Show #10/7110. Back Yard Makeover - The Foundation
A Backyard Water Feature
Eric comments to Jim that we have taken a look at a number of large-scale water features. But most of us don't have abundant underwater springs nor acres and acres to have little ponds that are connected by waterfalls and creeks. But Gibbs Gardens has a koi pond and it is an excellent example of a very practical feature that a homeowner could install. Even if they didn't have this much space they could install something that was a third this size. The principles are fairly straight forward. Basically we have an elevation change that
creates the waterfall. At the top there is a small reservoir and then it falls into a larger reservoir at the bottom. There is a pump that is going to recirculate the water from the lower reservoir up to the top. It is just a continuous loop. All we have to think about is what kind of stone to use for the ornamentation and then are we going to use a polly liner, concrete or gunite that is sealed in some way. That can be fairly easily put together and the principles behind how we actually make this operate are pretty simple. People come here and think - I could put this in my backyard. It serves its purpose well, add a few fish to get a little movement. From experience Jim knows it's important to make sure that you let the stones be cantilevered over the sides, make sure the walls are vertical so the raccoons don't get in the pond and to the fish. If the raccoons put their paw in there and they can't feel a slope they will then move to another place. They had problems with raccoons in the koi pond in the big Japanese garden but have had no problems here because these are cantilevered.
By Laura Root
Photos courtesy of Jackson & Perkins
Gardeners are always thinking ahead to the next season or the next year. And, fall is the ideal time to think about spring. Flowering shrubs, perennials and spring bulbs are great choices.
Click here for an interesting article about spring bulbs.
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