Started the lily pond

[marla]

It was a absolutely beautiful day her, spent most of it trying to tidy up the flower beds, not done yet. DH also had the day off, he put down some crabgrass killer, and putz then left, not much later I heard something pulling in the driveway, looked up and saw this

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/lilypondconstruction001.jpg

He had mentioned he wanted to start digging the lily pond this weekend but I thought we were doing it by hand like the last time. Well guess not, it sure worked good at getting the sod up. He'll use it to dig the center depth and we'll trim up afterwards. I did stop him and decided to down size from the original, (a girls prerogative) he wasn't thrilled with my indecision, but I didn't want it to distract from the main pond, and it just looked overwhelmingly large, and I don't have that many plants yet, so all I can think of is I'll have a big green pool of water, not what I want to look at. Approx. size, unless I change my mind again is 15' long (maybe 17') and 12' wide, there will be a stream that will look like it is attached to the main pond but won't be, it is about 8'long by 3'wide. Here is what we got done so far.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/lilypondconstruction004.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/lilypondconstruction006.jpg

[Peg]

Looks like you have your work cut out for the two of you. Can't wait to get some things done around here as well. It's nice to see the sun again. Will also be neat to see how you progress. Keep the pictures comming. And don't forget to take time for a few of these. :cheers2U:
Peg

[Jackie Ramo]

I showed Smith the pictures but of course that equipment won't fit in our yard so we'll have to hand dig or take the fence down.... Even the big pond had to be hand dug, lucky me didn't have to do that one.

Keep those pics coming Marla.

[marla]

Well we finnished most of the digging, I still have about a 4' section of the channel, but I have to move some plant's before doing it. Ordered the liner, got a 15% discount today because the pond place was having a grand opening. I know I should be absolutly thrilled, because this is what I wanted, but now I'm second guessing it, the pond ended up being 3' longer, and a bit wider doesn't sound like much but it just looks huge, and I didn't want it to look bigger then the main pond. I know if I ask if we can fill it in that 3' DH will blow his top. I guess I'm worried about getting it full and the whole green water issue. Was told because it was just for plants I shouldn't have to worry about a skimmer, but I'm wondering how right this is now. And also I don't want it to over power the original pond.
I just can't believe how bummmed I feel.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/lilypondconstruction008.jpg

[Jackie Ramo]

Marla, once it is planted it won't look big, next year you'll be looking for space for that special lily and this pond will be full.... relax, is bare earth let down.

I'd put in a skimmer if I ever thought fish would go in there, keeps the mess off the bottom if nothing else.

[marla]

I think your right Jackie (as always :bow: ), and it all happened so quick didn't have time to take it all in. I fretted all last night, went to bed with a knotty stomach. Did a lot of thinking, so today I made a low plant shelf to house lotus, using dirt dug from the center, made that part 3', then I can over winter maybe. It's big and will take a few years to get right but I guess I have time, DH says the end of the world is now 2012 :lol:. We did talk about fish and I was surprise when he said "I know there will be fish in here some day". But we decided for now no skimmer, we will leave enough linner for a falls and skimmer in the future. He even talked about putting Victoria in, not sure I want to spend that money. Thanks for listening to me whine. :hnk:

[Jackie Ramo]

Marla, as I tell Smith, I am always right !strut :HAHA: Once it is landscaped and planted you'll wonder why you worried. Definately leave enough liner if you have it to spare, one never knows you may end up attaching the two ponds. A nice row of lotus, wow that will be a parade stopped.

[marla]

DH says he will NEVER splice lining so doubt they will connect, spent all afternoon digging rocks out of the tree lines, this pond will be all field stone surround. Boy my arms got sunburned, look like the farmer that probably put them here in the first place :HAHA: May do some tweeking yet and I know it's not level side to side, so once it's filling we'll back fill areas to level it, tons of nice dirt, NO rocks this time, the last pond we had tons of rocks we dug out. As for the liner I'm sure we will have extra, had to order a 35'x20', was nice got 15% off the price due to their spring opening sale, should be here Weds. supose to rain tonight so hope my shelfs don't wash to much.

[NaturesCall]

I was curious what you were planning for filters and pumps? Are you planning on stones on the bottom of your water garden? I can't imagine the new pond distracting from your main pond, it's beautiful.

Walt

[Peg]

Marla are you going to have some kind of pump going to have water movement, or a fountian head of some sort?
Peg

[marla]

Have not thought about filtration alot, there will be no fish in yet, maybe 3 years I'll talk DH into it, seems to be how long I have to work at him before he agrees to something :frisbee: As for movement yes in a couple places, in the far corner or another I had thought about a pot tipped and adding some filtration media, and have it flowing. Also in the channel we will have the water bubbling like it is coming from the other pond, like a spring. While digging for field stone in the tree line I found this dandy, has holes in a couple places going all the way through, DH says we should power wash it up and use it as one of those bubbler rocks. I think it almost looks like a prehistoric or crocodile skull. Also possibly a small fountain in the center, don't want mosquitos now, I wouldn't be able to enjoy it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/lilypondconstruction010.jpgg.

[Jackie Ramo]

Oh Marla I am green with envy. What a perfect rock. It could be the centre piece of where you want the water to appear to bubble up like a spring... You'd pay large bucks around here for that at the nursery or pond store.

