| Author | Content |
1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2008
3:07 AM Post #4697929
| Hi everyone...
I put this pond in last year and now I want to add a waterfall.
The problem is...I have no Idea how to go about it all! and I'm not very good at planning things out.
For instance, there are 2 ferns that were just planted behind the pond. These are babies now, but will reach 4ft by 4ft when full grown. Also, while cleaning up the pond today, I realized that my glads are coming up! They line my entire fence line, off the fence by about 6 inches. I dont want to remove them, cause when they bloom, the area behind the pond will be the ONLY area of the fence without flowers covering it. so now I am trying to squeeze a lil waterfall in behind the pond without having to move many plants (if possible)
Here is what my pond looked like before I started taking it apart...
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2008
3:08 AM Post #4697930
| another before pix, so you can see what I am dealing with... 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2008
3:14 AM Post #4697936
| I took out all of the flagstone and mulch around the pond. I have now drained and cleaned the pond... now I just need to figure out how and where to build the small water fall. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2008
3:16 AM Post #4697939
| this is the waterfall bucket that I want to use...
I also have a lil fireman and turtle spitters (pond art) that I can incorporate into the waterfall...fireman shooting his hose into waterfall, then waterfall spilling into pond?...etc. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 23, 2008
9:20 AM Post #4698259
| Do you want the water to fall from the waterfall bucket directly into the pond, or will you try to make a multi-level spillway with your rocks and have the waterfall bucket as a reservoir at the top? A single spill from the bucket will be easiest from a mechanical standpoint, and you could surround the bucket with rocks to make it look prettier... with multi-level, you need to be careful to angle your stacked stones slightly so that the water all flows down into the pond... I've never actually made a waterfall, so other people might have more practical advice.
As for the placement of your waterfall... I think the automatic thing would be to put it back toward your corner (like where the turtle spitter used to be). However, you could consider placing it at or near one of the ends of the pond also, and then you can use the depth of the corner for your plantings. I could see a cascade entering about where that streak of light is falling in your photo of the empty pond, just to the right of that large indentation coming down from the rim of the liner. Again, this depends on how complex your waterfall will be and how much depth it will take up. Will you go all the way back to the wall? Maybe you could even use the low wall to help support the upper level of your waterfall design...
It was a beautiful little pond even before you took it apart, and I think a waterfall will be a wonderful addition! You'll get ideas as you go along, too... I think my biggest practical suggestion is, don't fit all the flagstones back into place around the edge until you have the waterfall together and running and like its placement. You don't want to rearrange those big slabs more than once! |
soulgardenlove
Marietta, GA
(Zone 7b)
March 23, 2008
10:10 AM Post #4698417
| hmmm... I've never done this so I say what Critter said!! :)
Susan |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 23, 2008
11:23 AM Post #4698770
| I've never done a pond, either! But I'm reading up about them, because I have a low spot where I want to put one in... :-)
In terms of placement, think about how you'd like to view the waterfall... Do you just want to see it face on? One of my favorite places to view Niagara Falls is where you can stand near the edge of the falls and watch the water race over the edge of the drop... I like a side-view. Spend some time arranging and re-arranging your waterfall, since it's really going to be a focal point for your pond. |
LorraineR
Gilmer, TX
(Zone 8a)
March 23, 2008
11:57 AM Post #4698921
| My daughter in law has a spot sort of like that and she took a spot, like whre you have those purple flowers? She put the mechanical workings there and surrounded it with rock. (Her's were really pretty. She spent forever finding the right ones) Anyway, she fixed where the waterfall comes down the rocks and you can't see anything but the rocks and water coming into her pond.
I like it. She put water lilies in it and they did really good. She bought the pump and all at Lowes and it just looks like a water fall in her yard. Course she can't keep it clean, cause the kids want to "fish" |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 23, 2008
12:05 PM Post #4698951
| Oh yes, definitely have the waterfall rocks hide all the mechanical workings!
