Slow - but sure - progress!

[bagsmom]

Just sharing a few pictures of progress on what will eventually be a pond. Right now it is a wall and a large area of red clay. I finally got my supporting wall done. It looks crooked, but I promise it is straight and level. The rock wall behind is wonky and so is the level of the ground. It's disorienting!

I'm doing the block wall to provide a support structure for my dirt hill surrounding the waterfall. It will be totally covered with soil and rocks and will be planted. The block wall is like the skeleton.

I'm only a couple hundred dollars away from ordering my kit! Once I do that, and get my waterfall filter and plumbing in place, I can begin digging! In the meantime, I'm fighting with some big roots and some monster red clay boulders. The clay boulders are really solid, hard, dense deposits of clay that might as well be giant rocks. For both the roots and the clay "rocks," I've learned to dig around as best I can, then use my hose on the jet setting, and blast around them. This helps dislodge the little pebbles and such that really lock them into the ground and make it impossible to get your shovel under. Once I blast away that stuff, I can usually get my shovel wiggled under and can begin to pry. I can't do that with the roots, but the water helps me see where the root is going and how big it is.

After I get the boogers out of there, I will put the dirt back in and tamp and level the site. I know that seems like double work, but I think it will make it easier to dig level shelves.

So -- progress. But it's slow. After digging and squatting and moving those blocks around, I'm sore!

 

[bagsmom]

Not sure what I did with those pictures. I'm technologically disabled. Sorry!

 

[Mmathis]

Can't wait to see it continue to progress!

 

[addy1]

Not sure what I did with those pictures. I'm technologically disabled. Sorry!

You just missed marking them full size. I usually wait until all my photos are loaded and then hit full picture, that way you don't miss any.

And good going on that clay, it is a pita to work.

 

[Tula]

Looking good

 

[sissy]

The hole is the hardest part and waterfall is next so you are getting there .

 

[bagsmom]

The boulder picture didn't show up like I hoped it would. In the right side of the hole is the lighter orange yellow tip of the clay iceberg! From what I can tell, it's roughly the size of a very large beachball. I dealt with bigger ones digging my dry creek, but this is a little trickier. I need to get them out, but I hate to compromise the solidity of the earth. I don't want a bunch of loosely packed dirt for my pond shelves. Oh well. After I refill it, tamp it, and wet it down, I think that clay will clomp right back together.

 

[bagsmom]

The hole is the hardest part and waterfall is next so you are getting there .

I know rock work will be labor intensive too, but I'm looking forward to it!

 

[Gemma]

Looks like it's going to be great, can't wait to see it done!

 

[bagsmom]

I don't know if I put these pictures on anywhere else or not, but this gives you an idea of the pond site in relation to the house. The area under the windows and next to the porch will be a pea gravel patio/beach for benches or chairs. We will also continue the look of the dry creek that runs along the long side of the house. It is a dry creek / path with stepping stones. We will probably continue the stepping stones through the patio/beach to visually connect the two.

 

[addy1]

^^That is going to look great!

 

[Mmathis]

@bagsmom BTW, the reciprocating saw also does a bang-up job on giant clay-clods! Just like the roots,you can chop them in place which might be good if you didn't want to undermine the soil in a particular spot. But be sure to clean the saw well after using it on soil. Esp on dry dirt, there will be a lot of fine dirt.

 

[sissy]

how do your neighbors feel about it and if that is in the front yard make sure there are no laws against it .Looking at your neighbors I could not tell if that is the front or back .I know we had one on here that had to tear his out and since then he has taken it apart and sold the house and moved .I have seen him on you tube

 

[bagsmom]

how do your neighbors feel about it and if that is in the front yard make sure there are no laws against it .Looking at your neighbors I could not tell if that is the front or back .I know we had one on here that had to tear his out and since then he has taken it apart and sold the house and moved .I have seen him on you tube

My neighbor actually has a front yard pond of her own! Hers was the inspiration for mine, so I know she is good with it. Our neighborhood has quite a few water gardens. I called the city sometime ago and they said as long as it is a small water garden not more than 2 feet deep, it's fine in a front yard without a fence. Also, our yard is set up on a hill, far away from the sidewalk. The pond won't be visible and I'm going to plant up the one side to sort of disguise it. No one could just accidentally wander into our yard without walking up a long driveway and going up some steps, and taking a little path around the porch. If they wanted to get into the yard from the sidewalk, they'd have to get up on a low retaining wall and crawl up through a steep hill planted with prickly juniper. I appreciate the reminders, though. I've thought of this stuff, but if I hadn't, I would need to take it into consideration!

 

[Gemma]

I don't know if I put these pictures on anywhere else or not, but this gives you an idea of the pond site in relation to the house. The area under the windows and next to the porch will be a pea gravel patio/beach for benches or chairs. We will also continue the look of the dry creek that runs along the long side of the house. It is a dry creek / path with stepping stones. We will probably continue the stepping stones through the patio/beach to visually connect the two.
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Wow! I should've hired you to do my pond renovation!!