choosing a design theme for pond

[oregonsquatch]

Hi all,
I was wondering if any of you started out with a specific motif in mind for your pond garden. I'm a gardener and, in the past have had different styles of beds to create different feelings within a space. Right now I'm kicking around a Zen, Japanese garden and, my go-to, cottage, old fashioned garden. Very different ideas for each!!

 

[sissy]

where is your cottage as you could do a country reclaimed theme or a beach theme .I decided on several themes .I have palms and will add my banana plants and made a replica of my house and a lighthouse .I guess if I get the pond back together after rebuild it would be all put back together

 

[Mmathis]

Welcome, and I love the idea of a theme! A water garden definitely lends itself in that direction. I didn't have a theme -- was just happy to have the pond.

Are you planning to have fish?

 

[addy1]

I did not start with any theme or even a design, until my hubby made me draw one up. My pondscape just created itself. A pond here, a stream there, a plant here a plant there.

 

[HARO]

That pretty well sums mine up..... The Chaos System!
John

 

[addy1]

I have never been good with themes, it is just a do it and it will work out.

 

[Lisak1]

No theme here either.. unless "pond" counts! I do love to see ponds with themes though... so fun!

 

[Shan]

I love gardening too. I started out with a cottage garden in mind. I made a semi-raised pond last summer.

However, I just started to make some changes because of the drought here in California. I'm hoping to make more of an Alpine garden theme. I'll share pictures when I'm done.

 

[oregonsquatch]

Sissy: we're in Oregon in a farming valley. A beach theme would be so cute, but I'm pretty set on Zen or cottage style. Your replicas sound awesome! Are you a woodworker? Only a couple of types of palms and cannas do well here because it's so grey and damp.

Mmathis: I think a water garden lends itself well to a theme as well!! It's a relatively defined area, often. Right now there are too in there, but we may move to Shubunkin in summer.

Addy: your garden looks beautiful! It helps me to have ideas because I'm such a plant lover and collector that I fear I will crowd our 1/2 acre. Having a loose motif allows me to edit plants before I even bring them home.

John: I love "pondcrastinator." I feel like chaos system is a pretty good way to go about the majority of things.

Kodak: pond is totally it's own theme.

Shan: I love the shape of your newer pond. I feel like your awesome hardscaping would really take to alpine plants. You are wise to work within the parameters of your biosphere! I had bountiful vegetable garden I've ever had when I lived in the high desert of the SW. Coming as a native Oregonian, that's kinda embarrassing.

 

[j.w]

Mine is an eclectic pond I guess.............a windmill palm on one end and an evergreen on the side, some Hebe's here and there and everything else in-between but it works for me. If I were to design a new pond I would definitely try for the tropical look tho w/ more palms, big elephant ears and lots of sword type plants and ferns..............one can dream can't one

 

[addy1]

Most of the time I bring a plant home wander the yard and finally just dig a hole and plop it in, that is how our yard was designed.

 

[pecan]

I love the look of Japanese gardens and I love English gardens but I always seem to gravitate toward a Spanish garden style but mix in plants you would see more with the Japanese and English garden.

My dream would be to have a one level Spanish style adobe home with Spanish garden in a quart yard and large pond.

 

[haver79]

I'm new at this but I think ponds are always evolving. Always something to change or add. That's part of the fun of it.
I have no theme but my pond was built new last summer. My goal this summer is to add lots of plants around my pond and redo the waterfall area. It would be hard for me to follow a theme as I'm more of a cottage garden girl. I buy plants I love and then when I get home try to find a spot to plant them.

 

[addy1]

I'm new at this but I think ponds are always evolving. Always something to change or add. That's part of the fun of it.
I have no theme but my pond was built new last summer. My goal this summer is to add lots of plants around my pond and redo the waterfall area. It would be hard for me to follow a theme as I'm more of a cottage garden girl. I buy plants I love and then when I get home try to find a spot to plant them.

laughing i do the same, a lot of our grass as gone away gotta find room for the plants!

 

[oregonsquatch]

I think the fact that it's hard to pass up a certain plant means it's really your passion. I have this brand-New-to-me canvas that has lots of trees and shrubs to learn about and I have some ideas I want to try. Since the majority of the property is for lawn, cottage garden and vegetable patch I have decided to try to go the semi Japanese garden for the pond area. I don't know if I can pull it off, but I love a challenge! To me me this means dwarf conifers, grasses, moss. There are already elements of this, although I think the original builders probably had the more tropical look in mind.

Pecan: that sound so lovely! You could totally pull it off in the high desert! It's too bad all houses dont come with courtyards!

Haver: I absolutely agree landscapes are ever-changing.

I guess I came off pretty rigidly! Not my intent, I just love design and dreaming different ones up! Probably comes from working as a gardener at lots of wealthy houses where they could afford to totally change the landscape in a matter of days.

Jw: I love the tropical style and find it very energizing. Can you grow hibiscus as an annual up in Arlington? I'm going to try this year for the first time.