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1. Porch, 2. The Rainwater
Pond, 3. Wildlife Pond, and 4. Streambed
Construction
photos by
Stan Schaap and Susan Kramer
narration by Susan Kramer
1. Porch
This was
our mildest winter on record with an average January temperature of 46.9 F. We
did not have a single day of freezing temps this winter. So, we continued right
on with gardening and building projects in our back garden. Stan built our wood
porch deck and Susan built a pond with help from Stan in digging out the hole.
We hope you enjoy these photos.
1. Stan rightfully enjoying
the fruits of his labor. The porch deck is 12 feet wide and 8 feet deep.
2. Susan enjoying her rocking chair on the porch in March.
3. The porch guts ... oh, I mean framing ...
Edited February 2, 2021: Ive been
thinking how I could use the water in the pond for plants in our drier season,
which is summer. As it is here in The Netherlands the winter plants and trees
get plenty of water from rain falling on them. The solution is to dig out and
create an additional rainwater pond, and when it is the dry
season to bail out water for vegies because there is no overflow when it doesnt
rain. So that is my plan for this spring use the winter rain water to fill
the pond and bail out for use on vegies in the summer.
2. The rainwater pond - for collecting rainwater for summer plants:
February 4, 2021. Yesterday we ordered a rectangular
fiberglass pond: 4 feet by 2 feet by 1.5 feet deep and 200 liters (quarts) and
it was delivered this morning. Stan and I both had a hand in getting it
installed. We decided to place it against the front of the porch. I dug out 2
large shrubs and temporarily saved them in large pots. Then Stan got to work
and dug out the hole to hold the pond. He got it in and perfectly leveled after
about 2 hours of digging. We still need to install the overflow drain just
below the top edge and run the pipe to drain into the wildlife pond, which in
turn has an overflow to the 2 big trees out back. I think it looks great! The
weather cooperated with us, clear and 46F. Perfect for
digging. Here are 3 photos of new pond:
A: February 4, 2021 - New fiberglass pond laying upside down. 200 liter capacity.
B: February 4, 2021 - Hole dug ready to place
pond.
C: February 4, 2021 - Pond levelled sitting in
hole which has a good layer of yellow sand supporting it and packed against the
walls after leveling. The top rim is 2 inches above ground. Note drain pipe
from downspout and gutter emptying into pond.
D. February 5, 2021- Another view. The stick is for critters to climb out. Fiberglass pond
holds 200 liters and shows the downspout drain over the rim of the pond. Last
night it rained and we accumulated one inch of water in the pond from the porch
roof. The bush to the left is called Skimmia. To the
right is Japanese holly, branch hanging over is Noble fir.
E. February 5, 2021 another view, from the porch with some of the landscaping begun. We
have one more day clear weather, and then 3 heavy snow days coming. We ordered
the overflow valve and the hose connecting to drain it down a couple of inches
in heavy rain into the wildlife pond 15 feet further down the garden. The
original pond has an overflow to the big tree roots in the back garden, so no
water is wasted. Ill be bailing water from the new rainwater pond to water
vegies in the dry periods of summer. The next photos are after the heavy snow
on February 6 and 7. And the result of it melting from the porch roof is just
below.
F. February 20, 2021 The pond filled up with the melted snow off the porch roof. Stan
installed the overflow pvc
flexible pipe. It goes just underground and comes out into the wildlife pond
about 20 feet further along in the garden. The beginning end outlet is slightly
higher than the pond level where it is going, and flows by gravity.
G. February 20, 2021 The pipe will have the decorative brick overtop. This is the height
of the water before it starts to drain into the pipe.
H. February 20, 2021- This view shows the outlet of the pvc pipe into the wildlife pond. At the top and back
end of the pond is another outlet under the top brick that goes into a gravel
and lined trench to water the 2 large trees in the back garden a cedar, and a
Japanese Fir.
