This year will the 2nd for the backyard pond. It needs some revamping and updates to be truly complete. The first stage of the project happened 2 weeks ago when I dug up and moved the giant ornamental grass that was blocking view from the deck. It’s in a better place around back now. That was certainly the most difficult thing I’ve done so far this year – actually broke a shovel.
Yesterday Phoebe and me spent the afternoon shoring up the shoreline, as t’were. It had some issues with steep, nearly vertical walls in some parts due mostly to it’s relatively small size compared to depth. I came up with a method of using thick plastic sheeting to back the walls under the liner preventing subsiding and enabling much better support for the flagstone around the edge (shore!). We were also able to get a higher edge closer to level all the way around. I estimate that assuming the next stage of the project comes off well, full capacity should be well over 200 gallons.
That next stage will involve re-engineering the waterfall outlet to raise the surface 3″-4″ and channel a single, smaller stream directly into the center of the lower basin. The long, sheet-like spillway design it started with last year was nice, but I just can’t leave well enough alone. It has to be modified to raise the water level anyway, so why not try something different?
The final step in this year’s pond project is a fountain replacing the grass from step 1. That is pretty much self-explanatory with the exception of pictures to properly elaborate, soon as it’s finished. Phoebe’s comment was “those goldfish in the basement sure are going to be happy when they get back into their summer home!”