The How Zone

Installing a backyard Pond

Little details


Writing the last few steps it seems like I compressed a month of hard work into a couple of pages. So it probably is a good time to stop and explain some of the process going on all of this time.

One thing they ("they" being books, internet, etc...) tell you to do is make sure the edges of the pond are all level. This means finding a long, straight board to lay across and measure the level of. I did this a few times, but to be honest not often enough and not very well.

Our pond site is on a slight slope so all I can really do to level it is try to building up the down-slope side. Which I did, but only a little. It's kind of funny, but the down-slope is where the waterfall is located which means the stream is running uphill. I should charge admission.

There was also a little bit of leveling going on inside the pond for the steps. At the very least I don't want them sloping inward, which would make it hard to balance rocks and plant pots.

I also moved most of the plants away from the pond, except for an elderberry bush. The elderberry bushes I moved almost died from the transplant so I decided to leave this one alone even though it's very close to the edge. There are also ferns and bamboo nearby, which adds a bit of complexity. I probably should have transplanted all of them.

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