What to do with "pond area" landscaping?

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

We've lived on this Missouri property for awhile, just now tackling the mess that the previous owners left.
There is a 15' sand pit which housed an above-ground pool, we're digging and lining it and turning it into a pond next Spring.

Will plant with native pond-loving plants.

Until Spring, we are attempting to hardscape the area as affordably as possible. This is right on the edge of zone 6b-7a with mild-moderate winters and unfortunate rocky clay soil.
Our goals: seclusion/privacy, a simple classic look, a haven for native flora and fauna. We love evergreen trees and shrubs, and wildflowers. So far we cleaned out the majority of weeds, dug a small trench diverting runoff from the carport, stained the semi-circle "flower box" ledge and planted it with native perennials.

http://imageshack.com/a/img922/1615/rb95yc.jpg
- trench (not finished)

We don't know much more about landscaping than the previous owners. Creative gardeners and landscapers, I'd love some suggestions--what would you do with this little oasis-in-the-making if it were yours?

Featured Answer

NHBabs z4b-5a NH

6 years ago

A pond, if you want it to actually hold water, needs either a specific type of clay layer or a rubber membrane or a preformed pond. You have mentioned a liner, but I don't know if you know that plastic or something similar won't work; you need something specially designed for a pond. It will need sand under it to keep the rocks from making holes in the liner. If you are OK with seasonal water, coming and going as the moisture varies, do a web search for rain gardens which are designed for collecting water to let it slowly seep into the ground rather than running off the property. They tend to be attractive to a lot of wildlife and are less work than a pond. You should also check your local laws concerning ponds and fences for safety from drowning. Some municipalities have quite strict laws since it only takes an inch or two to drown a toddler who trips and can't get up while others don't have any requirements.

Most ponds require a fair amount of specific care - either a bubbler or a pump to oxygenate the water so it doesn't get anaerobic and stinky, either of which needs power designed for outdoor use, perhaps netting to protect fish from predation, and some way of dealing with algae. You don't want to put in your hardscape and then dig it up again to run power and/or some type of plumbing, for a waterfall, for instance. Consider whether you can replace the wood wall with rock. Wood with soil behind it will rot relatively quickly, and you will end up with soil washing into your pond if it isn't replaced in the next few years.

Spend time now planning and saving money (supplies for ponds can get expensive) and if you feel the need to garden now, work on other areas of the property. Stockpile rock to help hide the liner edge. Look at lots of photos, get books on water gardening and ponds out of the public library and figure out exactly what you want, including drawn out plans before starting to do anything on the ground. To keep weeds from coming back while you plan, you could put down a layer of mulch (cheapest by he truckload for that sized area) that can then be raked aside and reused once you are ready to put in the garden itself.

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Comments (12)

PRO
Dig Doug's Designs
6 years ago
Possible look to consider.
V Carr (6b/MO) thanked Dig Doug's Designs
Milly Rey
6 years ago
Pond before hardscape!
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Are those tall things... lillies? Or am I dreaming? If they are, that may be a spectacular planting. It is nicely done already, just that the plants have all grown a bit too big. Divide them all down to a third the size they now are, eliminate the odd thing you really don't like, and yes, wait out a winter. You will see then how the pond looks when it is more exposed; it may be a bit mundane. It's quite artful as it is. If you need to replace something, those hideous evergreen columns could go - to be replaced with nicer selections of narrow evergreens; there are dozens of both columnar and weeping selections. But first, evaluate what sights and sightlines they block, and whether they are in the right place and whether they are wide enough/too wide. And wow, prune whatever's on the fence. Looks like something with territorial aspirations. KarinL
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PRO
Revolutionary Gardens
6 years ago
^^agree with Milly. The pond needs to come first.
V Carr (6b/MO)
Original Author
6 years ago
why should the pond come first?
emmarene9
6 years ago
If there is a drainage problem, which you allude to with the trench, I'd resolve that first. Are you meaning to empty it into the pond? How will you filter the pond? Do you have electric there for a pump?

I suggest you measure the area involved then draw it out to scale.
Milly Rey
6 years ago
Because you need to integrate the hardscape with the pond.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
Hardscaping always comes first when redoing a landscape.......otherwise you will inevitably trash or seriously damage whatever you have undertaken before installing the hardscape.

And I would reconsider the planter boxes. There is nothing natural about them and they will detract from the overall natural effect you will want the pond to have.

IME as a professional landscape designer, designing and redoing a pond to have it function properly (as per Babs' advice) and look natural and well-intended for the siting is NOT a DYI project unless it is one that you have undertaken previously and with high success. I would get a designer involved sooner as opposed to later.
PRO
Dig Doug's Designs
6 years ago
A version which includes hardscaping.
V Carr (6b/MO)
Original Author
6 years ago

Thanks to everyone for your thorough replies!

@ NHBabs--
Over several months I've done a bit of research on putting a pond in. We're going for an all-year pond rather than a rain garden or seasonal mud hole (right now, that's what it is). I wanted to go with Bentonite since it's natural, but read too many complaints about leakage and murky water, plus just the two of us would have a hard time putting it in. I don't know anyone with hoofed animals that can tamp it either. It would be frustrating to put in clay just to have it leak for whatever reason, whereas you can potentially patch a liner. I'd love for clay to work though.

If we use a liner instead of clay, it would be a Firestone EPDM pond liner, on top of an underlayment and sand. The topmost ledge would be a large planting area with native species to assist with filtering, this would be 8-12" deep. This would be in addition to a solar-powered bubbler and barley straw.
https://getbusygardening.com/keeping-pond-water-clear-natural-way/
There would be another ledge 1' deeper, and the bottom of the pond would be 3'. We would also be submerging a siphon pipe in case of overflow from excess rain or if it ever needs drained.
http://www.georgialandsales.com/pdf/PondSiphonSystem.pdf

The previous owners put the wood flowerbed in. I'd love to have rock instead of wood for the flowerbed, not sure how I'd remove the wood without everything behind it collapsing?

@ emmarene--
The drainage issue comes from the runoff from roof of the carport behind the area. I don't want the runoff going into the pond. I'll be lengthening the trench to go downhill and away from the pond. I did draw up a plan with measurements and specifics, but don't have it scanned in right now. See above for filtering plan

@ gardengal--
We can't afford a professional designer and there aren't a lot of resources like that in our rural area. The supplies alone will be about all we can manage. Just going to have to do a heckuva lot of research...
l pinkmountain
6 years ago
We have a pond on the property I manage. It is surrounded by shrubs, native perennials and some groundcover. Also several types of grasses. My favorite plants in this landscape are the winterberry hollies and some of the decorative grasses. Also maidenhair fern and goatsbeard. Another plant that I would like to grow but have not had much success with is caryopteris. We also have golden twig dogwood and fragrant sumac and blue flag irises.
Milly Rey
6 years ago
You can spend the winter digging. :)

What to do with "pond area" landscaping?

NHBabs z4b-5a NH

Comments (12)

Dig Doug's Designs

Milly Rey

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Revolutionary Gardens

V Carr (6b/MO)
Original Author

emmarene9

Milly Rey

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

Dig Doug's Designs

V Carr (6b/MO)
Original Author

l pinkmountain

Milly Rey

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What to do with "pond area" landscaping?

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V Carr (6b/MO)Original Author

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V Carr (6b/MO)
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