Photos: Water Garden
Feb. 26th, 2026 11:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmith posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
craftyMy second garden craft today was making a mini-water garden. (See the House Yard and the Worm Bin.)
Last year I used this trough to make a mini-water garden on the old picnic table. The trough never did a good job of raising flowers because it has no holes in the bottom. So I repurposed it. I put it on the old picnic table first because tree frogs like to hang out there, but last year I never saw any, so this year I'm moving it.
I placed the trough at the west end of the log garden.
I packed small logs around it so that little critters can reach the trough.
Looking down into the trough, you can see that I placed a couple of brick pieces and a branch inside for habitat. These also help critters get in and out of the water, and the branch end provides a perch for insects such as dragonflies.
I poured some water into the trough. The rest should fill up with rainwater, as there are chances of rain for the next week or so.
Here is a wider view of the trough at the end of the log garden. It will fit in better once plants have grown around it.
Last year I used this trough to make a mini-water garden on the old picnic table. The trough never did a good job of raising flowers because it has no holes in the bottom. So I repurposed it. I put it on the old picnic table first because tree frogs like to hang out there, but last year I never saw any, so this year I'm moving it.
I placed the trough at the west end of the log garden.
I packed small logs around it so that little critters can reach the trough.
Looking down into the trough, you can see that I placed a couple of brick pieces and a branch inside for habitat. These also help critters get in and out of the water, and the branch end provides a perch for insects such as dragonflies.
I poured some water into the trough. The rest should fill up with rainwater, as there are chances of rain for the next week or so.
Here is a wider view of the trough at the end of the log garden. It will fit in better once plants have grown around it.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-27 05:21 pm (UTC)Go for it!
Date: 2026-02-28 09:55 am (UTC)This time of year, garden stuff is starting to hit the stores. Just look for a plastic container that lacks drain holes. You'll find them in various sizes. Most do have holes, but there are always some that don't. The reason I suggest plastic, and preferably wider at the top than the bottom, is that it's more forgiving if the water freezes. Ceramic usually breaks, but most plastic will flex a bit. If you've got a bit more to spend, check a farm store -- they usually have water tubs for livestock that are quite sturdy. That's where I got my deeper red birdbath.
What you want to achieve will determine other fixtures. Want birds or relaxation? A solar water pump or fountain is now fairly cheap and will make a pleasant trickling sound. Want frogs and water insects? No fish, and add a bit of underwater decor like bricks and sticks. Concerned about mosquitoes? Add fish or mosquito dunks; or if you're attracting tadpoles, they will eventually eat mosquito larvae too. Plants? Some places sell things like oxygenating plants, reeds, water lilies, etc. There used to be some around here but last year I couldn't find any.
There are lots of articles and videos online about how to make a small container pond. Those are well worth browsing for inspiration.
Re: Go for it!
Date: 2026-02-28 05:58 pm (UTC)Re: Go for it!
Date: 2026-03-02 07:42 am (UTC)Tadpoles start out eating algae and other aquatic plants, but once their legs start to grow, they turn carnivorous and many species will eat mosquito larvae (and anything else they can catch). If you get tadpoles, you may wish to discontinue using the dunks so they have a natural food source.
Re: Go for it!
Date: 2026-03-02 06:41 pm (UTC)Re: Go for it!
Date: 2026-03-02 08:19 pm (UTC)To get tadpoles, a water garden in or near the ground will be most effective, as frogs and toads (or even salamanders!) are most likely to find it. However, they've been known to use stock tanks that are 2-3 feet tall, or even 5-gallon buckets. Tadpoles like relatively shallow water and appreciate having some submerged plants to hide in and nibble on. Shade plants around the edge, such as hostas or ferns, make it more attractive to adult amphibians. If you want to use a pond filter, put fine mesh over the intake to exclude tadpoles -- otherwise they're as bad as guppies for getting sucked into things. They prefer water that is not moving too much, so a fountain is less desirable unless you have a pond long enough to put that at the deeper end leaving the shallows less disturbed.
Re: Go for it!
Date: 2026-03-02 08:41 pm (UTC)Re: Go for it!
Date: 2026-03-02 09:14 pm (UTC)I forgot to mention that when I was keeping a larger water garden, I used a kiddie pool and arranged potted plants on the ground around the rim. But I put feeder goldfish in that. The same would work for tadpoles with a bit of modification, and is a lot less expensive and challenging than an in-ground pond.
Re: Go for it!
Date: 2026-03-02 09:53 pm (UTC)Re: Go for it!
Date: 2026-03-02 11:20 pm (UTC)Re: Go for it!
Date: 2026-03-03 12:59 am (UTC)Re: Go for it!
Date: 2026-03-03 01:39 am (UTC)A quick search turned up some paints recommended for aquarium use:
https://fishlab.com/aquarium-safe-paint/
https://www.aquariadise.com/aquarium-safe-paint/
Another option would be colored silicone caulk. This comes in black and various earth tones. You'd need to spread a thin coat over the inside of the pool. An advantage is that you could sprinkle it with sand for a more natural finish.
Just bear in mind that any of this stuff would run up the cost, and a kiddie pool isn't designed for long-term use as a pond -- mine usually lasted several years. I checked online and there are still plenty of plain blue ones.
If you don't care about the colors, though, wildlife probably won't either.
Re: Go for it!
Date: 2026-03-03 02:16 am (UTC)Re: Go for it!
Date: 2026-03-03 02:33 am (UTC)Re: Go for it!
Date: 2026-03-03 02:46 am (UTC)