I was assuming that electrical outlet was on an extension cord, not a fixed position... if not, I'd put the waterfall near that spot so you don't have to hide so much of the wiring, either. |
mistygardener
Saint James, MO
(Zone 6b)
March 23, 2008
12:26 PM Post #4699014
| Hey Anjil,
Just woke up! LOL Gonna be making my own teeny tiny little pond, so I will be lurking if nothing else! :) |
1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2008
2:17 PM Post #4699372
| The electrical cord is an extension...however it is only temporary til I can get DH to finish the wiring inside the wall. One of the 'problems' with the pond is that it is visible from all sides. The pond is located in the corner of my 'upper' yard. The wall behind the pond is actually our retaining wall for the lower level. To the left of the pond, on the other side of the fence, is stairs that lead down to the lower level and behind the pond to the right is the walkway for the lower level. I have to be careful what I put behind the pond because the whole retaining wall and decorative fencing is only about 4 ft tall from the lower level side. I would have to hide any mechanics with the ferns, or some other type of plants.
I do want to use just the one pool and have it go directly into the pond, instead of having a taller waterfall, just kinda like a pool that cascades over into the bigger pond?
I think I might just go play around with the flagstone today and see what transpires... |
LorraineR
Gilmer, TX
(Zone 8a)
March 23, 2008
3:03 PM Post #4699510
| I don't know how she does it, but you can't see any cords, nothing. It just looks like a natural thing. Wonder where the cord is? Hadn't thought about that |
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
March 23, 2008
3:14 PM Post #4699540
| Generally when you run electricity to something like that you're supposed to bury the wiring some distance underground (how far underground depends on how cold your climate is...it has to be below your frost line) So my guess is hers has the wiring done properly and run underground and that's why you don't see anything. |
1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2008
5:35 PM Post #4699975
| okay... The lessons I learned today?
If your over 40 yo... hire a kid to lift the rocks for you!
Dont try to 'design' a waterfall by standing behind it!
There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a pond WITHOUT a waterfall! :o)
Do Not try to build a waterfall during the hottest hours of the day...
Okay, after much rock arranging, re-arranging, sweating, plant transplanting... and a few choice phrases...
Here is 3 hours worth of work?! ;O)
Any more suggestions... besides staying in bed for the rest of the day!? LOL!
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2008
5:36 PM Post #4699981
| and another view 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tetleytuna
Columbia, MO
(Zone 5b)
March 23, 2008
5:41 PM Post #4699997
| That will be gorgeous once you turn it on! Great work! Will you be covering up the front portion of the top catch basin? It looks like you have a lot of little crevices that could hold low growing ground cover to creep among the rocks. |
mistygardener
Saint James, MO
(Zone 6b)
March 23, 2008
5:42 PM Post #4699998
| Looks like you are doing a great job to me, Anjil!!! |
1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2008
5:45 PM Post #4700011
| I have a bunch of allyssum that I'll be planting between the rocks...
I'm having a hardtime trying to cover up the upper basin with the stones. I also have some river pebbles that I can put around the pond to hill in some of the cracks..
problem with the flagstone is the pieces arent cooperating with me... I love jigsaw puzzles, but not when the pieces weigh 15 lbs each and there is no picture to 'cheat' and look at! LOL! |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 23, 2008
5:52 PM Post #4700045
| Wonderful! Creeping thyme is nice for crevices, too...
You may not even need to completely cover the edge of that basin... just a couple of smaller pieces of rock to break up the line of the "lip" might do the trick. I think it'll sort of disappear once there's water in it, because your eye will go to the water and to the movement of the waterfall.
I assume you've tested with a stream from a hose or something to make sure that water that spills onto the lower rocks definitely flows down into the pond basin and not back toward the retaining wall...
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1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2008
6:17 PM Post #4700137
| Yes, I did test it... thats when it got all muddy and wet and I QUIT! LOL!
