Author Topic: My pond and bog garden  (Read 14240 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline barleychown

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6,138
  • live and let live Mischievous Minx
    • My blog
My pond and bog garden
« on: Jul 02, 2007, 09:34:44 PM »
I finally got my pond started!




I have a LOT of work ahead of me to get this pond to where I want it to be. The biggest challenge is working around my ducks. They are mess makers! :rolleyes1: However, I am committed to keeping them, as I want the eggs for baking. Plus, they are a hoot to watch. :laughmao:

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground

Offline barleychown

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6,138
  • live and let live Mischievous Minx
    • My blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #1 on: Jul 02, 2007, 10:34:15 PM »
The beginning of my bog garden...




From the back...




And, the crowning glory...My swamp magnolia!





Please excuse the hoses and buckets. :rolleyes1:
Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground

Offline Dianna

  • Administrator
  • *
  • Posts: 15,755
  • Angel With The Halo!
    • Fallen Angels Karaoke Entertainment
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #2 on: Jul 02, 2007, 10:44:55 PM »
 :Wow:, Sarah! You have really got it "going on" with your pond. :clap: I love it! That pond looks like a small lake compared to mine... :D

I can well imagine that the ducks love having a special place to swim. Will they bother your plants in the bog garden? What, besides the swamp magnolia, other kinds of plants do you have out there?  :ScratchHead:
"Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success." - Lao Tzu

Offline barleychown

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6,138
  • live and let live Mischievous Minx
    • My blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #3 on: Jul 02, 2007, 10:57:35 PM »
Thanks Dianna. :grinnnn:

So far the ducks have been horrid on the pond plants, which I sort of expected, and I am finding ways to work around them (notice the chicken wire rings? They are working!).

I had a small pond, around 200 gallons, in my last yard, and in the first year it was so full of plants and baby fish that I decided I wanted to go MUCH bigger this time. The liner for this one is 20' x 25' and in it's deepest part it's 3 1/2' deep. :ThumbUp:


As for the ducks and the bog, so far they are being good. They spend a lot of time hanging out under the gunnera (dinosaur food plant), which was the plant that inspired me to build a bog in the first place. I have also planted a few types of hibiscus (the red plants) that are suppose to love bogs, a few other marginals, some canna's, and a few daylilies that are suppose to like this. We will see how everything does!
Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground

Offline Dianna

  • Administrator
  • *
  • Posts: 15,755
  • Angel With The Halo!
    • Fallen Angels Karaoke Entertainment
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #4 on: Jul 03, 2007, 12:09:15 AM »
I am so wanting to plant some gunnera here on our land. We have plenty of room for the monsters and it would afford us some privacy. Our front yard (at least four acres) stays so boggy when it rains. I could even plant it along the drainage ditch (creek that is always full). Do they like full sun? Will they work with some shade (along the creek).
« Last Edit: May 08, 2008, 07:22:18 PM by Dianna »
"Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success." - Lao Tzu

Offline barleychown

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6,138
  • live and let live Mischievous Minx
    • My blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #5 on: Jul 03, 2007, 12:13:02 AM »
Mine is sitting in almost full sun, and he's been okay for the last month or so...I'll be watching him pretty close this week during the hot spell to see how he does. They do just fine in partial shade, in fact seem to do better when protected from harsh sun.

What zone are you in Dianna?
Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground

Offline G-Mom

  • Jr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 167
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #6 on: Jul 03, 2007, 08:11:30 AM »
WOW!

That looks fabulous!  I am so jealous,lol.

I bet the ducks are alot of fun to watch.  If I ever get my "piece of land" you can bet I'll have a big pond and ducks too.  I really think the ducks are "way too cool!"

What kind of plants do you have for your bog garden?

Offline Dianna

  • Administrator
  • *
  • Posts: 15,755
  • Angel With The Halo!
    • Fallen Angels Karaoke Entertainment
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #7 on: Jul 03, 2007, 09:35:59 AM »
We are in zone 8, Sarah. We don't tend to get too much of the white stuff here and I can't say that I really miss it. I don't like to be sweltering hot, but I don't like having to bundle up so much that you can't move, either... ;D
"Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success." - Lao Tzu

Offline barleychown

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6,138
  • live and let live Mischievous Minx
    • My blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #8 on: Jul 03, 2007, 10:23:31 AM »
I agree, Dianna. I moved from a zone 5 to a zone 8 when I married and moved to the "valley". It was a HUGE culture shock for me...I can have all kinds of cool stuff growing here! :Wow:

I plan on adding a flame willow to the bog today, and whatever else jumps out at me while I'm out shopping today. :grinnnn:

G-mom, this is my first bog so it's pretty much trial and error right now...I plan on incorporating many tropicals, cannas and such all the way around the pond ang bog.

As for the ducks, they are fun to watch, but not nearly as lovey-dovey as my chickens...the ducks would rather not be touched. :unsure: I still enjoy them though...and I'm counting the days until they start laying eggs. They are suppose to be just awesome for baking.
Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground

crazfranny

  • Guest
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #9 on: Aug 08, 2007, 11:09:09 PM »
Sarah,

 it s a lot of work but superb, don t you fret bout hose n bucket.

crazfranny

  • Guest
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #10 on: Aug 08, 2007, 11:10:03 PM »
hi g-mom,how ya doing,

Offline Penny

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9,990
  • Pleasant Pixie
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #11 on: Aug 31, 2007, 02:51:47 PM »
Looks great Sarah....and everything is so colorful..

Nice ducks too!!