[marla]

Going to try to see if I can get a spliter for the hose, there is more then one opening that goes through, I think it will look very cool, I don't think I would have come up with the idea myself, he's good that way. I have a "Brain Slug" lately and it's sucking more memory and ideas out everyday :lol:

[Jackie Ramo]

It will take a few tries to get it right but I'm sure it will be a real focal point. Smith is good with the ideas its the implementing them that is the problem.

I hope it doesn't rain Thursday, my helper is coming. Smith called to remind me to call him and get the pond dug.

[marla]

It will take a few tries to get it right but I'm sure it will be a real focal point. Smith is good with the ideas its the implementing them that is the problem.

I hope it doesn't rain Thursday, my helper is coming. Smith called to remind me to call him and get the pond dug.

Did I read that right :jaw: , you are going to dig and have help, how exciting!!! Make him do all the hard work, you just supervise if possible.

[Jackie Ramo]

Oh Joe will dig alright. Smith was teasing me about getting him to weed. I'd not let Joe set a foot within a foot of the garden beds. I asked him once to remove a branch for the mulberry. Next I see is him cutting up the branch, in the middle of the garden bed :censored: under the tree. in front of him 2 steps is a huge area of grass... Smith was the same well still is, he just tells me he pruned the garden again.

Hopefully it won't rain. BTW this will just be the headwaters he digs and sets the preform in. That way I can move my lotus out there as soon as night temps become warmer. BTW Marla, my lotus are in poor shape suddenly... poop! :mad:

[marla]

Well Jackie, hope your rain holds off, it has been raining here since yesterday afternoon non stop. Have off and wanted to get out and move some plants around, guess not :mad: .

[Jackie Ramo]

Its raining. Joe is out there clearing up the pear trimming debris hubby left all over the yard. After that I will send him home until tomorrow.

[clm]

Marla, you might want to toss some guppies into your lily pond for mosquito control. They're very good at it.
You can bring in whatever you can catch in the fall and the rest will die off once the water gets too cold, then put the ones you brought inside back out again once the pond warms up again next spring.

Cindy

[Jackie Ramo]

If you lived closer Marla I'd give you some of my guppies!!!

[marla]

Are talking guppies from the pet store?? I know I've also heard of one called a mosquito fish that lots of people use, was thinking of something like that, don't think I'd need to feed the little devils I'm sure there will be algae.

[Jackie Ramo]

Yes, petstore guppies much prettier than misquito fish. Terri had platties as well but the dragonfly larvae got mine so only guppies.

[marla]

Will keep this in mind, hate the thought of sacrifical fish though.

[clm]

If you set up a small 10 gallon aquarium in the house and bring a net full in every fall before the water gets cold, you'll always have a disease free safe supply and might feel a little less guilty about sacrificing some. Or if you have an indoor q tank, you could keep them there for the winter too. They multiply like crazy. They're live bearers, meaning they don't lay eggs. I don't have any right now, I have goldies in my aquarium at the moment, but I'm planning on getting some this year and putting them in the pond. I'll have to quarantine this bunch first though. The babies also make great live food for the koi and any koi fry you might have. I always kept them in my goldie ponds. Platys, swords and mollies are other live bearer choices as well, mollies won't help you as much with mosquito larve, but they eat algae almost non stop and they're much more sensitive about water temps, must be at least 70 degrees for them or they get the shimmies.

Cindy

[Jackie Ramo]

Marla, I agree with you but having seen how fast they mulitply and knowing I will do my best to bring them in for the winter mine will go out to lotus pots this year. None will go in the main pond cuz I know I'll never catch them. I may put a couple in the preform as I'd have to drain that down come fall anyway.

[marla]

Posted this elswhere but I was to lazy to redo so I just copied and pasted, need to get to be.
Well Sunday we rounded up a son and son-in-law and placed the liner in. To our dismay the liner was short by about 4'-6' :blowup: , guess we must have measured wrong. DH refuses to splice even if it was in the stream/channel. So we opted to shorten the channel area and make the small area between the end of the liner and the main pond, stones and/or dry creek bed. Also with all my complaining about size and then finaly being ok with the length we also had to fill in and shorten the pond up by about 2', this was the area I wanted for my lotus shelf :crybaby: . Ok so I lowered one shelf on the far side by the trees for lotus. Then we started filling, knowing that the level was probably not perfect, but not realizing how bad. So we had to stop and berm up the sides and dig the channel deeper. So much for what we thought was level :banghead: . So now the lily pond is smaller and deeper then I thought it would be, Dh says we can make it work and I know we can and he says it will be nicer for fish when/if we put them in. For now no major filtration system, that will come with fish. So it's full and now we need to finish layering the bermed area out to the ground level and getting the stones and bridge done. Here are a few pics for your veiwing. The grandson had a blast waiting for the water to catch his toes, and did end up falling in, water was chilly and so was the air/wind, notice I have a hat on, lightly frostbit my ears when I was younger and they get cold real easy now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/linerin.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/taeinnewpond012.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/taeinnewpond014.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/waterin01.jpg

[clm]

Looks great Marla. You're going to have to let us know what lilies and what not you plant in there.

Cindy

[Jackie Ramo]

Marla, the grandson isn't a baby any more, my how he has grown. Love the pics.

[marla]

Cindy thanks, I will post pics when I have the rocks and surrounding area done and hopefuly blooming lilies.

Jackie, he is getting big and a ball of energy, he'll be 3 next month. The end of this month he will have a baby brother joining him, hope he can share the attention.

[Jackie Ramo]

Its a difficult time for them to share attention but each child is different. My grandson will be 3.5 in a couple of weeks. Like your's no longer looks like a baby.