Help needed for rebuilding

[CountMinsi]

Hey all. I've been reading threads here for a bit, as I've owned a pond for about 2 years, but I'm finally tackling it. I still feel rather clueless, so I'm looking for help/suggestions/anything! We're looking to do mostly plants, we aren't terribly interested in having any fish at the moment.

After lightly toying with a few plants for the last 2 years my wife and I have decided to "start over". The pond is currently being drained and I'll post empty pics as soon as I have them. The pond is made of concrete with large boulders around it. We both feel that it looks to cold or sterile, but really don't know how to start making it nearly as beautiful as what we've seen on this forum. We hope you all can help us!

Pond:

Upper pool:

Waterfall/Chute:

 

[Priscilla]

I really like the shape of the pond. Maybe if you took away some of the rocks (not all) and start tucking plants and grasses in the nooks and crannies. You could start to hide more of the boulders with the trailing plants. You could do a bunch of lilies and some floating plants in the middle.

I think you will have a beautiful natural pond with some plants. I'm guessing some moss/algae will start growing on the edges giving it a really nice look.

 

[dieselplower]

Hi. Im interested to know what type of pump and filter you are runnnig. Also, do you need the wall of rocks around the back and sides? I would be tempted to remove the top row or two, unless it is holding back the yard, but it looks like it is higher. Shoot, I think I would remove nearly all those rocks if possible. Then you can get some landscaping growing around the edges.

 

[talal101]

I really like the idea and design of having the small upper pool and the lower pool.....I just feel that your pond is too cold, industrial maybe? I think adding a bunch of plants would make for an amazing pond.

Good luck

oh and WELCOME TO THE FORUM!

 

[Troutredds]

I really like the alpine look of the boulders. It's a lot like our pond before we landscaped it. You could plant sedums, grasses, mosses and other ground covers in planting pockets around the pond - maybe a few dwarf or miniture trees behind the rocks too. Here's a shot of our pond last year when we just started planting in nooks and crannies :

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I really like the shape of the pond. Maybe if you took away some of the rocks (not all) and start tucking plants and grasses in the nooks and crannies. You could start to hide more of the boulders with the trailing plants. You could do a bunch of lilies and some floating plants in the middle.

I was thinking the exact same thing!

 

[CountMinsi]

Wow, you all are great! I am definitely looking to add plenty of landscaping to surround and probably a gravel buffer around the edge to keep the grass clippings away. Any specific suggestions for native plants (I'm in northeast Pennsylvania)?

Unfortunately, most of the rocks need to stay. The pond was built (by the previous owner) on the side of the septic mound. I've started to clear away some of the basketball-sized rocks that are on to of the larger ones in hopes of adding plants there.

Here's a picture of the pump. I don't know too much about it, other than I've taken to remains of 2 frogs out of the impeller. RIght now the white PVC is a direct input into the pond (used for winter) and the black pipe is disconnected, but normally feeds the upper pool.

And here are the filters. Normally there are 4 sizes of medium, but I took it down to 2 for winter.

Keep the help coming please!!!

 

[talal101]

Im excited to see your pond start taking shape!

 

[sissy]

You couldstill put plants around the upper edge of you rocks .things like azaelas or some native plants .I like the rock look also .I am from PA originally .Berwick Benton and dads family still lives in South Williamsport

 

[CountMinsi]

Here's the pond empty. You can see the simple bowl shape of it...

And here's a wide shot of the area...

 

[sissy]

so it is cement. I wonder if you could leave the upper 2 as filters that hold plants and build a bigger pond below the 2 of them .

 

[Priscilla]

Its got great bones! Maybe you could find some ivy to go crazy on the big boulders, that would soften things up and hide some of the rocks. I always try to go for the look of not knowing where the water starts or ends, it just flows with the plants near the edges trailing into the water.

 

[RobAmy]

Nice pond, you have lots to work with. Maybe you could build a deck/standing platform over the skimmer box and pump area. I would design it with doors you could lift up to do maintenance,not have to the move the entire thing. I would like to see some rocks around the grass area too. Even a few just here and there in the yard. Right now with the backed off picture the stones appear as a retaining wall. I think a few here and there will help pull focus away from it being a wall. I would really like to see a large boulder right where that bush is, and relocate that. I agree about the Ivy on the large rocks, I would plant them more so on the right side to help hide some of the wall appearance. In case you can not move rocks yourself, you can rent a bobcat type machines pretty cheap or hire someone with a small machine. Keep us posted on this fun project.

 

[sissy]

Ivy can get out of hand you can also try phlox since it flowers and drapes over things and grows all year round .My sister had a A frame cabin in the Poconos as a vacation house and she had lots of phlox around her house that she planted .She had quite a few out croppings of rocks on her property .She also had dianthus since it spreads and comes back every year .I just bought both at lowes clearanced out .They bring in new plants and old plants get put on sale

 

[talal101]

Its got great bones! Maybe you could find some ivy to go crazy on the big boulders, that would soften things up and hide some of the rocks. I always try to go for the look of not knowing where the water starts or ends, it just flows with the plants near the edges trailing into the water.

Im with you on adding some plants to soften it up, its too hard and industrial, although I must admit those rocks are very nice looking, you have a good base to start on.