For those of us who don't want to dig a hole in the ground and know how to use a saw.....or know somebody else who knows how to use a saw!

Pond in a Box

That is cooler than grits, Jenn! I may just have to put that on hubby's project list. (I don't think he wants me using his saw...)

Dianna

I was looking at a similar project the other day made out of a liner and some old bricks:

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_design_water_features/article/0,,HGTV_3575_2166042,00.html

(You don't even have to know how to saw for this one...just stack blocks like when you were a toddler. )

We have some regular brick left over from the mason's building our foundation. Wonder if that will work? Thanks for the link, Giraffe!

Dianna

I can just see my little monsters or the neighbors dogs knocking all my bricks down wonder if they mortar those or not? lol

The one I saw set up was not mortared....so if you ever wanted to tear it down and move it, replace the liner, etc, you could do so pretty easily.

But, with the big dogs you contend with Karrie...geesh. I doubt an above ground brick pond would be safe.

Yesterday we were cleaning out the garage and I happend to come across 4 2x8's that Stephen saved when he tore out a sandbox that was in the yard when we built the house. The boards are in good shape, so I cut them down to the size that I'd want my pond in a box to be. I thought about doing the brick one, but I like our brick patio just the way it is and if I put a pond like that in the corner, it would take alot of the patio space away. So, now that I found the most expensive pieces of lumber in my garage, I'm going to try to get this pond in a box completed by the end of the week....hopefully!

Jenn, be sure to update us with pics! Happy pond building!

I've got the base completely made now......that's just the bottom of the box. It didn't take long either. I came down to the house to get the camera and locked the garage door behind me. Now I have to find a garage key because the door doesn't usually get locked. :rolleyes: I need to get the base taken to the garden area (too heavy for me to lift!!) and then have to figure out where the heck I'm going to put the thing before I build anymore of it! I might just plop it down in the middle of my one flower bed. It was really neglected and ended up growing a crap load of weeds. I finally pulled out all of the weeds (an overflowing wheelbarrel full of them ) and now there is a bald spot...well, a few of them... in the bed. I'll take some pictures and see if you think it's a good spot for the box pond.

Here is the base


The first "box"


And pretty much what it'll look like in the yard.


I'm planning on painting it and I've made it in such a way that I can take it apart if I ever want to move it somewhere.

Cool idea, Jenn! Can't wait to see the finished product!

Dianna

Wow! That looks great!

Wow! Great job! When do you start on mine?

As soon as you move closer

But Jenn, you're just down the road a piece!

true, but I don't have the time to take off of work! Actually, if I had the time...or had the money that I didn't have to work for a couple of days...I'd come out no problem.

Hmmm, well okay. Actually, I'd settle for some cool air blown in my direction. You got any connections in that dept?

On a serious note, I think you did a bangup job with the pond, and moreso because you made it in a way that it's portable if need be. I think I'll have some scrap wood left over to make one of my own...but I better slow it down just a hair - too much all at once! In the meantime, I'll just enjoy your pond, if ya don't mind

sure...i'll go outside and take a picture of the spot that I'm thinking about putting it. Tell me what ya think.

Coolio!

Here's a pic of the garden bed. Yes, its a mess, I know. I'm in the middle of fixing that. I have an incredible amount of day lilies that I want to thin out and put around the pond if this is where I put it. There is a bare spot that is right behind that weird tree looking...ummm..tree...that is growing in the middle of the picture. That is where I'm thinking of puting the pond. The only thing that is there are a couple of lily of the valley and they are everywhere else, so it'll be ok.


It gets full sun until about 2 in the afternoon...what do you think? Is it a decent place?? I thought I'd geta nice bench and put it close by...maybe totally re-shape the bed?

Ohhhh yeah! That would look great! Is that your window? Could you see the pond from the window then? Wow thats gonna look really awesome. I can't wait till it's in place! (really sharing the love here LOL!) Fabulous!

its my kitchen window....the sink is on the other side of the window

I can't think of a better view while washing dishes or fixing dinner Please keep posting pics! I'm really living vicariously through you with this pond LOL! Thanks Jenn!

umm...washing dishes????...fixing dinner???? is that some kind of weird language??


