2015 pond work, landscaping, My koi

Landscaping Challenges

Posted by lorivertin on

The new equipment certainly keeps the ponds much cleaner and appear to be easier to maintain. However, they do take a larger footprint and landscaping around them is a little more difficult. The rotary drum filter does a good job of pulling out the muck and the muck needs to go somewhere… Building a deck or pergola over the equipment will require us to maintain some sort of access, like hinged doors in the floor of the deck. These structures might not get finished this summer but I’m crossing my fingers.

The upper pond's equipment pit seems to have grown larger. The up side is that there should be a pretty large deck or pergola going up over this pit.
The upper pond’s equipment pit seems to have grown larger. The up side is that there should be a pretty large deck or pergola going up over this pit.
Lots of unfinished work on the upper pond...this path is going to be taken down a little lower and the wooden boards will be reinstalled. Obviously the waterfall sides will need some rocks and landscaping too.
Lots of unfinished work on the upper pond…this path is going to be taken down a little lower and the wooden boards will be reinstalled. Obviously the waterfall sides will need some rocks and landscaping too.

I purchased some plants yesterday and hope to start on a new garden adjacent to the lower pond. It’s a stretch of the imagination but but I’m confidant that we will have the effect I want in about two to three years.

Some plants that will go into the lower pond garden - azaleas, pussy willows and japanese forest grass.
Some plants that will go into the lower pond garden – azaleas, pussy willows and japanese forest grass.
We have a landscaping challenge next to our lower pond. The pond digger has moved the arbor vitae for the third or fourth (hopefully last) time. We are bringing in dirt to build up the area and plan to make a garden around the camouflaged equipment pit. The pond digger has proposed that we consider a meandering water feature in this garden.
We have a landscaping challenge next to our lower pond. The pond digger has moved the arbor vitae for the third or fourth (hopefully last) time. We are bringing in dirt to build up the area and plan to make a garden around the camouflaged equipment pit. The pond digger has proposed that we consider a meandering water feature in this garden.
We just put up a sail over the lower pond because the pond is still a little green. Hopefully the shade will help the filtration system get ahead of the algae. The tosai in this pond are growing quickly and at times swim around like maniacs. No one has been found in the skimmer lately :-)
We just put up a sail over the lower pond because the pond is still a little green. Hopefully the shade will help the filtration system get ahead of the algae. The tosai in this pond are growing quickly and at times swim around like maniacs. No one has been found in the skimmer lately 🙂

All of our koi (with the exception of Ethel) are looking pretty happy and healthy. They like to hang under the hula hoops that contain the floating plants. This year, none of our koi have spawned – maybe we have all girls in the upper pond??? (which is a good thing, since female koi tend to grow larger)

Always ready for another meal...
Always ready for another meal…