The New Pond… and Still Low-Cost

Last summer, we decided to create a very inexpensive disappearing fountain for our entryway, using as many free or salvaged materials as we could. We loved the result at the time, and it cost us a total of about $40. Here’s that fountain that WAS:

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BUT…

While the fountain gave us much enjoyment for awhile, the inexpensive pump gave us some frustration. Sometimes the hose came off. Sometimes a cat or other animal would bump the rocks or hose tip, and water would drain out. Sometimes the pump would just plain stop. Everytime this happened, we had to dismantle the fountain, move the grill, get the pump going again, add more water, and rebuild the stone mountain. The little rocks were a pain to have to move and remove, too. I couldn’t buy any plants to surround the fountain, because we kept having to work with it. To top it all off, the plants that were already there all died in last winter’s hard freezes. And finally, I’d had enough. A change was in order.

We already had the basic set-up (see the link above), so I figured why not turn it into a pond instead? This way, if the pump had any more problems, access would be simple and direct. Plus, we could easily check on the level of the water, and we could support more wildlife, be it toads, dragonflies, or fish. The movement of the water would keep out the mosquitoes. And so that’s what we did.

We (and by we, I mostly mean my wonderful son) dug the hole a little deeper and slid the tub back down into it. Then we lined the tub and the hole with a leftover piece of rubber liner from our backyard pond, and collected some flagstone we’d gotten off Craigslist. The little $21 pump (130gph) we’d previously used officially died in this process, so we upgraded to a $36 pump (300gph) instead. We arranged the flagstone around the pond to hold the liner in place, as well as hide it, and then we added a few extra stones to create a simple waterfall. The rocks we had used for the previous fountain became part of the waterfall. 

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epondd08-05-10.jpgImmediately we were thrilled. This was definitely the way to go. The trickling sound of water as you walk toward our front door sets the soul at ease right away. And the flagstone complements the house nicely and ties in to the new porch we’ve been working on it (you can catch a glimpse of it in one of the photos below — it’s been one of our “secret” projects. Not so secret now! And also not officially done, but very soon.)

I brought some plants from the backyard pond, and finally bought new plants to complete the whole bed. We mixed in some compost to the soil before adding in the plants and then used vitamin-rich liquid seaweed to reduce their stress from being planted in July. Since it’s not a full sun area, they should be fine, despite the 100+ weather we’re having.

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The plants I selected to surround the pond are mostly non-native. It is a tough bill to fill, that area. Mostly indirect light, with some patches of direct sun during the day — and I wanted small to medium evergreens, for the most part. Nothing could get too wide or too tall. That’s a tough list of requirements for native varieties.

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So I chose instead a Sky Pencil holly for the tallest and smallest section of the bed. It will reach about 8-10 feet tall one day but stay within 3 feet in width. Its dark green foliage is a pleasure to see, complementing the entire entryway (which has 3 beds total). Next to it is a bicolor iris. I understand that I’ll have to divide this plant periodically, but I placed it near the sidewalk for easy access. As it gets big, it will look really nice next to the waterfall.

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On the other side, I kept the plants smaller, because opposite them in the entryway is a very tall Yew.

 
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A compact Dwarf Yaupon is surrounded by Asparagus Fern.

 
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Behind them, Hameln Dwarf Fountain Grass is a nice accent, its soft plumes swaying slightly in the breeze. I hope it can handle the indirect light — it would probably prefer a little more direct sun than it is going to get. This plant isn’t evergreen, of course, but it should stay pretty nice most of the year and with luck will come back each spring.

eponda08-05-10.jpgAnd in the pond itself, I brought Horsetail Reed from the backyard pond and an umbrella plant that needed some TLC. I also added a bit of submerged Hornwort from the backyard pond for oxygenation. We will probably add a goldfish or some other fish in a few days, so it will appreciate the grass to hide in.