Your more than welcome to come over and enjoy it when its done. We're having a huge cookout on August20th...come on over. We have an extra bed.

LOL I've only heard of those things when eavesdropping on others' conversations. Not really sure what they mean, though

I'll be there...what time? Seein as you're just down the road apiece, it shouldn't take me long to get there

about 2:00. Come over on Friday and you can help me set up.

Now...do you think I should put the pond parallel to the patio or "on point" which would have the corner of the pond facing the patio.

Sounds great! Just send me directions

I looked at the same photo in your webshots album to get a better idea of what your patio looks like in relation to the pond area. I think it would be going between posts 2 & 3 of the patio, right? If so, I think it would look best parallel with the patio - especially if the side will fit close to or better yet, between the posts.

that is what I was thinking also. I did some work for my dad on Wednesday and today and he paid me for it....so now I have the $$ for the pond liner that goes in it. I probably won't have time to do that tomorrow tho. We have tickets to the Phillies vs. Red Sox game for tomorrow.

Good for you! Have a great time at the game tomorrow - I'll be here when you're ready with the liner

Got the first coat of paint on the wood and got the liner in it tonight. Tell you what, that liner was a bugger!!! I will get pictures for you tomorrow.

Awesome! How was the game?
Looking forward to the pics!

Phillies lost, but is was awesome being at the game. Getting a suite is definately the way to watch baseball!!!

Ohhhh yeah, I'd have to agree with that! Never been lucky enough to get one though...but I'd bet it's better than the popcorn throwing, beer spilling seats LOL!

Yup...it was fun to WATCH that stuff going on below us tho!!!

Ok, Mary, prepare to live vicariously again...

Here's the pond...mostly finished. I just have to put the top boards on it and a side board that I didn't have enough lumber to do. ...and Stephen doesn't like the color. I told him it's free because I already had the paint.

taken from the walkway


taken from the back yard

Wahoo! I love it! It won't stand out as much once there's stuff growing around it. What ya gonna plant around it? Yaknow some hostas would look reeeeeeeally awesome there. Then again I'm a hosta freak

I have some iris and lily bulbs that I want to plant around the farther back sides of it. And some fern also. I had thought about breaking up one of my hosta to put around it also.

Ah man yeah that'll look sweet! lilies and irises for color - ferns and hostas would look awesome! Wow I'm so excited LOL I'm crazy - but I guess you already figured that out

I want to plant something that is low right in the front also...maybe in front of the hosta.

Hmmm I'm thinking something blue. Not sure what, but blue is in the picture. Delphiniums? Hyacinths? Ohhh I know - how about a hydrangea! Like may be a Blue bird lacecap hydrangea

haha!!! Actually, I love that hydrangea also...how big does it get...do you know?

Welp, from what I found, it gets 4-6' tall! May be a bit on the 'too big' side for in front of the pond. LOL! How tall/wide is the pond?

Its 2 1/2 feet wide and about 2 feet high.

Well, its official. The pond overflowed lastnight from all of the rain that we got from the remnants of Cindy. I had to re-extend the fountain piece on the pump. If you look at the picture, there is 3-4 inches from the water level to the top of the pond. We got 2 inches of rain the other day...and apparently 2 more inches lastnight!!!

Ah geesh. I heard it rained in your neck of the woods pretty good. Wish we'd get some! Think Dennis is supposed to hit us next week...then again, ya never know with them till they hit land what they'll do.

Hmmm we'll have to come up with some other stuff for around the pond. We don't wanna cover it up! I'm still feeling blue and now purple...not sure why, or what! May be liatris. Guess my problem is I don't know what likes to grow near ponds...or would it really matter? I mean, I guess it's more humid in that immediate area...I dunno?

What about Platycodon (sp)? Balloon flower. They are a beautiful blue color and I don't think they get too tall.

Dianna

I'll have to look that up, Dianna, to see what that one is.

Mary, I don't think it matters, really, because its always humid here in PA for the summer and I don't want to plant things specifically for around a pond because we're putting a "real" pond in next year and I will totally do some landscaping around it (wanna come spend a week here and help me???)

