WiseAcre Gardens

Reflecting Pond

Posted by WiseAcre on May 11th, 2008

2008

May 11

A small pond designed to take advantage of a good spot, the irrigation system and a slight slope.

pond

Where better to place a water feature than where everyone will get a chance to see it?

The pond is only a few inches deep and not much more than a glorified birdbath that gets plenty of use. Only a few inches deep it became a favorite spot of the kids and for the feeder goldfish they saved from becoming a meal.

Pond Overflow

The irrigation system is used to overflow and flush the pond helping to keep it clean and the water fresh. The overflow runs down the slate stream bed to an area kept wet for Ligularia, Japanese Iris and varigated Loosestrife.

Stream

Simple – no pumps, filters or any real maintance except for pulling out the leaves that seem to migrate in mass to the pond in the fall.

Green Thumb Sundays , Ponds , Stonework
Comments(8)

8 Responses

Tricia Says:
May 11th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Your pond is beautiful … so is the land it’s on. Lovely. It sounds like your irrigation system is working well to keep the ponds water fresh.

I’d love to have a pond in our yard but we just don’t have room.

Tricia,
Thanks. I was going to say everyone has room for a pond. That is until I visited your place and saw the challenge your narrow yard offers.
Deb @ Sugarfused Says:
May 11th, 2008 at 11:52 am
It’s lovely! And I believe I spot some bleeding hearts to the side. I, too, would love to have a pond but we don’t have room.

Happy GTS!

Deb,
Yep there are some Bleeding Hearts. I wish the old fashioned ones were everblooming. I forgot to get some close up photos of them while I was there and by the time I get back the flowers will have faded away.
Kim Says:
May 11th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Okay, I know that I was supposed to be looking at the pond… and it is very lovely… but I find myself completely distracted by that amazing stonework. WOW! Absolute beauty, all around.

Kim,
You and everyone else. What is supposed to be an accent to the garden ends up stealing the show. The stone and not the work is amazing. I love the stone because it looks good even when I mess up. Add perennials and a couple shrubs and it can’t help but be beautiful.
Aiyana Says:
May 11th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
You are exposed to the most wonderful gardens! These are beautiful photos. The pond and overflower area are gorgeous, the plantings wonderful, and the stonework amazing. Happy GTS, Aiyana

Aiyana,
I expose myself in all those gardens and the homeowners are happy I do. I had to change a number of times in this garden but I finally have it dressed up they way I like it.
Annie in Austin Says:
May 13th, 2008 at 10:13 am
Hello Wiseacre,

I love the way the water can be either beautiful or life-giving at each height. And the rocks are truly amazing!

For our small-scale garden we bought a disappearing fountain made from Texas Lueders stone.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Annie,
I should stop and take a half day break while the rivers are still running full and take some photos of the Raquette River flowing through Stone Valley. There are some truly amazing rock formations that the water flows over and around. At peak flows the rapids and falls would make you step back in fear of being sucked in. How I wish I could build one of these

I looked up the Texas Lueders stone – nice cream colored rock. I’ll have to rummage through your site to see if I can find a photo of your fountain.
Pam/Digging Says:
May 13th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
You’re too modest. Your stoneWORK is fantastic because it looks so natural, as if those ledges of stone were uncovered when making the garden. Bravo!

The pond is lovely too, as is the overflow stream. Still, I can’t help but wonder about the environmental aspect of relying on the irrigation system to flush out the pond and keep the stream running. Does that happen every day? Does the stream run all day, or just an hour or so? I’m guessing that your clients don’t have to worry about watering restrictions like so many gardeners in other parts of the country?

However it’s achieved, it is certainly a creative and beautiful entry garden. I’m sure their visitors can hardly make it to the door once they see it.

Pam,
The stream is designed to be dry. The only time anyone can actually see water flowing is if they turn on the system manually.
The sprinkler system only runs in the pond on auto for 10 minutes – Using about 200 gals of water. It’s a waste in some ways but better than running a pump and I get the benefit of keeping an area ‘wet’ for some plants that need the extra moisture. (Since starting there I have cut back the wastefull ‘daily’ use of the sprinkler system so even considering the pond use the system is now using 1000s of gallons less. I’ve be set the irrigation system to run once or twice a week and not everyday. (depending on the weather) In my own pond I use a hose to do the same thing – I ‘flush out’ the pond every other week or so – in dry times once a week to keep my ‘wet’ garden happy.

Visitors can actually make it to the front door now. The old walk was not much more than some large slate stepping stones just waiting to trip somebody. Those slabs are now part of the streambed and the path alongside it.
Mr. McGregor's Daughter Says:
May 13th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I wish my slope ran the right way for a waterfall & pond, yours is such a great inspiration.

Mr. McGregor’s Daughter,
Why is it that most slopes are facing the wrong direction? Notice this pond is on a high spot where it doesn’t seem natural. I have an uncontrollable urge to add another pond after the “wet’ garden. Of course it involves building a wall and extending the beds since I won’t be happy until I have a ‘natural’ looking pond.
wanda tarbell Says:
July 17th, 2008 at 9:55 am
My first visit to your website and I am amazed at all of your beautiful pictures. I have always loved water gardening and have a few very small ponds myself, but do not compare to your pictures.

wanda,
Glad you found the site, even if it was by mistake. You’d be more amazed at the number of my bad photos.
Don’t sell your ponds short. With the right angle and heavy cropping they would look just as good.