Ok, I'm requesting the photos showing what you accomplished.Originally Posted by AgentOrange
Ok, I'm requesting the photos showing what you accomplished.
Even as I build it, the birds seem to think it as a good addition.
Here are two juvenile Cardinals and a Dove who approve.
My few Doves are in it all the time. It escapes me as to why, but my backyard birds seem to wash more in Winter. A flock of Cedar Wax Wings are going to be fun to watch here.
Birds really go wild in water.
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I think it is looking OK. Time and Mother Nature will weather it and make it all fit together. Algae will grow on the rocks, and all this will look quite different (better?) this time next year.
Here it is with a few plants, a couple Snap Dragons added in a later photo for some "POP".
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I added two Plum Yew 'Prosta" as they are evergreen and will grow low to help add roots and hold the soil in place.
I added two Mahonia 'Soft Caress' to keep with the airy theme as I don't want this to look over grown like most of my beds. It is a slow growing plant that looks a lot like native Lantana, but different. It will add some Winter color with berries and like I said, all Mahonias grow slow.
There is a dwarf Elephant ear in the rear that has been there a few years and I left it. I moved a Black one to the front which looks good in ths photo but of course drooped later. It will come back strong next year. As my yard is mostly shade, I use Elephant ears in a lot of places. They multiply and are free after you buy a couple. They can handle shade or quite a lot of Sun if you keep them wet. They even grow well in my big pond, but don't come back as the roots rot over Winter.
I threw some water plants from the Frog pond in the top and bottom. They will die off at first freeze, but cheap to replace come Spring.
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I put a little variegated Ivy around the top and will train it down the sides. Unlike most people, I like Ivy, and like most people, have to cut it back all the time. This variegated one is my favorite as it shows up in shade. It grows slow compared to most Ivy. I will just keep one vine on each side going and trim as needed.
Above you can see where I added some grass. I want low vegetation around the pond. These grass pods will spread to about 10 inches in a couple years, but will stay at a height of about 3 inches. I have them in a another bed and they seem to do OK in shade.
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Above is it with my frog pond in the photo. The Frog Pond is 12 years old and has raised a lot of Frogs.
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It aint perfect and some might not approve. Now with all I learned, could do better. I will adjust as I get a noton.
Over all, I think I exceeded my expectations for the project.
Building gave me new problems, but that is true of all hobby things. Here you can see where I added a lot of Styrofoam. The Branch pieces came packed in it, so I used it as a base to save money and effort. It will not last for ever, but longer than me."
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I got tired of hauling dirt, and added a lot (too much?) mulch. The height needed for this Branch kinda surprised me even though I did lay it all and measure.
I use a lot of mulch in all my flower beds as a base, not just on top. It rots to good compost after a couple years and you have to add some dirt, but you have a great base with good drainage that way. I reccomend all give that a try.
The Branch is on a solid base, but I know the dirt will settle and adjustments will be needed by Spring, not much of a problem. The deep mulch is off to the sides and makes planting Pansy hard for Winter, but I will figure it out.
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:applouse: Look'n good Bill!! That was a lot of hard work, but looks like it was well worth it. I really like that waterfall (Branch) thing. Where did you get it?Great shot of the birds. Your photos answered a question that had occurred to me before. Would birds use a waterfall as a bird bath?? Yep! Thanks for posting the photos.
OO,
Where did you get the parts to build the stream/falls? or What are they called?
TIA,
Steve
You can find them a couple places including AMAZON. Basically you just buy as many pieces as you need and attach them. They are well made, but kinda high.
http://www.amazon.com/Hagen-Laguna-S...=laguna+stream
http://www.amazon.com/Hagen-PT1113-C...upplies_text_z
http://www.amazon.com/Hagen-Reservoi...=laguna+stream
Ponds can be found at Lowes and Home Depot ranging from small to over 200 gallons.
Steve this is a good system. My experience with it can can help. PM or email me. I can help you as to tubes and pumps to look at as well as grade.
It is sorta like the difference in being near a lake or a river.
It is working out good for me. So far I have photoed 13 different birds in there. The Gold Finches are almost constant. I am eager for my Song Sparrows to arrive as they act more like ducks in Winter.
You need just the head piece which gets water from the bottom. You can then add on to infinity (Rabbit has key on his keyboard for infinity, can't find it on mine)
Infinity = 8 (turn this sideways)
It looks great but I don't have a place for it right now.
I was at the New York Botanical Garden this summer, in a garden, where they had a fake stream set up. The birds were going nuts (bathing) in it, I had never seen anything like it. I hike a lot but I guess in real streams the pools of water are too deep. Fun to watch.
Steve
My first outdoor water feature was a few different size plastic pot saucers I drilled holes in and nailed to a 4X4 post. I will try to find a photo.
I put a bucket in as the pond. It was terrible, but enough to get my mind working.
Out door water features can be small. I have had a small overflowing bird bath on my deck for 10 years - total cost about $150.
I think it will be here as long as I am.
My pond sits silent, forlorn & full of leaves right now:
I shut it down before the hurricane when the leaves started to fill it; will clean & empty it later...
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