I saw what was labeled a Delphinium (blue) today and loved it, but I need to do some research on it first.

I absolutely LOVE delphiniums. Have I mentioned that? I tried some seeds, but no luck. I'll try again though...they are a MUST HAVE for me. Gorgeous. Oh, man, they would look awesome with some baloon flowers in front of them...I believe ballon flowers are shorter... Wow, yeah! May be some blue and purple bachelors buttons in there too...do they come in purple? Not sure. Oh, and purple liatris...I'm stuck on that one now. Hmm, and then I think we need a splash of yellow for an accent color. LOL!

Hey we could tag team...I'll come help with your pond, and when we get ready to do ours, you can come help here! It's a pond party! We'll be ponding pros...may be start our own cross country pond building service

A pond party...sounds great! haha.

Boy...all these flowers you want for our pond. Your gonna have to foot some of this bill!!!

Keep coming up with ideas.....I'll see them tomorrow. For now, I must go to bed. I'm exhausted!!! Nite!

Ahhh don't you worry - we'll find you some seeds or somethin cheapy...though I can't be held responsible for what you do when in the garden center! I know I get outta control...just ask my overcrowded hostas!

I don't need to ask your hostas....I have a husband that will tell me the same thing!!!

Hey, scratch the splash of yellow - whaddya think about changing that splash to orange? I was looking at my orange cosmos, thinking how good it would look among delphinniums and liatris...whaddya think? If I can figure out how to collect seeds, we can do those pretty cheapy! And if my delphiniums would just sprout (not happening I'm afraid) I could get ya some of those on the cheap too! LOL! Gonna fix ya right up. Okay, tell me to back off if I'm being the mother in law planning the wedding here, ok?

cosmos would be great! I used to have an entire planter full of them and one year they just didn't come back. The Delphinium, I've decided that I'm going to get one or two of them from Wal-mart. They are still looking nice and I just love them soo much! I think what I will do is put each one in a large planter that I have (picture below) and put them near the pond. This way, I can move them around to see where they like to be.

that's a gorgeous planter! That'd be great Okay, I need to do some research and figure out how to collect these seeds - hope the rain doesn't wash em off on me!

I can't wait till you get those delphiniums...post a pic when you do!

The Delphiniums were gone when I went today. BUT...isn't this just about the cutest thing you've ever seen!?!?!?

I can't remember what it is...I have the tag in the kitchen, but I'm eating lunch and then need to make a blanket for one of my students who is turning 2 (they all get a blanket when they turn 2). So, I'm gonna be busy the rest of the night.

So I'm gonna put this plant in one of the planters and think about the other planter. I did get some other plants on clearance ($1 each!!!) I'm not sure if they willlast the rest of the summer or if they are perrenial or annual...or if they reseed themselves or what...but for a buck each, its worth a try! I couldn't remember the kinds of plants you said would look good. I got 1 pink petunia, a white one, something that is purple-ish, and 3 little things that are white.....oh...one of those is purple.

Doesn't it figure the delphiniums were gone? That happens to me every time I see something I want to research first...today they had some dwarf lilacs on sale (of course) and a miss kim...i couldn't remember which (if either) I wanted to get...but now when I go back I'm sure they'll be gone.

How come you have such nice looking stuff at your wally world? Ours is so pathetic. The only thing that looks alive are the mums and impatiens. Everything else is pittiful looking.

Okay, so you strayed a little from the blues purples and oranges LOL but that's ok - hey for a buck I'll have to forgive you!

So you gonna get them in the planter tomorrow? Hmm? hmm??? Looking forward to pics!

Yes. Into the planter today. I might go back and get another one of those flowers. It is just soo pretty....and smells SO good!!!

We have a really nice Wal-mart. Its a super wal-mart. I dunno...the stuff on clearance looks half dead, but everything is looking really nice. Just onemore reason for you to visit!

Hey, I don't know if you can see from the picture, but the plant color is like a blue/purple and the middles are orange!!! Those other plants might end up somewhere else...I haven't decided yet. I know that I'd like the white to be with the blues, purples, and orange tho...I think it would really stand out. What do you think?

