Butterfly's pond and flowers

[Butterfly 485]

Hello All.

 

Now that I figured out how to post photos, I thought I would share my pond.

 

My pond is watergarden, not a formal koi pond although I do have several koi and many goldfish.  While I love my fish, my "water dogs", my focus is a little more on the plants that I can grow in and around the pond.  The pond is full sun, relatively shallow and filtered only by a bog.  Seems to be working as despite the conditions, I have had no significant algae blooms this year and the fish have been healthy (and spawning, spawning, spawning...).  Nevertheless, it is a work in progress and there is always something to be done.

 

 

 

     

 

Edited September 5, 2015 by Butterfly

[Butterfly 485]

This is how I am greeted when I walk up to the pond.

 

 

[shakaho 6,312]

Nice!  I wish I had space for a pond of that size.  I really would like a good look at your bog filter.

[shellbell4ever 1,381]

Awesome pond now that's a Greeting lol

[Cdionne77 862]

Wow awesome pond! Makes me want one. But living in New England winters are rough. Your fish are adorable too

[colley614 101]

I love your set upp

[DawnMichele 6,045]

Gorgeous!!!!!!!!

[goldfishfanforever 913]

Wow very pretty fish and what a lovely looking pond!

[Fish Of Gold 2,297]

Wow! That pond of yours is beautiful!! Plus your Koi are adorable

[koko 14,328]

Nice!  I wish I had space for a pond of that size.  I really would like a good look at your bog filter.

[Fastlane 174]

I like the color of the koi! And the pond looks nice too...

[jenzaar 11,605]

It is amaaaziiingg :9

[lizam 173]

Wow stunning!

[Kayla102968 336]

So beautiful.  I love all your plants.  I want an inground pond like this some day.  What do you do with your plants over the winter (lilies etc)?  Your koi must not eat your plants?

Did you use a liner on the bottom of the pond?  Do you know how many gallons it is? 

 

I'd also like to see the bog filter detail.  Sorry for so many questions...I love learning about ponds and hope once my boys get older (they are 6 and 7 right now), and my one golden retriever gets more mature (he's still a puppy...and I could see him destroying a pond like this and all the hard work that goes into it), I would really enjoy working with a pond like this .

[Arctic Mama 3,616]

It's so gorgeous! Love those flowers!

[FishyMandy 6,266]

Wow so beautiful! I'd love a pond like that, but no space, no money and koi aren't allowed here I'm jealous!

[Butterfly 485]

Hi all.

Thank you for the kind comments.  I will try to get some pictures of the bog but it is not all that exciting.  It is like a slightly raised part of the pond full of gravel and plants. The water is pumped into the base of the bog where there are aqua blocks (basically fancy egg cartons) and then up through the gravel.  When I have the chance I will take some pictures.

 

My water lilies are mostly tropical, so when it starts to cool off I will pull each pot out of the pond and harvest any tubers for next year.  The hardies I have just stay in the deepest section I have and go dormant until next year.

 

My koi do pick at my plants, especially while the plants are still young, so I do my best to cover the dirt with large rocks they can't budge.  It is becoming a bit of a struggle as the koi get larger.  It is a liner pond, around 2200 gallons, but I only got to that number by a salt dilution test, so that's a general ballpark.

 

I have more flower pictures than fish pictures, but then again I have more flowers than fish (more or less).

 

Hardy Waterlily "Sunfire"

 

 

Night blooming Tropical water lily "Mrs George C Hitchcock"

 

 

Tropical Day Blooming water lily "Rhonda Kay"

 

 

Day Blooming Tropical Waterlily "Day Glow"

 

Pink Hollyhock with friend

 

 

Hardy Hibiscus "Pink Elephant"

Edited September 7, 2015 by Butterfly

[Hidr 4,961]

Wish I didn't rent the land I am on. I would have a pond like that a tad smaller with fantails and tons of plants like you have.

[Ajnk17 413]

Absolutely beautiful! I can't wait to not be renting and own my own house to build a pond. My husband is going to have to accept it! haha I love koi and would like to own some, but Minnesota and winters... -30 isn't the best for water..

[Flipper 13,057]

OMG! Your pond is absolutely stunning! Just like

The plants look like a wonderland

And your fish are so sweet

[Speckles 1,178]

Wow you have an amazing pond and koi! Love it!

[LisaCGold 1,691]

Your pond is incredible! I'm a plant person also, so your combo of plants and fish make your pond so gorgeous.

[Butterfly 485]

Thank you all so much for the compliments!

I'm so sorry I haven't been able to post more pics. I have more from earlier in the season that I will try to post at some point.

I have to get in the pond and harvest my tropical tubers soon. I've been really putting it off with other family issues that have happened recently. Plus we had some crazy storms and I have a bunch of leaves to clean out of the pond now too.

I did finally get around to taking down some of the other plants that have died off with the recent frosts... Compost pile just grew tremendously in one day. I love doing it, just not enough sunlit hours right now. Usually I'm putting in spring bulbs now, but that's not happening this year...

[Flame 0]

Absolutely gorgeous pond

[Butterfly 485]

I have had my tropicals going for a few weeks in a small tub in my garage.  There are 7 different plants.  I've had to prune the leave several times and I'm growing a ton of hair algae along with them, but hopefully I will have strong root systems in place by the time the pond is warm enough for me to put them out.  Leaves look a little ratty right now, but not bad for a single grow light.

 

Edited April 22, 2016 by Butterfly