I. February 27, 2021 - one of finished views
J. February 27, 2021- one of finished views
K. February 27, 2021- one of finished views
L. March 12, 2021 I installed the 19 inch St. Francis statue today
includes a wolf at his feet and a bird bath with a pigeon perched on the edge.
Succulents planted at his feet. To the left is 18 inch Buddha statue. Both
statues have a hidden stake behind them and are attached by gray wire for
support in our heavy winds, such as storm Evert today.
Transformation:
m. June 16, 2021 Transformation of rainwater pond to
another wildlife pond: The first
thing that happened is frogs laid eggs, and then we found this salamander had
made a home in the pond notice we have a pot of summer oxygenating water
plants to keep the pond clean. Here are a few pix of Slinky the name of the
salamander. For size comparison, those red bricks are 4 inches square.
n. June 16, 2021 Slinky climbing on pond leaf.
o. June 16, 2021 Slinky climbing on pond leaf; oxygenating plant submerged in
pond.
p. June 16, 2021 Slinky over log at end of pond.
After the flood of June 18, 2021
q. June 20, 2021 The garden is drying after being submerged in 2 inches of
water.
r. June 20, 2021 View of the gravel we poured into the pond and the
oxygenating plant for summer.
s. June 20, 2021 another view of pond after storm.
t. June 20, 2021 inside greenhouse: the large blossoms are a zucchini plant
and to the right are plum tomatoes. The greenhouse did not flood.
u. June 20, 2021 looking into G.H. from side wall.
v. June 20, 2021 this is the open greenhouse: zucchini plant at right. At
left is view of apple tree.
w. June 20, 2021 I love this picture: Fig tree planted one year ago with
climbing roses behind. Unfortunately the storm stripped off the growing figs.
3. Wildlife Pond
Now for the pond begun March
31, 2007. It was basically a week's project. The space between the bricks and
pavers around the pond has tiny groundcover that should spread and cover the
bricks by the end of summer. We have 6 oxygenating plants in the pond and when
it warms up we will put in a lotus - no fish; a heron lives nearby and just ate
the fish in our neighbor's pond.
5. Here's
the hole dug - perhaps you can see it is in a couple of tiers.
6. Now the
thick polyvinyl cloth is laid in and we are filling the pond.
7. Believe
it or not, the second day of water a frog from somewhere outside our garden
jumped in!
8. Katje prancing along beside the pond which she drinks from.
Susan lounging in the sun on the porch.
9. Stan
completed the deck and rail construction the first week of his vacation, July
2007 - we sure enjoy sitting out watching birds and rain!
3. Streambed ...
10. July
2007 - After Stan finished the deck and rail, Susan created a streambed to take the run off from the porch roof and
direct it through the garden - first stop the pond, then with an overflow at
the end of the pond fartherest away from the porch
another stream bed all the way to back of the garden to water the trees past
the pond. It is really nice to watch the stream flow during rains. Susan laid a
strip of pond liner under the gravel to create the culvert. Our hydrangea (hortensia) have really
filled out this summer.
Spaghetti Squash in the
Home Garden - 52nd Latitude
Pumpkin (Hokkaido orange)
experiment in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Compost Leaves in Your
City Garden and Build a Trellis Fence
Gardens in Ojai and Santa
Barbara Botanical Garden
Tomato Factory - small
hothouse experiment
Garden Green Roof
installation of sedums
Porch, rainwater pond,
wildlife pond and streambed construction
Greenhouse
construction from a kit
Border gardens,
guerrilla gardening
Benefits of Gardening
Projects for Kids
Birds - Bluetits
- Pimpelmezen growing up
Meditation
Garden Design, Layout, Planting
email and web site: mailto:susan@susankramer.com--http://www.susankramer.com/
copyright Susan Kramer 2007-2021
page updated February March 12, 2021 with rainwater pond; June 16, 2021
rainwater pond transformation with a salamander in residence; June 20, 2021:
after the storm pictures 2. Q. w.