Lynn, The water feature is a stream bed and pond dug out of the dirt, then layered with a liner protector and a very large rubber liner (made for ponds/streams). At the top of the stream bed, higher than the stream to create a waterfall effect, there is what is called a bio-falls box/waterfall. At the end of the pond there is a skimmer (that sucks the water back up with a pump). The water is plumbed underneath the stream bed, so that it goes back to the waterfall box... round and round it goes. On top of the liner, there is riverbed gravel, riverbed rocks and very large rocks to line the pond with. This is very intensive work, not to even mention the plumbing part. If you have never done a pond/stream (with fill valves et al), I wouldn't make this my first project. You may want to hire someone to put it in for you. You can buy kits on-line if you're feeling industrius, but it is A TON of digging. Find someone who specializes in AquaScape (company name of a certian type of waterfall system that works great). If you live anywhere near Arlington, I would highly recommend (which those words do NOT come lightly out of my mouth - I am VERY picky, to the extreme) Prime Landscape. They didn't install my system, but have helped me trouble shoot and do clean outs. VERY, VERY patient, detail oriented and CAREFUL with and around my daylilies. The beds are mulched with extra fine ground hard wood mulch. I use the fine ground because it degrades faster than the regular hardwood - which I found took all of the nitrogen from the soil. Now, when I mulch, especially if it is a new bed, I amend the soil with compost, then put down a 1"-2" layer of compost on the top, then put down blood meal (or any other 100% nitrogen fertilizer) and then put the mulch. The extra nitrogen helps to break down the bottom side of the mulch (good for the soil), and keeps the nitrogen in the soil, in the soil (for the plants). Hope this helps,

Gil, I think you should try heuchera again....I love all kinds of heuchera and think that they would make excellent plants for your edge. They don't spread like the lamium and ajuga and some dianthus spread. They always look great and have lots of color. Some of the ones I have here that would look great also at your place in this flowerbed are... Electra Encore Pinot Gris City Lights Geisha's Fan Jade Gloss Marmalade Dolce Series...Blackcurrant, Mocha Mint,Creme Brulee Silver Scrolls Crimson Curls Black Beauty Petite Berry Smoothie Hollywood Rave On etc etc etc If you want some seeds, just let me know and I can send you some of the seeds I will be saving. I saved seeds last year from 17 of my varieties and started them in January. They seemed to all germinate and I now have about 1000 seedlings, I am sure, here to transplant!!! The seeds gave all colors and varieties of looks!!! Brenda

Thanks, Jim. I'll definitely look at the weeping Yaupon, it would be great to have something unique and sculptural against the stone there. It needs to be narrow since the path is a given and take sun or shade since the area is in shade for about three seasons of the year and then gets direct hits of summer sun morning and afternoon. The other Yaupons around here seem to do well with either sun or shade. Most of the natives that do well here are listed as slow or moderate growth. We don't mind investing in the right plant. With so much space to fill I do pick up a lot of clearance plants at Lowe's and saving there allows me to spend where it's needed. Melavena, so true. We're retired and the yard and house is our job now. There are are lot of sayings along the lines of "Sometimes you have to mess up to clean up" and that definitely applies here.

I came across this photo that might provide some inspiration as you continue to landscape your dry creek bed. Even though yours doesn't meander you could provide the illusion of curves by alternating rocks and plantings along the edges instead of placing them evenly on the sides. By the way, love the photo of your hubby on the porch. He looks well pleased with the work as he should be :-) Here is a link that might be useful: