before/after waterfall conifer garden

16 years ago

I built this pondless waterfall 3 years ago, and due to improper design, it settled and began to leak.I had last week off, so it was time for an overhaul.

Foundation was built out of concrete block

{{gwi:611265}}

Stream and reservoir dug

Liner in place and sump with pump inside, partially backfilled with stone.

The finished product. I thought I could get it done in two days, but it ended up taking 3 1/2. The Japanese Maples look pretty rough this time of year but in the Spring it should be pretty colorful.

It's been operating for a week now, with no leaks, and minimal drop in water level due to evaporation. Hurray!

Dan

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Comments (19)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
wow ....

Dan ... we are in the same club... FULL CONTACT GARDENERS .... lol ...

great job ... perhaps a few aches and pains for your effort??... lol

if you ever run out of ideas .. and have 3 days off. .. feel free to stop by .. i could use the help ....

ken
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kim_dirtdigger
16 years ago
Dan -- You've outdone yourself on this one!! Beautiful. And what's the saying -- Go big or stay home ?? You'll never have to re-do that project. As always, perfect placement of the rocks and plants -- very natural looking. I'm curious though, how did you handle the height on the backside of the upper fall -- does it slope out?

And I'm in line right behind Ken when you have more time than you know what to do with!!

Kim
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Some answers to your questions: Looking up at the bridge, there is a path going both left (sunny) and right (high shade). Given the range of light, and my tendency to collect plants, it will be a mixed planting. My back is fine. You can actually move quite large rocks yourself. I find that one or two rolls, and then rest - keeps strain down on the back. It takes patience and some tools. I would not be without my pry bar, and dolly. I actually don't add much water. The last couple of years have not been so dry. I don't really winterize. I try to remove fallen leaves. Before the first good frost, I take the pump inside. The lower pond is almost 3 ft deep so the gold fish should survive. Done - Winterized. I agree that some more large bolders in the garden would make it more natural looking. I am working on that. Most of the planting will end up being 1-2 ft tall, or more, so most bolders would be covered. Since the stones are mostly limestone, they stay wet and I should be able to get moss growing on them. I'll be spraying with yogurt next summer to encourage this.
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Upsss.. what've done.. conifer forum???? Good to know there are some others that started the same way I did. Resin, right, Pinus brutia, but they had more of a functional purpose: windbreak. Those photos were taken on 2004, they grow very fast, I'll try to take a new photo. Tunilla, no Neobesseyas and Escobarias, all of them are from seeds/cuttings collected no more than 350 km from here. Most of them are Echinocereus, Mammilaria, Echinocactus and Corypanta, all of them hardy to at least -20C. You are right about the giving away thing.. if I've done that before. I lost some that were collected in very remote locations, which I may not be able to find anymore. I still don't know what kill most of them, I believe it was an unusual wet winter we had 3 years ago. They started developing black spots, diying in no more than a month. Dave, moving 50-75 pots every years is too much for me, that's why I only had hardy plants, but z7 is about as hardy as you can get with cactus. greenlarry, I tried to grow some of the natives indoors, but they are mostly desert species. Perhaps if I've tried different species.... that was my experience. lp, They need plenty of sun, and dry winters. I've read that some species need some cold during winter to trigger flowering. Barbara, there are still some survivors growing there!! I was thinking in growing conifers there, but it gets too hot and water drains extremely fast from there. I may plant some conifer there later!! just need to know what. I have a need for collecting!! When I was a kid riding my horse in our ranch I used to collect almost anything I could pull out of the ground. My father, who knew the scientific name of most native plants helped with the ID. That's how the addiction started. Nice collection Bill!! There are some more photos of them flowering: Echinocereus arizonicus subsp matudae Echinocereus polyacanthus subsp polyacanthus Echinocereus chlorathus subs cylindricus osprey
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dear all thanks so much for the suggestions. I guess I should have clarified a couple of things. 1. North is up 2. Juglans, silver maple, scotch pine were planted long before I got the house. They are quite massive specimens and I won't get rid of them. The juglans is a pain in the neck but is a gorgeous tree, in summer and winter (less so in spring and fall). 3. Distances. I don't share a passion for savannah-like landscapes. I understand where you come from, but my perspective is a 10-20 year perspective of somebody who likes woods and meadows much more than savannahs. The punges are 5 meters apart. Plenty of space in my view. 4. The property is an acreage, no neighbours but I have a noisy road to the west which is going tpo be screened by windbreak and a beech grove (the street is 60 meters west of the diagram I attached). On the other hand, the only view I'd like to keep open is the one to the east. In the other directions I'll want to be walled in. 5. There is so significant slope. It is Iowa, after all :-) 6. I don't care about the lawn - this specific area will have lawn, but most of the rest of the property will be reverted to prairie or whatever it is that it becomes when the beech grove has formed a canopy. 