Geesh I didn't even notice that! Perfect! What's it called? Did the tag say, or did you just get one of those 'sun' tags. Grrr I hate when they put generic tags on stuff!

Man, we have a super walmart - actually there are 3 that are in towns we regularly go to...none of them have any plants worth even looking at - I mean everything they have is on clearance and they're pittiful looking. I think my partner would kill me if we went to walmart there - it is an awefully long drive to go to walmart

Now that ya mention the white, I do think it would liven up the blue/purple/orange mix. The orange isn't quite as splash-y as I imagined it would be against the blue/purple. Unless ya had a lot of it, I think...but I like the idea of a little white, and a little orange instead of a LOT of orange.

The plant is a persian violet. The site that I found information for it says it should have a smaller pot. So, I'm wondering if this pot is too big for it. ButI like it in there. I'll see how it does in the next couple of days and if it doesn't do well, then I'll double pot it. I've done that before with this planter and it works pretty well. The site also said that it likes 50-60 degree weather. The tag says 65-70...we've been having 80-95 degree weather, but its doing well. So, I don't know what to think of that.

The 2nd picture is of the other clearance plant minus the pink/purple petunia. The purple thing on the left is a Salvia (bicolor) and the three little pots are alyssum (1st is white, 2nd is purple, 3rd is white), and then its the white petunia. I'm hoping that the petunia will flower a bit and drop some seeds.

Why madam, that's a nice lookin petunia ya got there!

The alyssum will drop seeds and spread...I dont know much about petunias - but that IS a nice one. My wally world had (need I say it again LOL) really pittiful looking ones. The salvia is nice too - somehow I thought salvia was something different looking... I love the persian violet in that pot (just learned the viola violet is the IL state flower today ;D) Hopefully ya don't have to double pot it. how would you do that anyhow? Weird, about the temperature requirements...may be it likes shade? What kinda sun do you have in that spot? From what I gather petunias don't like full sun either - but I could be very wrong about that...I get all jumbled on my facts. I think the combination is looking awesome! Can you get another viola for the other side of the pond? Don't kill me!

I was thinking about getting a second violet to put into the other planter (I have 2). When I double pot something, like this violet for example, I would put the plant into a slightly larger (than what it was in originally) plastic pot with drainage holes and then bury that pot into the planter. That way, the plant doesn't feel like the planter is too big.

I know that petunias are drought tolerant, but I think maybe they are at the end of their season because my two hanging baskets are looking pretty sorry.

The spot at the fountain gets full sun until about 1 in the afternoon.

I think I might venture to wal-mart for the violet tomorrow.....although I thoroughly HATE going there on a weekend. Every moron within 20 miles is there. :rolleyes: ...and their unruley children....I absolutely hate kids that are running around and cutting people off. I would have gotten beat if I would have done that. ...and lemme tell ya, I don't stop my cart. If I'm gonna hit a kid that is running into my path, I just keep right on going...whether I take the kid out or not. I figure they will learn their lesson by experience.

You are TOO funny! You and my partner would hit it off great. She's ruthless when it comes to unruly kids too

I hope they still have the violets. Thanks for the tip about double potting - seems simple, but I wouldn't have ever thought of it.

Good luck fighting the crowds. Can't say I envy you there.

Well, before I even get to the wal-mart, I have to go to a Mary Kay party. Something I'm not exactly comfortable with. I'm not a girly girl. I go outside and get dirty. I don't wear make-up that much (church and going out to a nice place is about it). So, I'm not sure what to think of a house full of women that I don't know doing "make overs". It ought to be interesting. The lady says she won't make me look like MiMi from Drew Carey, so that's comforting, I guess. I'll talk to you when I get bac, from wal-mart......if I survive!!

Ah geez, I feel for ya. I'd much more prefer battling the crowds than going to a mary kay party. Yuck. I don't like any of those home party things - tupperware, or even the *other* kind of home parties they give I can do any shopping I need to do without an audience thankyouverymuch! LOL! Have *fun*!

well, the MAry Kay thing wasn't bad at all. It was pretty painless. ...and I only had to take out one kid today. I didn't get one of those violets because it was raining something fierce and I hate getting wet. I will wait until tomorrow or Monday to get it. I did get a note book to put all of the planning for the "BIG" pond that we will be putting in next year tho. I'm pretty happy with that.

