--- Our House Gallery: Ponds ---
This page contains pictures of the construction of our fish ponds. Most of the work was done in December 1998.
When we got the earthmoving done, we had a large pond area dug, configured based on the long-term big pond plan. After heavy rains, this hole filled up with water, showing kinda what the big pond would be like (but without the concrete rubble, of course!):
Another view of the big pond shape, including the island:
We decided that we needed to put in a proper pond, rather than just leaving it as is... but we couldn't afford to do the large pond as originally planned just yet, so we needed to reduce the size of the hole and put in a couple of smaller ponds, using cheap liners (the largest of which is 4x4 metres, which makes a pond about 2.5m across). So the first step was to drain the rainwater:
Then I shovelled dirt around to shape the smaller ponds and create the waterfall. I used a large piece of concrete as the edging for the main waterfall:
Then it was time to add the liners. I used newspapers underneath as padding (sand would've been better, but would cost money). There are six levels in our ponds: two tiny pre-formed ponds at the top, with a short stream following, ending in the waterfall into the large pond. The large pond is about 2.5m across, and will have a "beach" in one corner, using river-stones, and has a small waterfall into the intermediate pond, basically a 1m long stream, which in turn falls into the small pond. The small pond contains the pump that recirculates the water to the top. This is the small pond, when adding the liner:
The intermediate and small ponds:
Time to add the liner to the large pond. The wind didn't make it any easier!
The large pond and upper cascades, just after filling, and before finishing the edges:
All of the ponds. We have since added a few plants, and seven fish. Yet to do: adding river stones, and covering the edges to protect the plastic from the sun:
Our initial cheapo pump died, so we splashed out on a quality pump and filter. The waterfall was revised to make it longer, and not use the preformed cascades, since the new pump was too powerful for those old cascades. Also, since the new pump is larger than the old, and the filter goes in the water before the pump, we couldn't have the small pond anymore. So it has been converted into a bog garden:
A riverstone beach has been added (front-left), and the waterfall has been constructed:
Mostly finished: riverstones have been placed around the edge (only the back-right portion is incomplete here), and there is bark on the ground surrounding the pond. Also visible here is our first tree in the Japanese garden: a Japanese maple. The bench is great for gazing at the fish (which are also visible in this picture):
A different angle, from behind the maple. The new fence and neighbouring house is also visible:
One of our cats, Pandora, next to the pond. She enjoys watching the fish too -- but hasn't caught one... yet:
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