Are those an added bonus  :laughpound:

Offline Triss

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 10,844
  • Live, Love, Laugh! Impudent Imp
    • Triss' Blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #12 on: Aug 31, 2007, 03:37:19 PM »
WOW Sarah, that is so beautiful.  What area of the yard is that in looking form the house out to the creek?


We are all under the same stars, therefore we are never far apart.

christy

  • Guest
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #13 on: Sep 08, 2007, 11:27:34 PM »
wow! thats huge!  n nice! thats alot of work ya did, n well worth it, i would love to have a little lake like that, pretty ducks, do they stay there all year?


Offline barleychown

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6,138
  • live and let live Mischievous Minx
    • My blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #14 on: Sep 08, 2007, 11:34:49 PM »
They are domestic ducks that have been bred to lay eggs. They are too heavy to fly, so they are permenent decor. :grinnnn:

Triss, that view is the back yard, from the house back.

I really need to update the photos here...maybe I will remember tomorrow. :ThumbUp:
Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground

christy

  • Guest
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #15 on: Sep 08, 2007, 11:49:07 PM »
 :clap: yeaaa update pics commin!  cool your ducks are permenent decor, im in zone 5 gotta wait till warm weather to see any of the wild ones in the creeks around here.

Offline Triss

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 10,844
  • Live, Love, Laugh! Impudent Imp
    • Triss' Blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #16 on: Sep 09, 2007, 12:53:53 AM »
So the pond takes up most of the back then.  I know you also have a greenhouse out there right?

We are all under the same stars, therefore we are never far apart.

Offline barleychown

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6,138
  • live and let live Mischievous Minx
    • My blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #17 on: Sep 13, 2007, 12:02:26 PM »
Triss, my back yard measures 180' by 65'. I have a HUGE backyard, which is the only reason I was willing to move.

The pond measures something like 12' by 10', and the bog is 10' by 6'.

After having the pond up and running for a few months now, I think I may want to make both it and the bog bigger. :Blush:

Here are some more recent pics...







Please excuse the green water...the ducks are messy, and I'm still working on finding a balance with them.

All in all, I am very please with how it's coming along. mike and I are talking about making the pond a bit bigger before we finish the rockwork around it, just so we do not have to do that part twice.

The bog have done beautifully all summer, now I am anxious to see how it does in the rainy season.
Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground

Offline Triss

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 10,844
  • Live, Love, Laugh! Impudent Imp
    • Triss' Blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #18 on: Sep 13, 2007, 03:27:04 PM »
Sure is pretty Sarah.  Do you have a filter system and all for the pond?  I do not see it but that may be just cuz it is hidden.

We are all under the same stars, therefore we are never far apart.

Offline barleychown

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6,138
  • live and let live Mischievous Minx
    • My blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #19 on: Sep 13, 2007, 03:44:42 PM »
Nope, no filter system yet. I was trying to have a bog upstream of the pond to filter it with cattails and such, but the ducks are rather hard on plants in "their" water...so I'm not too sure how that is going to work out.  :tickedoff:

I would love to have the plant filter system so I could use the grey water from the house to fill the pond, then be able to water the gardens out of the pond. I guess we will see how it goes when I get the time/energy to built the upstream parts. :grinnnn:
Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground

Offline Triss

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 10,844
  • Live, Love, Laugh! Impudent Imp
    • Triss' Blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #20 on: Sep 13, 2007, 03:49:02 PM »
That is one heck of a project.  Would you pump the grey water out of the house into a stream or something?

We are all under the same stars, therefore we are never far apart.

Offline barleychown

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6,138
  • live and let live Mischievous Minx
    • My blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #21 on: Sep 13, 2007, 03:59:16 PM »
The idea is to have the grey water drain into a swamp/boggy area that contains plants known to filter water very effectivly, like cattails. Then, as it trickles through, it will become clean enough for the pond,where the fish and ducks will add their own types of "fertlilzer" that will feed the plants I use the pond water on.

I have it all planned out, and have done all the research. It's just such a big project that I don't want to tackle it alone, and I have yet to have the energy to explain it all to Mike. :laughmao: He can be pretty anti new ideas at first.

 
Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground

Offline Triss

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 10,844
  • Live, Love, Laugh! Impudent Imp
    • Triss' Blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #22 on: Sep 13, 2007, 04:06:19 PM »
Is the pond lower than the bog right now?  Does one feed to the other yet?

We are all under the same stars, therefore we are never far apart.

Offline barleychown

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6,138
  • live and let live Mischievous Minx
    • My blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #23 on: Sep 13, 2007, 04:15:40 PM »
The pond feeds into the bog. I have a place set aside for the upper bog, I would just need to dig it out and line it, then fill it with good soil and the plant starts...then plumb the grey water lines.

For now, I would just want my washer and my personal bathtub to drain into there...no showers or anything from the girls' bathroom...too many chemicals, and I'm sure I would have a battle on my hands if I ask them to switch products.
Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground

Offline Triss

  • Elite Member
  • *
  • Posts: 10,844
  • Live, Love, Laugh! Impudent Imp
    • Triss' Blog
Re: My pond and bog garden
« Reply #24 on: Sep 13, 2007, 04:26:11 PM »
Oh I bet you would.  Now do things like bubble bath or soap hurt the plants at all?  I always wonder about recycling my tub water for at least the bathroom plants but am afraid of the bubble bath though I am sure most of them would enjoy the epsom salts.

We are all under the same stars, therefore we are never far apart.

 

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal