maybe instead of grouping all of them around the edges you can dig a larger shelf and put some of them settled down on the shelf with just part of them sticking up and then some around the top so that you get different levels?? does that make sense? possible give it a more natural look?
Darla

I was looking for the same info not too long ago, here's a link that might be helpful.

Here is a link that might be useful: pond edges go to bottom

I have grass around part of my pond and it is natural. I put a berm around this area for drainage and laid sod up and over the edge right to the water in places, got no soil in the water to speak of. The grass is thriving in the water. I let it grow and keep it stylishly shaggy, occasionally trimming with cordless grass shears that don't throw the clippings into the pond. Considering some wildflowers next spring. As someone once said here, it isn't a golf course, let it grow.

Hope this helps - Mike

I think maybe a combination of putting some of the rocks on a shelf and then having some areas where grass comes up to the edge just might work.

Mike - Did you just lay the sod over the edge of the liner?

Thanks

schmily - I had the "stone necklace" and was unhappy with the look. The stones were the top layer of several on a shelf. They needed to stay because of water level. I put a berm behind and at the height of the stones, covering the extra liner. The sod started at the edge of my patio, went up over the berm and across the top of the stones. I actually varied the sod as you recommend--grass down to water level, grass just over the stones, some cutouts so a stone here and there seemed to be in the grass.

I placed a couple of larger stones by cutting out the sod so the stones wouldn't kill the grass altho I later removed them and patched in sod.

One nice benefit is that I let the sod droop over next to the skimmer and covered the edges of the box very naturally.

Grass and sod are the cheapest things ever to go around your pond, are extremely flexible and light weight to move, very adaptable and can be cultivated to whatever idea someone has about natural. My first experience with it and I am happy.

Mike

That sounds really nice Mike. Don't suppose you have any pictures? I have a feeling that after wrestling a few tons of boulders I'll be ready to deal with something a little lighter and more flexible.

I have some and can take some, will try to post in the near future. Yes, I have tons of rocks and this was welcome. Only takes a steak knife to shape.
I don't have a big area, wish I had more for this look.

You mentioned putting over liner--the grass won't root in the rubber (or in rocks), but it only takes a thin layer of good draining soil laid on the liner or rocks to have growth. Some of mine just hangs in space. Only a couple of months so we'll see.

Luck with those boulders!
Mike

Hi
I'm located in s. florida so rocks are almost out of the question due to the price . On a large pool would end up costing more than the house lol. The grass sod worked but was a real chore to keep under control and of course could only be clipped by hand. MY 5x10 I built above ground using stacked 4x4's .Has worked well and has some nice features
saves a lot of digging to start with ,a place to sit around the edge, and a place to sit pots. Things don't fall in .
It certainly does save a lot of maintenance but you are limited to geometric shapes. One side benefit I was hoping for was to keep toads out but they mange to climb in anyway.lol I think if i were to build another I'd use the same method but would cover the outside with tile and use capstones rather than vinyl boards on the edge.
gary

Hi Schmily,
My lab loves the water so I knew it would be a chore keeping him out of the pond, so I designed it to let him wade in. I've got a beach area and sloped the pond depth from 0 to about 18 inches over a 12 foot span before dropping off to 5' so he can get in and out easily (he's getting old). I covered the liner with an inch or so of mortar and embedded stones and pea gravel, it gives him (and me) a non slippery surface to walk on, the mortar doesn't allow debris to build up like plain gravel would, and the light surface gives me a nice koi-viewing area. My lab will wade in chest deep and slurp koi pellets nose-to-nose with the fish. Mortar isn't a huge project, it's just heavy to carry. Let it cure for a week or so and rinse it off well before adding water. I waited a couple of months after that before adding fish, I wanted to make sure the ph wasn't affected. It wasn't. You can add plants anytime.

The ground slopes where my pond is so my edges aren't level. On two sides there is as much as a 6 inch drop to the water level-the exposed liner was ugly. I've used blue rug junipers and trailing ground covers to soften the rock I use around the edges and hide the liner. The best I've found was a flowering hanging basket "giant snowflake" tight small green leaves and small white flowers. I got the baskets (2-about $25) at costco and divided the plants up and planted them along one edge. They grew like gangbusters and trailed over the edge completely covering the liner. The koi keep them trimmed at the water line. Alas, they are an annual here so I have to replace them each spring and live with seeing the liner until they fill in. I'm getting tired of that and will find a perennial to take it's place.

Good Luck with your pond!

[IMG]http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/3220/beachzk8.jpg[/IMG]
Ok, I obviously don't know how to post a picture here, but if you copy and paste the url into your browser you can see the area I'm talking about.

Here is a link that might be useful: Come Join Pond Chat!

I love the beach area! I think I need to do something like that. We've got a 9 yo Chesapeake Bay Retriever that loves the water and a 2 yo foxhound that seems to get wet every chance she gets. I've even found her standing in the horse trough. I was thinking about laying down rubber mats in the bottom to protect the liner but now I'm thinking mortar might look a little more natural.

I'm also thinking the pond is going to have to be bigger than what I originally thought. Sketching it out I thought about 10x24' would be nice. When I laid that out in the yard with the hose it looks really small. Finally last night it hit me that the boulders are so big that the pond is going to have to be bigger unless I want it to look like a puddle. Oh well - just that much less grass to mow I guess.

this might be something to look at

Here is a link that might be useful: edging

The right edging can make or break the whole feel of your pond. I love rocks and a natural look, and even after having my pond in for several years, occasionally I get out there and start moving them around again!
Shots of the original efforts are up at webshots.com.

Here is a link that might be useful: First efforts on large pond

Ronaye, it's gorgeous - it certainly looks like it's been there more than a few years, you've been very busy! I've wondered how you were coming along on your lake, thanks for sharing the pictures.

And welcome back :^)

Lovely pond, Ronaye! That is very much the look I'm going for. Of course once I get these boulders in place I can't imagine having the energy to start moving them around again. Thanks for sharing.

We have an old man made 60' x 60' retention pond, which my husband recently built a retaining wall inside of due to erosion. However, our biggest problem is that grass still seems to sneak in and grow under/over and through the wall and into to the pond. Do you simply weed whack it, kill by other means, or let it go?
The grass seems to be growing further outward, and is not desirable.
Any ideas, or suggestions appreciated.
THank you

Awesome pond ronaye....Dave

Old Chinese proverb - A picture is worth a thousand words. I don't understand why this thread doesn't include pictures so we can see what everyone has done to give their ponds a natural edge. I appreciate having an image to inspire me.

With dogs a beach sounds like a great idea.
Not sure if cutting grass near a pond would create a challenge, i.e. keeping grass out of the pond and dogs tracking grass into pond.
The trick with a rock border is variation. Here is my pond, newly constructed, but not quite completed, this spring.
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Good luck and enjoy