epondf08-05-10.jpgRight away we had our first wildlife visitors. Amazing what the sound of water can do. A mud dauber immediately collected little mud bits from the wet soil from the new plants. And a new butterfly appeared, choosing to collect minerals from the wet flagstone, rather than from the damp soil nearby. It’s a Tawny Emperor.

tawnyemp08-05-10.jpgWith its wings folded upright, it was almost completely camouflaged. But its beautiful tan and brown colors show through when it opens its wings.

tawnyempb08-05-10.jpgTotal costs for the pond itself (I’m not including the previous pump or the new plants, just the cost of creating this one.):

Tub $11 (from original fountain)

Pump (300gph) $36

Rocks — free

Liner — scrap piece — free

TOTAL  $47  

Easy, easy, easy.

The best part of the whole pond experience? Looking out the window throughout the day and seeing a pretty scene. Keeps a big smile on our faces, and it spreads the peace inside, too.   🙂

13 thoughts on “The New Pond… and Still Low-Cost

  1. Wow, what a bargain…I wonder what the total would be in man (woo-man) hours? I put my fountain in last September and this summer am seeing just how much replenishing it needs…how about yours? Do you have to fill it often?
    I’ve decided it’s worth it, no matter what. I’ve seen all kinds of animals enjoying it, I love the sound and now I’ve got gulf-coast toads singing in my yard nightly…which I love, though I don’t think my neighbors appreciate…oh well!

  2. Cheryl, I really haven’t had to add much water to my large pond this year, thanks to all the rain. Last year in the drought I had to top it off every once in awhile, but it wasn’t too bad, in my opinion. This small one seems to be well contained, so I don’t think I’ll have to add water too often, compared to the fountain when it started giving me issues. And like you, I love the toads and all their sounds at night. We have so many now, it’s like a chorus outside. My neighborhood has nice-sized lots, so my neighbors haven’t complained, luckily.
    Diana, the nice thing about a small pond is how easy it is to set up and maintain. Switching away from the fountain was a great idea for that spot, though I’m willing to try another fountain elsewhere in the yard with the right set-up (something more bird friendly and less hassle in maintenance). But I am utterly happy with the small pond in the front.
    And maybe I’ll have a chorus of toads in the front yard as well as the back!

  3. Your pond looks great, very natural looking. We had one for several years and finally just tired of replacing the pump, or finding the latest leak. But we had one of the preformed plastic liners, so you probably won’t have that problem. One thing to think about, though, is frogs. We found that we needed to give frogs a way out of the pond after they jumped in to take a swim. I’d never thought of that until we found a couple of drowned frogs floating in there. We piled up a few additional rocks in the pond that allowed frogs to climb up and then jump out.

  4. Meredith,
    Nice touch! Fit in well in the space too! Be sure of one thing the plants will outgrow the space. Very much enjoyed your Tawny Emperor, only seen one thus far this year.

  5. Mary, thanks for your suggestion. We’ve got a couple of rocks in there, and the planter for the horseherb is fairly high, too. So I’m not worried about anything drowning, and I think they’ll be able to jump out, too. But if they can’t jump, at least they have a place to rest until rescue!
    Randy, I’m sure those plants will outgrow the pond quickly, but fortunately I have the backyard pond they can go right back to when necessary. I’m onto them! I was very excited to see the Tawny Emperor — I went right to the backyard and set out an older banana just for it.
    Thanks, Tatyana! We’re very happy with it.

  6. Hello Meredith,
    A very clever idea for a pond. The only pond I have now is the one that the rainwater drains into. It is pretty hideous. Yours is beautifully designed.

  7. If you need any more fish Meredith, we have plenty caught up in one of the little ponds. If there is any pond plants we have that you want to add, you are welcome to them as well.Just let me know. The pond looks great.

  8. I’ve also put in a low cost pond – basically old carpet padding, pvc liner, a small pump and a filter for the leaves. Love how you’ve tucked yours in like it’s always been there!

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