The Project Schedule
(click on each step for pictures & details)
Though I tried to place each step in chronological order I am finding that as we progressed I often have to go back and revise what I've already completed. The color codes are as follows: BLACK is "Not Started", GREY is "In Process", PURPLE is "Completed" and RED is "Recently Revised"
Have a question about the construction of our dream pond (or any other question for that matter)? Click HERE!
To get to each section of our project so that you can see pictures and follow along with our progress, simply click on the stage in which you are interested.
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Finishing Up |
Practical Information | |||||
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A Koi Pond is Born!
Follow Along from Conception
to Completion as The Pond Doc Builds a State-of-the-Art, Low-Maintenance Doc's
Dream System Koi Pond in His Own Back Yard.
Finishing Up
Landscaping Around the Koi Pond
Beginning Date: August 3, 2006
This page was last updated 04/17/2007
Now, this is the part I like -- making it pretty!
The Doc gets into the nuts and bolts of the project but I like to plant and design and now I have a new backyard in which to do it! The pond, of course, comes first because we want to get our "babies" at home with us as soon as possible. But no pond is complete without the softening touches of plantings and outdoor decor. As usual I will allow the design of the landscape to grow with the pond. I will decide what I like and want to do but then change my mind a million times before I finally do it.
I have ideas forming now. The pond is square and needs plants to soften the edges. The pool is odd-shaped - almost like a dollar sign - and it's surrounded by a huge, ugly, plain-looking cement patio. I want to stain the cement and make it look "old" and more like stone than cement. I want to create a calm sitting area by the pond with possibly an arbor over it that extends over a portion of the pond. The koi will need some protection from the sun.
This will all take a long, long time to do so I have to be patient - something at which I'm not very good!
Click on the Thumbnails for Full-Size Pictures
| August 3, 2006 | ||
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While building the walls it becomes apparent how important it is that we cut into the hill and create a path to guide rainwater away from the wall. The hill was actually higher than the water level of the pond. During heavy rains, if left as is water would wash into the pond, bringing with it debris and clouding up the water. We have our "ideas" now what we want to do but nothing solid yet... | |
| August 10, 2006 | ||
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One thing was certain. We would have to cut away most of the hill. While the Doc installs the bottom drains, a contractor comes in with his heavy machinery to restructure the hill. He digs out layer after layer of the hill, being careful not to get too close to the wall. | |
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He uses much of the dirt to backfill the areas around the outside walls of the pond. | |
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The hardest part of changing the slope is done! After the pond is completed, we will create a landscaped area with a retaining wall and possibly steps that lead up to another higher terraced part of our yard. This will give us a great area so that we can sit near the pond and admire and hand-feed our wonderful koi. | |
| September 14, 2006 | ||
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During construction of our pond everyone tracks mud all over our ugly cement patio and the Doc has to periodically take the pressure washer to it. I don't know what's uglier -- the footprints or the cleaned patio! | |
| October, 2006 | ||
| Grass is laid to the right of the pond and in the front so less mud is tracked. | ||
| April 16, 2007 | ||
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After a long "siesta" from working on our project, we pick back up to begin preparing our area around the pond for landscaping. Here are the plans I created for a sitting garden area to the left of the pond. We have decided to dry-stack a wall of rock to naturalize the cutout portion of the hill. This will give us a nice area where sun-loving perennials can grow between the rocks and cascade down the wall. We'll create a patio boardwalk, leaving planting areas beside the rock wall. We'll place a birdbath in the planted area and we have the perfect trellis tree that we took from the store that we'll train Carolina Jasmine on and probably hang a few bird feeders on as well. A 6 ft. wide arbor (I want metal) will create an entrance to the pond from the back. We'll probably plant it with a climbing rose and clematis. | |
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Work Began on the Rock Wall. Martin along with another man began dry-stacking the rock. | |
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Crevices are left so that I could come back and plug trailing plants into the holes. | |
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The wall is a over two feet wide to give it sturdiness. | |
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We like how fast it goes when all you have to do is dry-stack the rocks. We decided to forgo laying the steps until another day, possibly next season, to allow time for other projects. The dry-stacked wall is completely finished the first day. | |
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Martin, The Pond Doc and I discuss the layout of the boardwalk and the garden areas. The lines here were re-drawn quite a few times. The garden beds were drawn and the placement of the arbor was decided. | |
The Project Schedule
(click on each step for pictures & details)
Though I tried to place each step in chronological order I am finding that as we progressed I often have to go back and revise what I've already completed. The color codes are as follows: BLACK is "Not Started", GREY is "In Process", PURPLE is "Completed" and RED is "Recently Revised"
Have a question about the construction of our dream pond (or any other question for that matter)? Click HERE!
To get to each section of our project so that you can see pictures and follow along with our progress, simply click on the stage in which you are interested.
|
Finishing Up |
Practical Information | |||||
|
|
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