What does your landscaping around your pond look like?

[Abby]

I’m almost done building my pond. (What a fun new hobby/obsession!) We got rid of the kids swing set now that my oldest is driving and my youngest is not far behind. We had a large rectangle of mulch which we recently pulled up with the intention of turning back into grass (how boring). Then I decided hey, this would make a great home for a fish pond! Always been a dream but honestly didn’t think it was doable until I found this site. Surrounding my pond is a circle of dirt. I hoped to find some inspiration out there. Please share pictures of how you landscaped around your pond.

 

[GBBUDD]

Thank you! I get really impatient sometimes to get it all done. In reality, I know that even after the stream and bog filter are all done, I'm still going to be working on it and changing things.

What's amazing is how much more enjoyment I'm getting out of being outdoors now. Just having moving water nearby does incredible things for the psyche! It's hard to force myself to go indoors at night now, as the sights and sounds are so enjoyable. And most of this it completely intangible; there's no way I would be able to explain to someone how much building a pond will enhance their outdoor experience.

Oh I fully understand as someone who is outside all day when I got home expecialy on a hot day I wanted to park my butt in the ac.

But now I get home get out of the truck and head to my chair pond side. In the shade under the acousa tree. Feed the koi , jump in here see what's new.

Resist the urge to start anything new around the pond. But I usually loose.

This year alone I added four new hardscapes around the pond and tweeked others . You'll see it soon enough.

Finished the tall bog wall. Reworked the front of the bog and the area around the waterfall.

Made landscape stairs going up to the bog area from the back yard.

Decorated the cistern area. it was lacking.

Belgium block Walk next to the pond and garage.

New window looking out at the patio and pond.

See I'm done.
Ok so I can't count so good and it's more than four . My wallet knows the right number.

 

[YShahar]

Oh I fully understand as someone who is outside all day when I got home expecialy on a hot day I wanted to park my butt in the ac.

But now I get home get out of the truck and head to my chair pond side. In the shade under the acousa tree. Feed the koi , jump in here see what's new.

Resist the urge to start anything new around the pond. But I usually loose.

This year alone I added four new hardscapes around the pond and tweeked others . You'll see it soon enough.

Finished the tall bog wall. Reworked the front of the bog and the area around the waterfall.

Made landscape stairs going up to the bog area from the back yard.

Decorated the cistern area. it was lacking.

Belgium block Walk next to the pond and garage.

New window looking out at the patio and pond.

See I'm done.
Ok so I can't count so good and it's more than four . My wallet knows the right number.

Oh yeah, it's a never-ending job!

Just for the fun of it, here are some photos of my non-pond landscaping project: I found some really huge paver stones on FB Marketplace. I just had to go and dig them out and transport them (took three car loads with my little Vitara). But what to do with them?
Now, right off our main back patio is a huge pomegranate tree underplanted with ferns. Every year I was pouring way too much water into keeping those ferns alive. So why not take out most of them and add a patio? Here's the work in progress... And no, it wasn't at all easy figuring out the best way to piece this jigsaw puzzle together, when each rock was too big to lift. I had to roll them, pinwheel style, into place.

And here's the (almost finished product) just need to plant more thyme between the pavers.

Next up:

Bog
Stream
Cinderblock stairs from the vacant lot descending to our lot
Find a way to keep garden wall from toppling...

 

[Hound Heaven]

Oh yeah, it's a never-ending job!

Just for the fun of it, here are some photos of my non-pond landscaping project: I found some really huge paver stones on FB Marketplace. I just had to go and dig them out and transport them (took three car loads with my little Vitara). But what to do with them?
Now, right off our main back patio is a huge pomegranate tree underplanted with ferns. Every year I was pouring way too much water into keeping those ferns alive. So why not take out most of them and add a patio? Here's the work in progress... And no, it wasn't at all easy figuring out the best way to piece this jigsaw puzzle together, when each rock was too big to lift. I had to roll them, pinwheel style, into place.


View attachment 157829

And here's the (almost finished product) just need to plant more thyme between the pavers.

View attachment 157830

Next up:

Bog
Stream
Cinderblock stairs from the vacant lot descending to our lot
Find a way to keep garden wall from toppling...

ooooooh, now I have bench envy...

 

[cas]

Me too @Hound Heaven !

 

[GBBUDD]

Oh yeah, it's a never-ending job!

