Persimmon Glen

Lately I've been busy building a small garden pond, and I've found out a lot more goes into it than just digging a big hole. There are a lot of things you have to consider such as water features, location, whether or not you want fish, what kind of plants, small children, liability, ad nauseum...

So, I've been out digging when the weather permits, fighting rocks and tree roots and so far I've got a hole about 8 feet wide by about 12 feet long and about 2 feet deep. I've hit a few spots where I'm getting water trickling out of the ground, so I've interrupted some sort of seepage spring, and I was overjoyed until I started doing research and found out that's not such a good thing.

Surprise to me! I thought a spring-fed pond was the best kind you could have, but it seems that if you don't find the path on the other side of the pond it can draw the water out that you have worked so hard to put in.

Also, when you put a liner in, then that seepage is going to go underneath it and raise up the liner in the water. Not a pretty sight.

I also hit upon a huge boulder and thought that would be a nice feature in the water so I would leave it there, especially since it's too big for me to move,  but if I put in a liner then it also has to cover the boulder. I find, too that unless your pond is at least 10 feet deep, then you'll have to have a liner, so it will hold water.

You are also supposed to put in shelves at different heights to place plants on. You have to have at least one sloping edge just in case a critter gets in so it will have a way out and not drown. You have to have shallow areas for frogs and turtles to bask in the sun and lay eggs, if you're gonna have fish, you can't have frogs, because the fish will eat the eggs. If you have plants, then you need fish to help the water stay clean, if you have fish or frogs, then they have to have a deep area to hibernate in come winter. If you have plants, then you don't have to feed the fish. It should be partially shaded so that algae won't take over, but you don't want it under a tree because the falling leaves will dirty it and you'll be continually cleaning it out. You must check the Ph levels often, you have to drain it out once a year and clean it. Filters, pumps, aerators, fountains, UV lights, skimmers.... Whew!!

On top of all that, you can sink thousands of dollars and a lot of constant maintenance into it.

So many rules, and too much to consider... The internet is a great tool, but sometimes you can fill your head with too much information. This has become much more complicated than I ever imagined.

Gosh, I just wanted some water in a hole with some rocks around it and maybe a waterfall so I could enjoy the sound!

How does mother nature work out all of these logistics? It's a wonder we have any natural ponds anywhere in the world. I mean really, what's up?

I'm gonna take a short break, step back and imagine my pond filled with natural rainwater, a few frogs, some dragonflys and birds bathing, the trickle of a soft waterfall and then I'll probably do my best to break all the rules and let nature take it's course. I think she can do a much better job on her own without any more interference than  making hole in the ground....

I'll let you know how it turns out.