It does all flow back into the pond, plus I put gravel under the basin and then sloped the entire upper level all towards the pond and then covered it with pond liner... so even the splashes that go between the rocks will all flow back to the lowest point...(pond)
Here's what I'm plaing with now... (see I really CANT quit!) LOL!
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 23, 2008
8:13 PM Post #4700542
| Oh, good job!! I hadn't noticed the pond liner... good idea adding it and also sloping the back edge under the waterfall. I can see you wanted a no trouble guarantee with that retaining wall there!
Your little fireman is really cute! |
1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2008
9:40 PM Post #4700895
| Okay, I can check off one project...only 200 more to go :o)
Here is the finale...well, knowing me I will probably tweak a few things here and there... add more plants to fill in the rocks... etc, etc... :o) 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2008
9:42 PM Post #4700900
| The turtle sprung a leak... so he will now just become yard art. The fireman needs a new pump, he sat dry too long :o( so will have to buy another pump this week 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2008
9:44 PM Post #4700906
| Here is a shot of the back... that I was worried people would see mechanics :o) just a lil pond liner showing, and the fern will cover that when it grows up :o) 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2008
9:45 PM Post #4700908
| another shot of back, thru the fence 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 23, 2008
9:46 PM Post #4700917
| final shot of whole area... I am looking into lemon thyme around the flagstone... to go with the white alyssum 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 23, 2008
10:01 PM Post #4700970
| I love it! The new waterfall and fireman spitter give some wonderful height & extra impact to the feature. Your ornate wrought iron furniture is grand!
If you don't want to buy a lot of little thyme plants, you might consider planting/seeding white alyssum for this year and propagating thyme over the summer to plant this fall. One or two thyme plants in a window box planter will propagate by layering (shoots touching the soil will root) until the whole planter is filled... then, just divide into plugs or larger strips and fill in between your stones. |
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
March 23, 2008
10:13 PM Post #4701013
| Looks great! If you want cheap thyme, Lowes and Home Depot often have groundcover flats for pretty reasonable prices, or else if you don't mind driving up to Oakland there's a Long's Drugs there that has a fabulous garden center with great plants and great prices [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com] |
beckygardener
(Becky) in Sebastian, FL
(Zone 10a)
March 23, 2008
10:29 PM Post #4701083
| It looks beautiful! Your waterfall and little fireman is too cute! Congrats on another project completed!
I also love your path. Is it flagstone? And your seating loveseat and chair and gorgeous flowers blooms just really set such a lovely atmosphere there! Way to go!!! |
soulgardenlove
Marietta, GA
(Zone 7b)
March 24, 2008
9:07 AM Post #4702223
| Love it!! :) Great job!!
Funny how lessons learned need to sometimes be experienced :) huh??
:0
Susan |
1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 24, 2008
3:06 PM Post #4703793
| :o) Had to stay home from work today... muscles too sore to even roll out of bed this mornin' but well worth it :o) |
soulgardenlove
Marietta, GA
(Zone 7b)
March 24, 2008
4:00 PM Post #4703981
| Ha.. Did you tell your boss you were too sore to work from your weekend of fun activity?
:)
Susan |
1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 24, 2008
4:41 PM Post #4704109
| lol, nope... told the truth... have a headache (just didnt tell him it was due to the sore neck and shoulder muscles from all that work!)
Went to check on the pond today and it it loosing water somewhere... probably in the runoff from the upper level. I am going to recover first, then try putting in pond liner in the top level that would run out the mouth of the top level and directly into the lower level and see if that works :o) |
sunnyg
San Jose, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 24, 2008
5:13 PM Post #4704245
| Your waterfall is looking great! That whole area of your yard is going to be really beautiful. We were waterfall newbies when we put ours in last summer, and it really was a matter of moving stuff around until it looked “right” to us. We have a mix of groundcovers around our pond, and like ecrane mentioned we just bought them in flats at both OSH and Home Depot. The groundcovers are spreading quite nicely, and I now have enough to transplant to other areas. I’ll be curious to see how your pond develops over time. Now all you need are some tadpoles…. |
1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 24, 2008
6:28 PM Post #4704509
| ya, first I gotta make sure it will still hold water though :o( I
It seems to have sprung a leak somewhere... |
LorraineR
Gilmer, TX
(Zone 8a)
March 24, 2008
10:47 PM Post #4705926
| That really does look pretty Anji.!!! I love it. I've wanted one for so long. Who knows maybe this year!!
