Our Backyard Water Feature
Jeanette Siddons, Anoka County Extension Master Gardener
Looking out my kitchen window, I am beckoned outside to our water feature. I love to relax to the soothing sounds of the waterfall and stream, and I am entertained by the constant activity of the insects, birds and wildlife that enjoy the pond and plants. Creating our water oasis took time and effort, but it was absolutely worthwhile!
Our project began three years ago in a large, empty space that awaited the realization of my vision for a backyard waterfall, stream and pond. My husband and I began by putting our plan on paper and gathering advice from experts.
We learned that location is an important consideration. We wanted to make sure we could see and enjoy our water feature from many areas of our back yard, deck, and home. Also, it’s best to avoid locations under trees, as most pond plants require at least half a day of full sun, and falling leaves and lack of sunlight can create a water imbalance and algae issues. To ensure that installation does not create issues with the house foundation or any public utility lines, call Gopher State One before digging.
To begin, we marked where our waterfall would start, and we outlined the flow of the stream to the pond. We purchased a manufactured pond form, but it was challenging to work with. As we dug the outline, the soil kept caving in, and eventually the form became warped and unusable. We decided to use a pond liner instead; it worked great.
We also needed some additional supplies:
Retaining blocks and boulders for the waterfall and stream
A water pump; we learned how to select the proper-sized pump for the amount of water in our pond (measured in gallons per hour)
Products to control algae growth (we found nontoxic ones) and mosquitoes
My favorite part of the project was choosing the plants. Since I wanted the water maintenance to be simple, I focused on planting around our water feature. I included waving grasses, long-blooming flowers, and plants to attract birds and pollinators. Here are some of the many plants I selected:
For the fence line: little bluestem grass ‘Standing Ovation’
Along the stream: blue fescue grass “Elijah Blue,’ creeping phlox, blue flag iris, Maltese cross ‘Orange Gnome,’ Missouri evening primrose, sedum ‘Sunsparkler Dazzleberry’
Behind the waterfall: an eight-foot-tall cup plant, which plays host to birds and amphibians who drink the water collected on its cupped leaves
In the pond: a water hyacinth, which cleans the water and propagates quickly (they are invasive and should never be released in natural bodies of water)
Our initial project took several weekends to complete, and since then we have made enhancements such as adding little “pools” in the stream to attract more birds. Our waterfall runs continuously, and we can hear it even over the shouts of our grandchildren when they find frogs and toads in the pond. Our water feature is an ongoing labor of love and a wonderful addition to our backyard!
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