The first step prior to landscaping is to make sure that you are satisfied with the height of the pond perimeter. We needed to make multiple adjustments by placing soil and clay under the rubber liner along the edges to be sure the water did not run into or out of the pond. Then the rubber is trimmed to within 3-4 inches of the rocks. The ground is then sloped from the pond edge down to the fence. You do not want ground water to run into your pond when it rains. Ground water brings dirt and chemicals - both undesirable. In planning our landscaping, there were many things to consider. I prefer perennials so that the grounds do not need yearly replanting. Tall plants are grouped around the skimmer to hide the mechanics. Shorter plants are located next. Low ground cover comprises the remainder. Because I have box turtles living here as well, they must all be non-toxic. Around the pond I have planted day lilies, coral bells, potentilla, astilbe, and perennial geraniums. The dirt is seeded with creeping bent grass. On the left: view of the stream cascading from the main pond into the addition. To the left of the stream I dug out an area of the clay and filled it with a mixture of mulch and sand to provide an egg laying site for the turtles. On the right: note the driftwood which provides both hiding and basking spots for the turtles. On the left: a view of the entire pond complex. On the right: the view looking west. Plumbing Mechanics All pond construction supplies were obtained through an Aquascape Designs dealer. You can view their website here. The skimmer in the pond addition is their Large Skimmer. The pump is a WGP-60 which operates at 220 watts, rated flow 1,025 GPH. Flexible black vinyl pipe, 1" diameter, runs from the pump in the skimmer along the west border of the main pond up to the top pond where it empties. Although the pump accommodates 1 1/2" pipe, we chose the 1" because we did not want to drain the pond. Our water flow is controlled by the stream size. On the left: pipe exiting skimmer. On the right: pipe entering top pond. Home Page Turtle Page Slider Haven Rescue Page Pond Page