I told you about my KIL's. She was out there today and she hat a net in it. I asked what she was doing, she told me there was a catfish in there.
Obviously one of her boys went fishing and threw one that was too little in her pond. She said it almost scared her to death when she first saw it. I imagine it did. I dont' think she ever got it out.
So you be careful of fish finding a home. Hmmm maybe you should put goldfish in it!! That's what you need lol |
1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 24, 2008
10:53 PM Post #4705960
| lol, naw, I had goldfish in my other pond... at the old house, they get really, really messy :o( I'll just have the county deliver some mosquito fish... then I'm gonna go tadpole huntin with my son :o) |
TexasLizzy
Southlake, TX
(Zone 8a)
March 25, 2008
9:05 PM Post #4709695
| You did a fabulous job. Here is ours. We built it for fish (bio filter and everything). However, we took out our other pool and now we use it. My DH calls is Martini Bay. Wonderful to come home and soak for a while with a chilled martini. If I could only find plastic martini glasses. For now we use the cold freezer mugs for beer. You really ahve to watch your count on the martinis! 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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TexasLizzy
Southlake, TX
(Zone 8a)
March 25, 2008
9:07 PM Post #4709711
| here is another shot 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 25, 2008
9:32 PM Post #4709808
| WOW! I sure wish I had room for something like that! lol!
No Martini's here...lol! I'd never get anything done if there were! LOL! |
tetleytuna
Columbia, MO
(Zone 5b)
March 25, 2008
9:50 PM Post #4709893
| Wow! I LOVE your waterfall. Gives me ideas... |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 25, 2008
11:47 PM Post #4710418
| Gorgeous!
Check any party supply store, around New Year's especially, and you should be able to find plastic champagne glasses, the flat/wide kind... not quite the same thing as a real martini glass, but pretty close!
So, do you share that pool with fish, or is it strictly a "people pool?" |
1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 26, 2008
12:05 AM Post #4710473
| lol! Target has those plastic martini glasses ...different colored ones too :o) |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 26, 2008
12:12 AM Post #4710493
| I think our Dollar Store might have had them last summer, too... |
sunnyg
San Jose, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 26, 2008
12:14 AM Post #4710500
| Lovely waterfall TexasLizzy! Enjoy those martinis ;-). |
TexasLizzy
Southlake, TX
(Zone 8a)
March 26, 2008
9:03 AM Post #4711114
| Thanks for the compliments.
No fish as of now. Just people. We do chlorinate it for people use. When we have BBQ's (we ARE in TX of course) it si perfect size for the neighbor kids.
We were concerned aobut using a liner in our clay soil esp. the way tree roots seek H2O. Thus we dug it out (should I say I dug it - DH doesn't know how to use a tool without a trigger on it) then tied rebar, installed plumbing and poured concrete 6" on base and 4" walls. The pond is 42" deep and overall is 12 X 18'. Flagged hte top and built the waterfall. The actual water fall faces away from the house and faces the pergola. I wanted to create a sense of wonder to force people off the back patio and into the garden spaces I was designing. This project took us 2 attempts and a year of construction (only weekends when we were home from work) to complete. Only real cost to us was the concrete, plumbing and stone. We did all the labor.