Coolio! I love getting new notebooks/paper/pens. I'm kinda freaky that way. I love planning and making lists and notes and stuff. I hope they still have those violets left when ya get back there...my luck they'd be long gone

Dare I ask anything about the big pond before this one is finished?

Right now I am collecting pictures of ponds that I like so that STephen has an idea of what is going through my mind when I am trying to explain what I want. We have about 15-20 feet of flat grassy land between the flower bed that the pond in a box is in and a hill that has Forsythia on it. The hill is about 4-5 feet tall...the slope is pretty sharp. We are going to pull out the Forsythia (we've already cut it down and it started growing back) and fill in what was taken out with the dirt that is dug out to make the pond. Basically, there will be a smaller pond at the top of the hill, then a stream/waterfall that goes down into the larger pond. I'm thinking the bottom pond will be 200-300 gallons. I will try to get pictures of that area of our yard tomorrow...hopfully it won't be raining.

Oh good - I'm not the only one collecting favorite pond pics for ideas?
I totally follow your plan. The pond we're planning on (thanks T, for your help on the design!) is similar, only it will have 3 tiers rather than 2, and will come down in a semi circle kind of thing...with little waterfalls from one level to the next. Oh, and it will run into a stream going around and island with a gazebo in the middle LOL! Big plans, little wallet. We'll get there someday though

It seems like the most expensive part of the entire pond idea is the pump and the filter. Digging doesn't cost anything but time and the liner isn't really that expensive. We're saving up like $50 each month for the pond and plants.

Are you gonna get a solar pump? That's what I'd REALLY like to do for it...this way, ya don't have to have to pay electric to run it.

Oh, I also found this link for making your own filter...I dunno how well it would do, dont know where I found the link or if someone recommended it, but I figure it's worth a try. It seems to make sense that it would work, even though it's not store bought.
filter

I keep hoping to have fish, but I have 3 indoor/outdoor cats that would probably go fishing, and if not them, the neighbor dogs So one of the big plans is to get a fence up around the entire property. Ugh...I dont look forward to digging all those post holes

We have a couple of cats that run around here also. I'm planning on putting floating plants around the edges that a cat might use to go fishing and see what happens.

I will look at that link and print it out and put it in my book.

As far as the neighbor's dogs. Have you talked to the neighbors yet? Personally, I would tell the neighbors that I'm putting a pond in and that I would be keeping receipts and any thing that the dogs destroy, they would have to pay to get replaced. Its only right. If the people are going to have dogs, then they need to be responsible for them. Maybe if they see how much a koi costs or a liner costs (adding in a cost to pull everything out of the pond to replace it also!!), they will keep track of their dogs better. Of course, I wouldn't be beyond calling the police if the dogs were in my yard and destroyed things. The police can give tickets for that....I think.

Sidenote~~

Hehe...I'm also a fan of what I call "fire wire". Some people use it here. It is a wire that runs around your property that is electrified. It wouldn't hurt the dogs, but it jolts them enough to not want to touch it again. I'd put that up before I put a fence up and tell the neighbors that its there and if their dogs get loose, they will get shocked. If the firewire is totally on your property...say 6 inches from your lines... then the owners of the dogs can't say anything.

And if all else fails.....

JUDGE JUDY!!!

About a month back, someone poisoned some neighbor dogs - so the problem has gotten better (no, it wasn't me - I could never hurt an animal) but one of our neighbors apparantly doesn't care if his dog gets poisoned and lets him roam free...of course he likes to come down to our yard and sniff around (and do other things around ) but we've started on a mission to make him understand he can't come on our property - scaring it off and spraying it with water etc., so I think he's getting the hint. He's old, and won't put much effort into getting to a place that's got bushes or something blocking a free path...so I thought about bushes...or something I haven't really decided yet.

As for the fire wire - I wanted to get one of those collar things for our dogs. We have 2 that we have to take out on leashes (the other 2 are good). They're CRAZY - so we can't let them loose, which seems a shame living out in the country - but the few times we have, or they got loose, they run rampant like mad dogs (scary if you didn't know them) through the neighborhood. Anyway, we thoght the collars might help - but on the other hand, as crazy as they are, they might just keep going past the point, and shock themselves to death! Dopes!

