Diana,
That's going to be a nice pond when you're done - it's a good size. I built my first pond ever this summer and I had the same issue when I began. I haven't even gotten to the planting stage yet, but I have prepared to get the plants as close to the pond edge/rocks as possible. There are a couple of pics near the end of my album (link below) that show my rock edge. What I did was place the rocks on the shelf in the pond, backfill dirt behind those rocks, trapping the liner between the dirt and rock. Then, if you cut the liner right at soil level, you're all set. With the liner curled back up against the rock it stops anything from flowing in and gives you plenty of area to plan right behind the stone. Hopefully, between this poorly written description and the pics, you'll get the idea. Plus, I've learned a ton from other folks on here, so I'm sure you'll get plenty of advice.

Good luck!
-Chris

Here is a link that might be useful: My Pond

Thank you, Chris! Your pics helped a LOT! Now I understand. : )

Wow, what a beautiful stream and pond you've created! I absolutely love the rocks around the skimmer area. I can see I need to get more round rocks. We have many sizes but too many flat type.

I'm almost afraid to show your pics to my DH. I can see a stream in our future. He's already threatened to cut down the maple nearby. And we have 5 acres. Oh no, I can almost hear the backhoe starting up. ; )

Thanks again! I'm going to work on those shelves some more. Rock hounding - I can see it's in my future for awhile.

Diana

Wow! My speakers were turned too high when the first video hit. Quite a shock! Chris, your pond and stream are quite impressive. Yours will be too, Diana. Just avoid the rock necklace effect. Sandy (who lives in flatland and must buy all her rocks.)

I have five liner ponds and all have the liner folded back towards the water over a shelf filled with flat rocks so that the liner will not show if the water level drops.

You can see the liner sticking up a bit on the top pond in this photo. Before the rocks were finished.

The lower pond has started to be planted already. As you can see the ground cover plants are really close to the pond. You can see a layer of the rocks below the water line in the filled pond.

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This photo is the lower pond in the top photo more recently. You can see how much the plants have grown. The waterlily is Perry's Baby Red and is planted in clay garden soil that was put on top of the liner which is why the top photo shows muddy water.

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Here is a close up of the stacked rocks on the shelf.
Charlie's Choice waterlily towards the back, PBR closer to the camera.

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This is another one of the front ponds showing how the liner is folded back towards the pond but hasn't been cut off yet. The water level will be above the liner when full, lowered to work on the rocks in the photo.

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This one shows the shelf that will be totally filled with flat rocks. The right side shows how high the rocks will be stacked.

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I am still not done with all the plantings in this area. We built the first pond in this section of the yard in 2004 so it has been a long haul.

Thank you, buyorsell! So if I'm understanding you correctly, the shelf you're referring to is above the pond shelfs? Around the outside edge? I've read in a pond book to dig down a few inches around the outside perimeter of the pond and lay the liner in this area. Kind of like a trench, I guess? I suppose the excess liner could be folded back over the rock and more rock put on top.

Hmmm, lots of ways to do this, I see. I am mainly worried about not being able to plant real close to the edge and about the water leaking out.

Sandy, thanks for the vote of confidence! : )

Diana

There are no shelves in these ponds, we built shelves in our larger fish pond years ago and raccoons used them to get into the pond and these ponds are small so no shelves other than the one around the outside edge that we stacked the rocks in.

No water leaks out the liner is folded back towards the pond well above the actual water line.

I can plant right up to that liner fold if there is a small rock there. I use different rocks sizes and shapes on the top layer.

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Darn it!

I wish I'd found this site before I built mine. That would have solved my liner showing obsession (see response to Hannes folds in the pond query)! I don't have enough liner to do what you've done. Never mind when I extend maybe.......

Cheers
Janette

I got the idea from an article in Fine Gardening magazine about fifteen years ago.

i have creeping jenny and forget-me-nots around the edges of my ponds. these plants will grow over the rocks, into the water and into the soil, hiding the liner quite nicely without giving the "rock necklace" look.