Should i keep this plant/pond top shelf?

[Ax01]

Ok, i think if i push myself i can finish my dig today. i still have something i would like feedback on: What do peeps think about this top shelf? it's just after 8am here and i just took these pix. what do u think i should do - should i keep this top shelf? it's about 11inches from the surface? is that too shallow for a shelf? TBH i haven't done too much research on pond plants and wonder if 11inches would be ok for some plants. if not, should i lower the shelf? should i just get rid of the top shelf and dig down all the way to the bottom shelf?

here's the shelf i'm talking about. it's the top one. i hope folks can see it clearly.

and here's another angle:

what do peeps think?


also something, prob the the feral/outdoor fat cat i see sometimes in my yard dug 3 holes into my pond side walls overnight. i found hairballs on my dirt mound yesterday. here's 2 of the holes, left and right dark spots. i found it interesting. at least they're shallow.

 

[addy1]

I have minimal shelves in my pond, rather have the water room. Most of my plants are on the bottom ie lilies or in the shallow walk out end, iris etc.

 

[addy1]

Darn I have no clue what happened everything I typed just went poof!

Shelves, your decision.11 inches is fine for a lot of the pond plants.

But what I had typed related to the picture above, make a 2-4 inch shelf around the entire pond. Lay rocks on it, and up and out of the pond, it hides the liner beautifully. See pic above

 

[Lin]

Ok, i think if i push myself i can finish my dig today. i still have something i would like feedback on: What do peeps think about this top shelf? it's just after 8am here and i just took these pix. what do u think i should do - should i keep this top shelf? it's about 11inches from the surface? is that too shallow for a shelf? TBH i haven't done too much research on pond plants and wonder if 11inches would be ok for some plants. if not, should i lower the shelf? should i just get rid of the top shelf and dig down all the way to the bottom shelf?

here's the shelf i'm talking about. it's the top one. i hope folks can see it clearly.

View attachment 132298

and here's another angle:
View attachment 132299

what do peeps think?


also something, prob the the feral/outdoor fat cat i see sometimes in my yard dug 3 holes into my pond side walls overnight. i found hairballs on my dirt mound yesterday. here's 2 of the holes, left and right dark spots. i found it interesting. at least they're shallow.
View attachment 132300

MY first dig looked a lot like yours but was hard to maintain. This dig was way easier to maintain.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Personally, I'd leave it & design that area to be the place that I (and my dogs) could easily walk in & out. I also prefer the look of a variety of shelves/depths to a pond. However, it all boils down to personal preference, because you're the only one who's going to have to live with what you're creating, you're the one who needs to like it.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

The shelf around my pond is probably roughly 11" as well. That height will be fine as long as you use pots that are an appropriate height. The first thing I learned after I installed my pond is that there's quite the variety of pot sizes. Some are too tall to work on my shelves, some are too short, but it also depends on how much water the plants like being in.

 

[poconojoe]

Dont worry too much about the shelf being too deep or creating an exact shelf depth for certain plants.

Here's what I do if the shelf seems too deep for a particular plant...

I'll build it up with a large smooth flat rock and place the plant on that. I lay a piece of scrap liner under the rock, probably not neccessary, but makes me happy!

 

[Mmathis]

I had an area like that. I did it deliberately, as a step to help me get into and out of the pond.

 

[GBBUDD]

Absolutely you should keep it and to be honest i would expand on it all your edges should have similar if you have 6 inch rock then you will want a shelf that is less then 6 inches unless you plant on stacking the rocks but it is not often that you will see a stacked rock waterfall in nature or alongthe stream bed. But it is often to find smaller rocks along the edge mixed with smaller rocks and gravel

 

[GBBUDD]

plants will grow in 1/8" of water and when plced in between the rocks it softens and brings the edges to life