When we complete the real pool we will put fish in it (obviously we will not be using chlorine at that point) along iwth plants - original goal. |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 26, 2008
10:29 AM Post #4711453
| I was curious, because I thought I'd heard of people using bio filters in lieu of chlorine... the effectiveness of that probably varies with climate, use, etc. It's really stunning, and I like the idea of a waterfall that can be heard from the deck, but to see it you have to walk down to the garden. Sweet! |
TexasLizzy
Southlake, TX
(Zone 8a)
March 26, 2008
10:38 AM Post #4711500
| since we use it for people and use the chlorine, the bio filter is off. when we convert to fish, we will turn it on.
By on and off, we plumbed in a valve system to pass the water to the biofilter or bypass. Currently the valve is is in bypass mode. When there are fish and no chlorine, we will turn it back on.
BTW, one mistake we made and will have to correct is that we did not include a skimmer. BIG BIG BIG (oh did I say BIG) mistake. We added a vacuum return after the fact and will hook up a skimmer this summer.
It requres that we remove a top flag stone by the vacuum return, cut the concrete beam on top, fit a skimmer box, seal around box and replace the top flag. I have to clean daily with net daily with live oak leaf fall and bradford pear flower drop. |
1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 26, 2008
8:44 PM Post #4714016
| any suggestions on how to keep the water in the water fall from seeping backwards into the bed?
I put a liner underneath all the flagstone incorporated into the water fall, also put pebbles and sloped everything forward...but somewhere I am still loosing water (about 2 inches per day)
I am assuming that the water is coming off the rocks and seeping back into the flower beds...or other possibility is that it is evaporating off the rocks before it gets to the lower pond?
thinking of trying to put pond liner directly from the upper level lip that will go directly into water at lower pond... just wondering if anyone else has a better idea...before I go moving all those stones again! LOL!
Here is a close-up
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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TexasLizzy
Southlake, TX
(Zone 8a)
March 26, 2008
9:29 PM Post #4714208
| I when you put that liner down, be sure no water gets underneath it. If it is really windy you will lose lots of water due to evaporation. |
mistygardener
Saint James, MO
(Zone 6b)
March 26, 2008
9:36 PM Post #4714240
| Hey TexasLizzy! How's the seeds going for you? My plants are doing awesome!!! :) |
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
March 26, 2008
9:36 PM Post #4714246
| I would stick your finger down in the soil around your rocks, if it feels really wet then you know you're getting leakage somewhere, otherwise it could definitely be evaporation. I have a small pond and when the weather's warm I need to top it off pretty regularly. But 2 inches a day when the weather's not that hot yet seems a bit much. The other possibility if you're not losing it at the waterfall is that you've managed to poke a hole somewhere in the liner...unfortunately those can be tricky to find sometimes. |
1AnjL
(AnjL) Fremont, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 26, 2008
10:14 PM Post #4714399
| its not the liner (thankfully!) I have one of those hard plastic inserts for the upper and lower level. at first I was worried that I poked a hole or cracked the lower pond insert with all my flagstone moving...but I shut the pump off for a few days refilled the lower pond and havent lost anymore water. so it must have something to do with my design! lol! It hasnt been really windy, it was rather warm last weekend but not summer weather... so I can only assume that I am somehow loosing water in the waterfall part. Hard to tell where its going cause everything was pretty wet before I even turned the pump on.
I may just wait a few days for everything to dry out, then turn the waterfall back on and see if I can tell where all that water is going... |
TexasLizzy
Southlake, TX
(Zone 8a)
March 27, 2008
9:23 AM Post #4716227
| We will go days without the pump on and not see any water loss, then boom the pump is on and we lose 1/2-2" per deay depending on wind/sun. It doesn't evem seem to take that much wind for evaporation. With the water falling off the rocks, the evaporation goes much quicker!
Tammy, seeds are doing great! thanks again. I am glad you plants are thriving. Be careful of the lamium. I have made two trades with it, cut off two sections for a hanging container and STILL it is huge, all from one plant last year.
Liz |
mistygardener
Saint James, MO
(Zone 6b)
March 27, 2008
10:06 AM Post #4716459
| Liz, so glad to hear it! :) That Lamium must be one fast grower in your neck o the woods! :) |
