a photo update. Lots of progress but it is slow work. I was very excited that this weekend, I got the bottom wall done - I made it all the way around! My disclaimer is - I know it doesn't look very natural but it is the best I can do with the rocks that I have (and my level of strength.) I got the big rocks in by flopping end over end or by "driving" them like a huge, awkward wheel along the shelves. I am trying to not be such a perfectionist and remembering that once I fill in the voids with rocks and gravel, it will look better. And once there are plants, it will be great!
I know have 14 of the big flat boulders left and 13 of the smaller gray flat rocks. I used an entire bulldozer scoop bag of gravel in the bog!
I am sure I will need another bag of gravel, another bag of egg rock, and probably a half pallet of those big edger boulders.
It's coming along!

 

[bagsmom]

Also - I am not loving the rock on a roll (to the left of the blue plastic mat.). But I will add a few more rocks and try to remember that that area should be covered with juniper at some point in the future.

 

[combatwombat]

Hey, go easy on yourself. I think it looks great. I think it's hard to know just what the final look will be until you have water and algae growing on it. I think it's going to be great and can't wait to see the water flowing. I've never used rock on a roll, but I've heard it doesn't look good until the pond is full and established, then it kind of disappears, which I guess is the point. Keep it up!

Also, do I spy some Harbor Freight pads? Those are my kneepads of choice.

 

[bagsmom]

Hey, go easy on yourself. I think it looks great. I think it's hard to know just what the final look will be until you have water and algae growing on it. I think it's going to be great and can't wait to see the water flowing. I've never used rock on a roll, but I've heard it doesn't look good until the pond is full and established, then it kind of disappears, which I guess is the point. Keep it up!

Also, do I spy some Harbor Freight pads? Those are my kneepads of choice.

They might well be from Harbor Freight! The colorful ones were in our kids' rooms and since I never throw anything out, they have been reused. They do make a great knee-saving pad!
And thank you!

 

[YShahar]

Looking great!

I think I would be tempted to preserve those incredible big flat rocks for your upper level, using them to form a stair-step from the top edge back into the landscape. You could put some just below the water level, with a few staggered to be at and above water level. I've found that a lot of visible horizontal rock makes the pond edge look stable and relaxing, while angled or on edge rock makes it look precarious and exciting. If you don't have enough, you could take some off the horizontal shelves and just put gravel in their place. Once it's underwater, it's not going to be all that visible anyway.

Your method of moving rock sounds a lot like mine: much "pinwheeling" and "end-over-end-ing" to get it where I want it!

Keep the updates coming!

 

[bagsmom]

@YShahar - yes, that is the plan! Not to mention the giant rocks are hard to move and it is much easier to get them just to the edge of the pond, vs. trying to get them down to lower shelves!
Since I probably have to have more rock delivered, I am even considering getting a REALLY big one that I could put in the landscape next to the pond. Since the delivery guy has to unload them with a little forklift skid-steer thingie, he might as well deposit it right where I need it!
We will see how much a rock like that would cost, though.

 

[addy1]

I know it doesn't look very natural but it is the best I can do with the rocks that I have

It looks great! Never apologize for your work! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Not all of us have the equipment, the patience, the desire to get tons rocks and do like some here have done. Beautiful ponds.

Mine has liner here and there that has shown up as land has shifted, snow has fallen, critters have walked on it. I am slowly working on covering those areas. Does it bother me, not really. Guess that is having a 11 year old pond that functions great. And mine runs on one pump, not multiple, which I prefer.

 

[bagsmom]

I hope I can get these pictures to download. Or upload. Or whatever they do! We had a lot of rain and decided it would be helpful to finish filling it up to get an idea of the waterline. I am happy! Heading to the rock place tomorrow to order some more. The finish line is getting closer! Next step will be to determine the overflow point - I think it will naturally overflow where I want it to. Then I will drain and finish rocking. I'm going to put more pea gravel in the bog. I'll finish edging all around the pond and edge the bog. Gravel will go on the shelves and in the bottom.
Then I get to decide where to use the wood that I have.
One of the last steps before filling will be to fill in voids with smaller rocks and to use waterfall foam all over the place where needed.
The very last thing will be doing the waterfall. I am excited to use bib liners and try some techniques I've watched Atlantis Water Gardens use.
Progress!!!!!

 

[combatwombat]

Looking majestic!

 

[bagsmom]

@combatwombat - thank you! Your videos and pictures were great inspiration!

 

[Tula]

Wowser, it looks fantastic and I can't believe you've done all this rock work yourself......"you rock"....pun intended