This was our summer project. We had collected various sizes of rocks from vacation spots, my late sister's home in Heber Springs, Arkansas, Europe, and other places. I sketched out the layout and we worked all summer on it; we put the finishing touches on it this weekend.
It has a sense of whimsy in it with the frogs, the gazing ball turtle, the floating ceramic starfish in the small pond; the water fall is refreshing to listen to when you sit on the bench in the front yard; there is a blue ceramic frog sitting on a rock near the water fall; a resin frog under the water fall; a frog resting in a hammock, a large lizard perched on a rock looking at the frogs (yum, yum!), a large fern grows behind the rock garden and it will be beautiful next year as it frames the rocks and the water. At night the water shimmers with the lights around it. There are two large wrought iron candleholders behind the water fall that will be lit up for celebrations and holiday seasons.
There is an old washtub with spring/summer flowers; I will replace the flowers as the seasons change; there is a window flower box on the house near the water garden and it will hold seasonal flowers as well.
This feature is an inviting entrance to our front door and we will enjoy it for years to come.
This was a challenge to my husband and I; my husband has many skills (he is very handy around the house and is able to repair and build anything I ask him).
It might not look like a professional job - but we accomplished it and we are proud of it.
By WandaJo from TN
This page contains the following solutions.
We had designed and constructed a rock garden pond in one of our flower beds in the front yard a few years ago; the liner got a hole in it and the pond began to lose water.
We had to cut down a dead tree a few years ago but could not remove the stump for several reasons. To cover up the stump and some raised roots we decided to put in a pond and garden.
If possible it is a better idea to locate a garden pond closer to your home rather than far away. Ponds are like swimming pools - they attract wild critters, pets, and also the neighborhood children.
Below are some tips for building a cheap gardening bond.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
We have a plastic turtle-shaped sandbox that my children no longer use. Can I fill that with water and water plants to make a pond? If so, is it okay to put a couple of goldfish in it, too? Thanks!
Well, I'm going to say a little bit differently. I live in an 2nd floor apartment, so no pond. However I did have a cold water fish tank and a few goldfish, and NO FILTER. I just cleaned it out regularly, and my fish lived for over 5 years.
That'll work but you need a small pump to keep the water moving through a spitter (frog, turtle, etc.) and the goldfish will prevent mosquito infestation which you'd get with standing water. To keep the water clear, you can wrap the filter with a couple of layers of old panty hose with a rubber band.
Check out these photos.
Hi to all you pond lovers. Here is a picture of my back yard. I built my pond by hand and went out every evening to add rocks. It was a lot of hard work, but the end of it all it was well worth it. Hope you like this picture.
We had a garden beside the kids playground that had to be moved because the wild blackberries were killing the plants. My 10 year old son came up with this plan. We worked hard for 5 days digging the pond and transplanting the garden.
This is my pond. My Hubby built it because we live on a hill and I was retiring. He dug it all out by hand. It's very relaxing.
I thought I would share this thrifty idea as I only have a small garden and wanted a pond.
My hubby created this beautiful pond for me to enjoy. It is situated right outside of our doorway so we enjoy it all day long.
Our deck and fish pond was made out of items that were free. The rocks around the pond are from all over. Texas, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Georgia.
This is an interesting way to reuse an old tub and make a large water feature and bird bath for your yard. This is a page about making a bathtub water pond.
This is a page about installing a preformed garden pond. A pond can be a beautiful focal point in your garden.
This is a page about keeping ponds safe for fish and wildlife. With thoughtful planning you can create a pond that is safe for your fish and visiting wildlife.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
I would like to put a small pond and waterfall in my yard. I would love to hear of your tips, ideas, success or defeats. Thrifty ideas are so welcome!
This my pond in my front yard that my husband and I made this spring. Hope you like!