Just for the fun of it, here are some photos of my non-pond landscaping project: I found some really huge paver stones on FB Marketplace. I just had to go and dig them out and transport them (took three car loads with my little Vitara). But what to do with them?
Now, right off our main back patio is a huge pomegranate tree underplanted with ferns. Every year I was pouring way too much water into keeping those ferns alive. So why not take out most of them and add a patio? Here's the work in progress... And no, it wasn't at all easy figuring out the best way to piece this jigsaw puzzle together, when each rock was too big to lift. I had to roll them, pinwheel style, into place.


View attachment 157829

And here's the (almost finished product) just need to plant more thyme between the pavers.

View attachment 157830

Next up:

Bog
Stream
Cinderblock stairs from the vacant lot descending to our lot
Find a way to keep garden wall from toppling...

I WANT YOUR TEAK BENCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I HAVE A TABLE AND HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A NICE BENCH AND THAT IS IT .........................

PS YOU DID A Fantastic job with the pavers but that bench got me drouling

 

[BarbAZCA]

I used to have mulch but it was an issue always ending up in the pond and clogging the pump, so I replaced it with lava rocks. I can still plant and they stay put, I love it!
View attachment 110501

Love the flowering plants

 

[YShahar]

ooooooh, now I have bench envy...

There's a story behind that bench (isn't there always?). I saw it while searching Facebook Marketplace for something else and contacted the seller. Didn't hear back for a week, so I assumed it had been sold. But he finally did get back to me. The price was way beyond my reach (1500 shekels or about $400), so that was that. But then he came back with "how much are you willing to pay."

"Look," I said, "I don't try to bargain with artists for their artwork. It's gorgeous and you'll get the full price from someone with deeper pockets."

To which he said, "Well, it's not actually my work. It used to be at my parents' house and when they moved, they had not place for it. And to be honest, the space it's taking up is almost worth the value of the bench to me. Would 750 shekels work?"

So we agreed on that price (a bit over $200) and I borrowed His Honor the Chef's fancy hybrid car, as we determined that it was too big to fit in my little offroader. The seller also gave me a bunch of nice rocks, and called his brother and a friend over to help load the bench into the car. The thing is massive! It's made of a single stump of an olive tree, and took three of these guys (with me using tiedowns as winches) to get it most of the way into the car. They threw in the log that's standing upright to the right of the bench, plus part of the axel of an old millstone that will make a great lamp base.

So I drove home with a front seat full of rocks and half an olive tree sticking out the rear end of the car. As one does.

But then, once I got it home, what now? I couldn't leave it sticking out of the trunk all night, so I on my way home I had put in a call to a local guy who once helped me transport a couch and we agreed on a price for him to come and help me shift the bench from my car into our yard. But I still needed to somehow move it from the Ioniq to my Vitara, so I could get it down the cliff into the vacant lot adjacent to our yard. I figured it wouldn't matter if it was mostly sticking out, as the trip was less than 400 meters. But how to move it?

As I contemplated this puzzle, my neighbor came up the stairs. "Need help?" he asked.

So it came about that the two of us were struggling to lift that behemah out of the back of the car, and get at least part of it leaning on the bumper of the Vitara. We'd got it part way, when my neighbor's cousin came by on her daily run. "Need help?" she asked.

Together, we got the thing loaded and tied down enough for the trip down the cliff, at which point the mover guy pulled up. And the result, you see here!

 

[YShahar]

I WANT YOUR TEAK BENCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I HAVE A TABLE AND HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A NICE BENCH AND THAT IS IT .........................

PS YOU DID A Fantastic job with the pavers but that bench got me drouling

It's actually part of a single olive tree. That front leg is part of the root system. And now I'm looking for a table to go with it, but after all the trouble getting it here, I'm not about to trade you for it! ;-)

 

[Hound Heaven]

the bench saga just makes me want it more...it is stunning. AND there's a matching table??? Score!

 

[GBBUDD]

SHE has olive a superior wood grain olive can be outstanding. not that teak is terrible but i have never seen it equal olve

 

[addy1]

Wow to the bench and the get it home story!

 

[Lisak1]

Just amazing! The bench AND the story!

 

[GBBUDD]

JUST A SHOT FROM AROUND THE POND. AND MY USUAL TERRIBLE TYPING

 

[Lisak1]

When you're that good at ponding, who cares how you type?