Have you thought about a run for your 2 dogs that need to be on a leash??? We do that with our oldest cat. But Stephen's brother does that with his dog. Its like being on a leash, but the leash is attached to a pulley type of thing that runs on a long rope that is suspended between....say your house and a tree that is farther off. Ideally, you would have one end of the rope attached to a large eye hook type of bolt at your back door so that you don't have to go out in the rain to get the dog hooked up to the run. It works pretty nicely!

LOL I can't believe you put a cat in a run! That's hysterical - he/she's ok with that?

We've tried tying out these two mongrels. They bark and yelp and whine until it drives us so nuts we have to take them in. As long as we're anywhere in the vicinity, they have to be within eyeshot of us. Unless sitting out with them is an option, we wouldn't really be able to do a run...though I wish we could - sometimes I'm just not into getting out there in the rain or freezing weather with them. I guess they'd get used to it after awhile...then of course the other problem is finding an are to put a run. Then finding the money for the chain link - including a 'roof' because these nuts will high tail it over a 6' stockade fence...they grew up with cats...monkey see monkey do...they're real characters I tell ya!

I kinda like the pulley idea though - at least it'd get them out long enough to do their business without supervision..hmmm...I'll have to think about how we could make that work. Thanks for the idea!

Yup, Coho goes out on the run. He loves it. Now he wants to be "out" all the time. But it doesn't happen more than a couple times a week. We have to peek out at him every once in a while because he hasn't learned how to not get tangled in the midst of the patio chairs and tables.

Coho guarding my purse

What a cutie! Here's a comical series of pics of one of ours. We call him our dog cat. He follows us around and will come when called. He's also the one we call bald-@ss LOL He's got some kind of skin problem or something that the vets were blaming his nerves for - but he's licking himself bald!

Anyway, I kept trying to get a picture of him...


but he wouldn't look at the camera



Finally, he gave in and gave me a 'runaway bride' shot

Coho licks himself bald in the winter time. There is usually a bald patch on his lower spin...near his rear end. We assume he has a dry skin problem in the winter.

He just started this in the spring - someone in another thread said it could be grass molds - probably what it is.

How's the pond coming along? Have you been able to do anything or are you having our insane heatwave over there too? Today is 105 with the heat index...sweat just stepping outside - I don't dare even think about doing any yardwork.

Oh, PS, I'm watching the cosmos for seeds - there should be LOTS of them

We have heat...but not 105!!! I just haven't had any time to do anything with it. Also, today was the first day since like Thursday that it didn't rain...but it was our anniversary, so I didn't get outside.


My Glads have bloom shoots, so they should bloom shortly! I can't wait!!! Oh!!! Maybe next year I can put some of those bulbs around the pond!!! What do you think??

Happy anniversary! I'm glad you didn't spend it outside

Hmm glads sound great for around the pond! Yaknow what else I think would look hot? cannas! Have you seen mike's post with the different colors? mmmmm I love the peach one! Next year I want to get a tropicanna cana - I LOVE those, just for the foliage!

If I did cannas, I'd put them behind the pond. But there are grape vines that go up the arbor and I'd really be afraid that the grape vines would grab ahold of the cannas and pull them down or do some really harsh damage to them. I already have problems with the vines on my day lilies. The glads, I'd put on the sides...I think...or somewhere else in that garden.

hmmm yeah, cannas get pretty big so I've learned from the great pics posted on the forum. Probably not a good idea if the grapse will latch on - I didn't notice that they grow that aggressively (like the morning glories do!) but I have my grapes on a fence not near anything else it can climb, so I guess that's why I never noticed. I think glads would look great on both sides of the pond though.

I will have to go out and take a picture of the grapes right now. They are massive. They can grow like a foot a day if the conditions are right...and they have been. I didn't go out and look at the for a couple of days and noticed yesterday that they attached onto one of the tiki torches out there and half pulled it over!!! I'm gonna have to go out and fix that today.