The little hole that could...

tbendl

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tbendl submitted a new Showcase Item:

The little hole that could...

So like so many others I inherited a big ole hole in my yard when I bought my house.
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3 feet deep with 2 feet of sand and muck and all kinds of crap in it. Build a pond someone said, (probably me but I don't want to point fingers).
So I started digging. Broke an ankle the first year pulling muck out. Tried using a little garden wagon then a rubbish can to haul the sand and dirt and muck out, that didn't work. Finally bought a wheelbarrow! Woohoo I was on my way.
Dug out the sides of the pond, had a near death experience with a snake showing me the huge gaping whole in my liner. Still the thrill of having a pond lingered with the thought of bubbling water and cold beer so I persevered.
Then came the day... I was almost done. Hole was dug, liner was in. Water was a flowin'.
I was ready for the cold bever.... Wait, s&@$ I have to edge the pond and I want a water feature, and how in the hell do I filter this mass of water.
Off to Lowe's for pallet after pallet of rock and edging and stone. Almost done!
Sh$&@ I need a big stack of rocks for my waterfall... Back to Lowe's for, you guessed it, rock. Concrete rock, pea gravel oh and don't forget the big waterfall rock I need... Which Lowe's doesn't carry
Sh$&& now I need plants.... Which Lowe's doesn't carry.
Found a pond store,
Got a lily and some plants planted. Oh until the
Lily decided to float and I was attacked by a vicious mutant frog.
Still no cold beverage but I've moved on to Valium and therapy.
Build a pond they said... I hate they.
And I still wish I had a cold beverage.
Truthfully this has been enjoyable giving up my sanity to this big ole hole in the ground.
I wish someone had said knit a sweater instead.
To all of you who have done this, hats off to you!

Read more about this showcase item here...
 

Aaron S

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You have come a long way from that hole in the ground! Have you been able to relax pond side with the cold beverage yet?
 

tbendl

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Not relaxing yet but getting closer. And I got addy1's plants in today so no relaxing until those green guys are snuggled in pea gravel and kitty litter.
 
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It looks awesome! I really love the edging. You challenged yourself with the low edge and it turned out great!
 

tbendl

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Check back next year when I'm crying about not burming around the edge. Actually I just really went with what was there and hoped it would work out. Some days that's all you can do. Thanks so much lisak1, I am really happy with how it is turning out, such a difference.
 
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We have a low edge along one long side of our pond. It was a challenge to construct, but we wanted the pond to be accessible and easy to walk up to and peer down into the water. We can stand on all the rocks along the edge or even sit and dangle our feet if we want. We've not regretted being berm-less at all. We do have a sturdy ground cover planted along the edge and that helps keep the mulch from getting washed in by heavy rains. But otherwise it's been a great design element for us.
 

tbendl

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Well I had the advantage of having the design already thought out.. Some would say I was too lazy to change it bit it's all in the way you word it right? I want a small bench on our patio/low edge and we went with small rock around the edge, easier to fish out if need be. The good news is the low edge slopes down into the yard so I think any run off will go in that direction instead of the pond. What all did you plant? I have some creeping jenny from addy that I think will be more for a liner cover than anything but I'm in love with the ponds that have a lot of plant life at the edge.
 
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Well I had the advantage of having the design already thought out.. Some would say I was too lazy to change it bit it's all in the way you word it right? I want a small bench on our patio/low edge and we went with small rock around the edge, easier to fish out if need be. The good news is the low edge slopes down into the yard so I think any run off will go in that direction instead of the pond. What all did you plant? I have some creeping jenny from addy that I think will be more for a liner cover than anything but I'm in love with the ponds that have a lot of plant life at the edge.

We have a few varieties of vinca vine planted along the low edge. Very dense and sturdy and it fills in very quickly. We bought two flats of plugs for $10 each and had a good cover within a few weeks. We walk on it constantly and it never minds. It has purple flowers in the spring which add to the beauty, but mainly we planted it as an erosion control. It grows over the rocks and trails into the pond which is a plus - some plants don't like the rocky edge because it gets so hot in the sun.

We have lots of other things planted around the outer edges of the pond - coneflowers are my favorites, but we have a lot of sedum and other low growers, too. And then there's the marginals inside the pond... let's just say we have plants!
 

addy1

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tbendl, I have creeping jenny in dirt, in the bog, in the stream, floating in the pond. It grows great along the edge and trails into the water. I have to pull it from the stream now and then since it tends to block water flow it grows so well.
 
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Things are really looking nice tbendl. This is my first summer here, and it's great seeing everyone's hard work and progress.
 

tbendl

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Thanks everyone, I couldn't or wouldn't have done it without all of your support and sharing of knowledge. And cnyle, it's my first summer here as well, it's been very inspiring and motivating seeing all the different ponds and plants and designs.
Lisak1, Do you have a showcase of any pictures of your pond? I'd love to see all the greenery.
And Addy1, I have some of your creeping jenny ready to go in spots along the edge of the pond. I need to build a few more holes in the rock for it to have it's toes in the water but that is what is on deck this weekend... Lots and lots of planting!!
 
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addy1

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Once it takes off it will grow great. You can also take clippings and cover them with rocks, dirt, gravel as long as kept wet it will root. Neat yellow flowers in the summer. Tends to stick around until late winter, turns reddish. Mine is full sun, some say it prefers shade, but mine does great in full sun.
 

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