A Slow Pond

As work on the pond progresses in small bursts, changes emerge.

The lovely Shawnee stone leftover from the backyard build was originally used only around the pond’s edges.

Then one day the hand truck started pointing up the hill, making a suggestion of a staircase.
I’m hoping to intersperse some azaleas among the hillside rocks – they would be a nice backdrop for the red-limbed coral bark maple.
I think the blue sphere is a mistake – it needs to be somewhere else. Like back in the garage.

The pump, originally positioned to bubble up underneath a cantilevered rock on the near shore, might do better on the opposite edge.

original bubbler, with wild ginger, arborvitae and holly ferns and acorus gramineus 'Ogon'

The power source is just a pair of extra long extension cords, connected with this ingenious water resistant coupler.

I’m thinking of moving the pump to the far shore in the spring – could that be next month?
A bit of tubing could direct the water over the lowest outcropping of rocks, suggesting a waterfall without the bother of actually making one.

The tough little mer-boy has been installed, near the mahonia, nandina and camellia japonica ‘Marie Bracy.’

Stepping stones around the pond were placed on the hard clay soil and new loam brought up around their edges – easier than digging them in, and a simple way to improve the surrounding soil.
The edges are about halfway done – it takes some time to work the soil and rocks in over the liner – sheets of moss dug from elsewhere on the property are a help.

I like how the fallen licheny log directs the eye to the pond.

I think it’s a good thing to take your time when you’re imitating nature.

This pond isn’t natural, but doing things slowly lets me achieve a verisimilitude in the long run, I hope.

The fallen tree took a while to develop its patina, after all.

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