Hiding the Liner

The first and most important step in landscaping around ponds is to hide the liner. Nothing screams, “Hi, I’m man-made!” quite like long open strips of matte-black rubber showing around the edges of your water feature.

Disclaimer: hiding the liner is a delicate process. If too much is trimmed off, or if it is tucked down too far beneath the rocks when building the pond, leakage is a very problematic possibility. When dealing with the edges of the liner, always make sure there is plenty of excess and a high enough mound of soil packed underneath the liner to keep water in the pond.

Now, one of the best ways to hide the excess liner is to continue the rock-work out of the pond, up the mound, and into the surrounding landscape. However, we must be careful here that we don’t get too overzealous with the rock stacking. Otherwise the edges of the water feature might end up looking like a haphazard pile of stones--a phenomenon we wouldn’t likely see in nature.

So, instead of trying to fill every little gap in the stones with more stones, try using mulch. Mulch is an easy-to-execute and simple solution for hiding the liner around your pond. It takes just a few minutes but works wonders at blending the water feature with the surrounding landscape. But don’t stop mulching just where the liner ends, continue the mulch all throughout the bed around the pond that you are going to fill out with some more beautiful landscaping.

Planting Around Ponds

Planting around your pond is essential for a natural look. But there are a few important aspects to consider when it comes time to plant. Sand and backfill are generally used in construction of the pond for building shelves, berms, and retention, but don’t make for good planting medium. Be sure before planting that you’ve put down a nice layer of topsoil for the plants to take root in.

Another very important consideration when landscaping around your pond is viewing angles. If there is a spectacular view from your raised deck of the largest drop in the waterfall, you probably shouldn’t plant a five-foot Japanese maple blocking the sightline to the drop. Instead, plant a low and creeping plant like a creeping jenny in that spot and save the Japanese maple for the backside of the pond where it won’t obstruct the view. The creeping jenny will do what it does best and creep over the rocks and surrounding landscape, and the bright and beautiful Japanese maple will be a striking accent point.

Be sure to also plant some hardy, mid-sized perennials like hostas and ferns that will come back year after year and fill out the landscaping around your pond. These plants are low maintenance and will really pull together the lush natural landscape look.

Odds and Ends When Landscaping Around Ponds

Once the plants are planted, there are a number of other super simple features to add to your landscape to make your pond blend in. You would be amazed at how well a piece of driftwood or a dead branch over your spillway could accent your pond. Placing a long piece of driftwood over the stream seamlessly ties the water feature into the surrounding landscape. Even try using a big piece of bark to cover up some of the liner. Remember, not everything in nature is vibrant and full of life--contrast those bright colors of the plants with some darker and duller grays and browns.

Also, place some character boulders in the landscape around the pond. All too often rock work will end at the edge of the pond, and from a distance it can look like an unnatural piling of rocks. If there are some character boulders outside of the water feature it makes the water feature look like it’s meant to be there.

Remember, the water feature experience doesn’t end when the liner is hidden. The landscaping around ponds is equally as important as the pond itself, and can make or break the entire scene!

You can find more inspiration for landscaping your water feature by looking through our image galleries...

WATERFALL GALLERY

POND GALLERY

The Pondless Waterfall

The first stop on our tour is a roaring thirty foot pondless waterfall. There are three drops total in the water feature, two smaller split falls near the top with a meandering stream that ends in a stunning two foot fall sheeting water off of a massive pink stone that disappears right into the earth.

The waterfall seems to spill right out of the natural hillside and manicured landscape of the homeowners’ backyard. Blue flag iris, cardinal flowers, and other aquatic plants accent the stream, with Japanese maples, conifer trees, and lilacs enshrouding the hillside. The adjacent patio provides ample viewing area for the water feature, and the water feature provides the tranquil sound of rushing water for those lounging on the patio.

The pondless waterfall is simple, beautiful, and easy to maintain. It is an awesome water feature for those looking for the soothing sights and sounds of water, without having to do the maintenance associated with an open water pond.

The Dual Waterfall and Patio

Our next water feature is an eighteen by twenty-eight foot pond with two waterfalls, one fifteen and one eight foot fall splashing into the open water. The dual-falls streaming into this pond doubles the sound effect amplified through the backyard. A flagstone patio lines the edge of the pond facing the home as a seating area for people to sit and bask in the serenity of the watergarden.

The pond is painted with a school of goldfish and a slew of aquatic plants including lilies, marsh marigold, water hyacinth, and more. The combination of fish and plants replicates a natural ecosystem, minimizing cloudy water and algae blooms, while also creating a natural looking and healthy pond.

The Quaint Watergarden

This pond is a bit smaller than the others on the tour, but beautifully displays that a water feature does not have to be over-the-top to be dazzling. The body of water is eight by twelve feet, with a steep eleven foot long waterfall cascading into the pond. Although it’s a relatively small waterfall, the steepness of the grade creates a roaring sound that can be heard all throughout the backyard.

Similar to the previous stop, this is a natural ecosystem pond with ample plant life and goldfish creating biological filtration and an organic appearance. This water feature is nestled in a far corner of the backyard, surrounded by conifers and creeping jenny, with a stunning viewing area from the raised deck attached to the home.

The Limestone Pond

The final stop on the Parade of Ponds is a seventeen by twenty five foot pond, with a ten foot long stream and a spectacular limestone waterfall. What is so incredible about using limestone to create a pond is that the stones fit together like puzzle pieces, creating the appearance of one large piece of limestone with grooves that look like they were cut naturally over time by running water.

The pond itself is five feet deep and is home to several large, bright, and beautiful koi who like to hangout in the shade of the koi caves built into the walls of the pond. There is a flagstone bridge over the stream that is peculiarly satisfying to stand on, watching and listening to the water flow beneath your feet. The water feature is sandwiched between the home and a pool deck with 360 degree viewing angles.

Another awesome component of this watergarden is the wetland filter located on top of the waterfall. The concept of the wetland filter is an idea taken straight from nature: a combination of gravel, rocks, plants, and bacteria create a natural filtration system for the pond that is more effective than any chemical treatment. The wetland filter not only looks beautiful and natural, it is also incredibly functional in maintaining water quality and a healthy ecosystem.

SIGN UP FOR PARADE OF PONDS

The AWM Water Features’ Blog will cover a wide range of topics on all things water feature. We are looking to give advice about how to get the most enjoyment out of your water feature, answering questions about subjects such as pond maintenance, types of filtration, maintaining a healthy ecosystem, aquatic plants, fish, wildlife attraction, pond renovations, pros and cons of different types of ponds, and much, much more.

Our blog will also feature success stories and testimonials from proud pond owners, giving those who are considering building a water feature a little taste of the water garden lifestyle. There is hardly a more tranquil sound than running water, especially when it is trickling down a babbling stream that looks as though it is a natural piece of your backyard landscape. Here at AWM, we want to bring that tranquility and that beauty to your home.

Which is a great segue into who we are and what we do outside of this blog. AWM Water Features is based out of Grand Rapids, MI, and has been working all throughout West Michigan for over thirteen years. We focus on quality and pay close attention to the small details to ensure that your pond or your waterfall is as serene, healthy, and natural as can be.

We are the only Master Certified Aquascape Contractors in the area, which basically means that we’ve had an extensive amount of training from Aquascape--the go-to authority in the world of water features--and are the best at what we do.

Our mantra is Design, Build, Preserve, which is precisely what we do, in any and all ways that we can.