7. Beside Juglans, acer and scotch pine, all other trees will be planted in the next 1-3 years. So, you can expect that they will be starting from the same size. (I am aware of the risks of doing everything from the beginning but I have made my decision on that) 8. I have a quite extensive dripline system that will take care of all plantings. I have plenty of dying poplars on the north and south side which will provide mulch (I already have more mulch than I can use) 9. This area should be a beautiful area with some landscape interest (this is why you see the variety of colors and the opening between the KCT and the fagus creating a minimeadow framed by cornus controversa and acer esk sunset). This is the area where we will spend most of the time in the summer. 10. Right now I am at an airport, I have no access to the pictures of my property. I will send them on Monday. I will also send a higher resolution picture of the whole property (Ken - that will be a lot for you to have fun with) 11. I plan to plant all plants as seedlings or from seed, due to cost issues. I already have planted a variety of caryas (pignut, mockernut, laciniosa, ovata) from seed on the north edge of the property (outside the view of the diagram). They haven't come up yet (planted last fall). My main challenges are 1. visualization of how it is going to look especially since many of these plants I have never seen in person. I have made extensive research on each of them over the past 18 months but still nothing substitutes the impression that a live tree can make. 2. Account for shading. I have very little intuition about what amount of shade certain trees will look full under. For example, I am not a fan of sparse conifers (with the exception of picea orientalis and hemlocks), especially the kind of look that firs get when they are shaded. 3. Account for hardiness, storm resistance, ice resistance. I read a lot about that but I still don't know how much damage to expect from serious storms. So far we have gotten up to 80mph and the damage was minimal, with the exception of the willows and poplars I inherited. I am overwhelmed with the response to this post. I just love trees. My hope is that my garden could have some of the characteristics of that of botann, which is in fact my favourite, I love its density, texture, lushness, natural feel. But then again, I have seen such amazing gardens on this forum that I am still trying to cope. Only two months ago, I almost had no conifers in my plan (I actually hated conifers with a passion, with the exception of cedars) and then I saw the pictures of Dave's Dan's Ken's gardens and the amazing garden in Toledo... and that changed my mind! That is all for now. Have to hop to portland. Thanks so much. You all are such an inspiration!
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Shannon, the conifer you asked about is 'Irish Bell'. I like its foliage better than 'Mint Truffle' because it is darker green, denser and grows slower. Although you gotta love the name. As for the subject of splitting the forum, I would have no problem with that. Don't get me wrong, I love trees. If I had more space I'd plant a bunch more, coniferous and deciduous. I love the photos of big majestic conifers and if I had the space I'd plant them. But alas I don't. Sometimes you can't win on this forum. If you plant a conifer that gets big you get the comment "Looks good now, but it will outgrow its space in twenty years" comment and if you plant a dwarf you get criticized for planting a "mutant" plant. Bottom line is I love gardening and conifers and I try to share photos of my passion with other people that are passionate about it. I think the controversy comes from the fact that the "species" people sometimes feel like they have to interject into every thread. I get it, they like big trees, I like big trees too but don't have the space. As passionate as they are about species conifers so are we about our cultivars. We're just tired of taking crap every time we post a photo of something we like and want to share it with someone else who might like it too. Well, those are my "thoughts", you're probably sorry you asked now huh?:) At least its my thread, so I'm not hijacking it, this honesty stuff is very liberating:) Have a good weekend, Dan
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dansgrdn
Original Author
16 years ago
Ken, I like the "full contact gardener" moniker. You're right, I'm still sore from the project. Thanks for the compliments. It didn't turn out exactly as I had hoped, but I am pleased with the results for the most part.
Kim, you weren't supposed to notice that part :). That's this weekends project. The back will be terraced with stone similar to 7th pic and planted with minis. I wish I had enough room to gently slope it out but I'm short on space and this way I get to plant more conifers :). Thanks for the nice comments, Dan
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hostared
16 years ago
Nice job Dan.
I just got to ask, were are you getting your rock in our area? Which stone yard is delivery it. Just curious for future projects.
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dansgrdn
Original Author
16 years ago
Hostared, I usually get my stone from Area Landscape Supply in Mokena. They have same day delivery and usually will deliver within an hour or two of ordering. Thanks, Dan
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hostasformez4
16 years ago
Wonderful!!!

