That is a gorgeous bloom!

I would love to put something like that in my backyard. It looks awesome.

This one is in my front yard. I have a 900 gallon goldfish pond in the backyard. The front gets more sun and the waterlilies bloom much, much better.

wow, that is very pretty pond.I had one in my back yard for a couple years,but when a big snake found it,I got rid of it.Moved my goldfish to a above ground pool with w top on it,and filled in my pond ans planted flowers in it.

Jean

Lovely BorS. Love the duckweed also. I have had it in the past but it disappears. I think the fish must eat it!! What sort of waterlilies do you have? I have Georgia Peach, Almost Black, and another one whose name escapes me right now!

Yes, fish eat duckweed. I grow it in my other watergardens and then feed it to them.

I have Colorado, Helvola, Hermine, Charlie's Choice, Mary Patricia, Chrysantha, Joanne Pring, Perry's Baby Red.

I have two more that I am waiting for bloom on. One in the same pond died so I'm not sure who I have left. I also have a Tina who is tropical on the way in the mail from a trade. I have a pond in my greenhouse too.

This is Chrysantha

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What a nice list of water lilies. Makes me wish I had built a bigger pond. Of course, this is the 3rd one I have built at each of three different houses and I always say that! LOL

I LOVE your pond and your water lilies! I really, really wish I had a pond. I would love to see photo's of your other pond. Please?

Carol

BorS,

Love your pics. Had to share mine - I can't remember the names of my waterlilies. I know we have flowers from May until September and all different colors.

This one in the center is my favorite - it is one that I bought with Birthday Money sent to me 3 years ago from the dreaded in-laws. I thought about sharing the picture with them, but decided I'd rather share with you!

Carolyn

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Nice!

I have tons of photos of my ponds but most aren't digital or uploaded to my Photobucket site. I'm in the process though.

This is the front yard waterfeature
The pond I posted above is here. The pond in progress is going to have three basalt columns that bubble out the top. The tallest will be centered on the window and it is over 3' tall.

There is no plumbing or electricity in the three smaller ponds that have waterlilies.

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Love your shots Carolyn. BorS, is the cat guarding the fish in the pond? I can hear his though process--this turf and fish are mine and no one had better intrude.

I already have a cat that looks exactly like yours, the pond remains to be built :-) I think a garden is not complete without one. Is the small lavender blooming plant sagine subulata? I do not yet have an appropriate spot to plant tiny plants, really, but they look so nice in your photo that I'd like to find room for them.

There are no fish in those ponds but Bobcat likes to try to catch the treefrogs and dragonflies. He does defend our yard from neighboring cats.

The blue blooming plant is Dark Blue Star Creeper, Pratia something I can't remember. That is Irish and Scotch moss, Sagina subulata next to it. The blue star creeper has crept over the top of the moss.

My cat is different, can I still have a pond? :)
Seriously, stunning!
Is it hard to maintain? (The pond, not the cat. Cats are easy to grow :-)).

BorS

Absolutely stunning! Love the Guard Kitty too!

Carolyn

I feel that ponds are as hard to maintain as you make them. There are people on various pond forums who say you have to buy this and that and have this and that. I say that most is overkill and not necessary and that people are scared off of ponds for no reason.

If you want Koi, they are much more work than a watergarden with a goldfish. They require major filtration systems and a big commitment as far as time goes. Koi are like parrots as far as longevity and time and labor to care for them. Many people do not care for them properly and have them in totally unsuitable ponds.

My ponds are all DIY, we've had the big one for ten years. We don't spend much time on it. We never drain it or do water changes. We have a DIY filter which is just a plastic mesh basket with mesh filter pads inside as a prefilter to the pump. Nothing fancy. No bottom drain or skimmer.

The little ponds that I've posted pictures of have no plumbing at all. I try to scoop leaves out of them but fail to get even half and they don't seem to be a problem. The little ponds are clear and full of wildife and blooms.

My barrel ponds are also no maintenance. I raised the pots up on upside down empty pots and filled them up with water.

I keep Mosquito Dunks in all of the ponds without fish.

Algae happens in ponds and it is normal and natural. Far too many people freak out over it. Wildlife happens too. If you build it, they will come.

If you don't like snakes or frogs or bugs and you aren't prepared to deal with algae or predators like raccoons and herons. You should think twice about building a pond. There are plenty of nice fountains you can have that don't attract wildlife.

That's really encouraging. That's how I see ponds, too. Dig a hole, line it with plastic, fill with water and put some potted plants on the bottom. I plan to build such a simple one.. No chance for snakes around here, raccoons and herons are out of the question. The most extravagant wildlife we get are butterflies and earthworms. I am a bit worried about mosquitoes - we already have plenty - but frogs should take care of them, once they find my pond amongst miles and miles of dry urban lots.. I might have to import some frogs from our other garden (we also have lizards there!) because honestly I've never seen a frog in this one. I'd like to attract more birds - the nicest ones we have are jays, really shy birds. We also have magpies but they fight most of the time. Would birds such as jays be at all attracted by a garden pond?

You want to line it with rubber pond liner or roofing liner. Plastic won't last.

Don't kid yourself, raccoons and herons are nationwide. You might not ever see them but when you have a pond, they will eventually find it.

Native frogs do find ponds too. I live in the middle of the city with no greenspace near and native frogs found mine. You can bring in tadpoles from local ponds too.

All birds are attracted to water, especially moving water.

Mosquito Dunks are a commercial product made of BT which kills mosquito larvae but does not harm other wildlife. Does not harm people or pets. They are available at Home Depot or any garden center.

I couldn't agree more BorS. Ponds can be as easy or as difficult to maintain as you want to make it. My main job is to trim the old leaves off the water lilies and to periodically clean the filter which is nothing fancy--two plastic pots used to plant water lilies or other aquatic plants that fit inside each other. One is slightly large than the other. The large is filled 1/2 way with small pea gravel. The one that slides into it is lined with that blue furnace filter that you buy at Walmart. The pump is nestled inside the top pot lined with the blue filter material. I have also had frogs find my pond but I have also purchased tadpoles at a local nursery. Mosquito dunks are totally unnecessary if you have goldfish.

The blue furnace filter material is what is in mine too. Only it is black and commercial grade (really no difference) because my husband installs furnaces for a living.

I only use Mosquito Dunks in the 8 ponds without fish.

I appreciate the photos of your ponds and your comments are encouraging.

BorS - is that scotch moss behind and left of your pretty kitty? I love how that looks with the rock and grounds the scene. Your talent for arranging is evident.

I'd love to see another photo when you finish the back.

Yes, it is Irish and Scotch Moss, which aren't really mosses at all but look like them.

Bobcat showed up in the yard a little over a year ago. He was very friendly and kept coming in our house and I knew he was someone's pet not a feral. I put a "found" ad in the paper and some people called and came and got him. I was positive he was theirs, from their description and how he acted when they showed up. I was so happy because he was really sweet. A week later he showed up again. I drove to their house and they had moved and left him!

I had him neutered, vaccinated and microchipped and he is ours now. He has never strayed from our house. Sleeps on the bed every night.

Our other cat, Marmalade really took to him which shocked us.

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Cool kitty pictures BorS. I am a cat person myself. I have two, a Havana Brown named EZ-man and a marbled Bengal named Zack Katt. They are a mess and get along sometimes and like to fight at others.

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I've never seen a marbled Bengal, gorgeous!

DH and I are definitely cat people. No kids, just cats.

BorS, Zack is a handful and a bit the ham for the camera.
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I got him from a breeder here in NC in Huntersville.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wildfire Bengals