overlapping

[doobry]

im currently putting my pond in and want it to look natural so i was thinking about the edging
1 what type of stone
2 sizes of stone
3 should i over lap the liner (to conceal it)or butt to the edge
4 how do i go about placing boulders/stones /pebbles in the preformed 110 g 6ft by 3 ft pond
any suggestions will ( i promise )be greatfully considered

 

[Stephen Noble]

Anything that is not going to dissolve or alter the pH (like limestone) is fine. Slate and granite are excellent but you have some beautiful stones in the Irish countryside that would look great. Use flat or half round stones around the perimeter if you want to hide the edge and also help deter some predators. Don't use anything big or heavy along the perimeter since your pond is plastic. Let the stone slabs overhang the water. You can use gradually larger stones as you decorate away from the pond. Or simply use pea gravel or river rocks to 'feather' the appearance. One thing to remember, keep the edge of the pond above the grade so rain water does not run into the pond. Tomorrow, I will go outside to one of my ponds and make a picture of what I am discussing.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Doobry,
Here is an example of a rock overlapping the edge of the pond. Fish love to hide under overhanging rocks. Note the river rocks along the side. They are below the side of the pond so rainwater does not run into the pond. The larger rocks in the background provide nooks for flowers.

 

[addy1]

I put flat rocks on the edge (when I had a preform) large enough ones to also be in the dirt and anchored with other rocks on it.

Any rocks I don't anchor tend to end up in the pond. Deer, ground hogs, squirrels, etc

 

[Stephen Noble]

I put flat rocks on the edge (when I had a preform) large enough ones to also be in the dirt and anchored with other rocks on it.

Any rocks I don't anchor tend to end up in the pond. Deer, ground hogs, squirrels, etc

I agree, good catch. Perimeter flat rocks should be anchored. The one overhanging rock shown is on a corner so it is very stable but would never hold up to a deer etc. This flower bed water garden is inside a walled courtyard and so far, no critters have bothered it. But, I should have put in small print something like on TV, "Demonstration purposes only, don't try this at home!"

 

[doobry]

im thinking of overlapping the edge of the pond by about an inch or so ,just to conceal the plastic .
so reckon the stones need to be long thin and flatish ,any ideas for this out there

 

[Stephen Noble]

Here is a site with many ideas. Just pay attention to what addy1 said about the importance of anchoring the stones.

overlapping stones on preformed pond - Yahoo Image Search Results

 

[doobry]

thanks for the link stephen theres some great ideas on it,
although ill be overlapping the liner with some repurposed stones ,and back filling the overflow area with hardcore and cobbles seeing
as i have them already,im going to put paving stones around the stones which surrounds the pond
waste not want not

 

[doobry]

any ideas as to what i can do to stabilise these rocks

 

[addy1]

i would have had a flat rock laying on top of the pond edge rock, then your outside of the ponds rocks laying on top of that.