Could I clone you? LOL

You are so talented. For that to be called 'just a water fall project' blows my mind.

Connie
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conifers
16 years ago
Unbelievable and you all are very funny. I like you guys. I should've checked the gallery all this time. What a wonderful job.

Thanks Dan for the illustrations too :)

Dax
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jel48
16 years ago
Beautiful job, Dan!
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dansgrdn
Original Author
16 years ago
Here's the back. I kind of modified the plan so it took up minimal space. Dan

{{gwi:611276}}
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treelover3
16 years ago
Wow, very nice. What is the tall, narrow thuja (I think it's a thuja) in the half bowl?
Thanks,
Mike
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dansgrdn
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi Mike. Thanks for the response. The tall narrow conifer in the bowl is Platycladus orientalis 'Collen's Gold'. I got it as one of those small Iseli conifers this Spring and it more than doubled in size this season. Thanks, Dan
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dcsteg
16 years ago
Hi Dan,

'Collen's Gold is a big grower. I purchased a small specimen about half the size of yours 3 years ago. It is now 3 feet tall. Hope you have a place for it. Plan big.

Dave
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dansgrdn
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi Dave, yep this baby is ready to take off next year. It is already way out of scale with the rest of the pot. My plan is to overwinter it, healed, in a protected spot and then plant it in a new and improved larger bed next Spring. If I can get it through the winter, I have high hopes for it. Thanks for the response, Dan
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dcsteg
16 years ago
Dan, here's an updated photo today. 6'-4" tall. This thing averaged a little under 2 feet a year.

Dave

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treelover3
16 years ago
Thanks, Dan. You have an incredible garden and landscaping abilities; the garden looks very natural and like it's been there for years.

You, too, Dave. I'm jealous.

I love that Platycladus orientalis 'Collen's Gold'. I wonder if it would survive in zone 4a? I'll have to check and see if it's available anywhere via mail order.
Thanks again and keep posting the photos.
Mike'
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mdesiderio
16 years ago
Hello --
I am a newbie -- but have to say that the waterfall is just beautiful. I would also like to clone you -- my SO is wonderful but not like that. lol He calls anything with needles a "pine tree" -- as in, "that's just another pine tree."

Anyway, in the 7th photo, what are the 2 tall columnar conifers that frame the photo? Love them both!

Michelle
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dansgrdn
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi Michelle, In the seventh photo, the tall conifer to the left is Picea glauca 'Pendula' and the one to the right is Pinus parviflora 'Bergman'. Glad you liked the photos. Can't wait to get started again this Spring. Dan
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mdesiderio
16 years ago
thanks dan. today my hired boys are installing a stone path and when I get back from my easter weekend I am going to a nursery that I just found not far away that specializes in conifers! can not wait and now I know what I want! thnks!
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bodiCA
16 years ago
WOW!!!!! I'm so happy to have stopped in to visit this forum, and see your FABULOUS work. Love the stone work and what a fabulous collection of plants! I am Thrilled to see your creation! Thanks for such a beautiful treat to start the day!
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before/after waterfall conifer garden

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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before/after waterfall conifer garden

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