CATHY’S POND & WATERFALL (#50): My first big splurge after we had furnished the house was a hot tub. Twenty five years later, it had seen a lot of use and better days. The heater didn’t work. Cathy thought we should replace my old hot tub with a pond and waterfall. I resisted for a while, but skinny dipping in the hot tub didn’t hold the same appeal at 54 as it did when I was in my 30’s.
So, I went to the Library and checked out books on pond and waterfalls. The right filter system was extremely important. I found a water pond nursery that had everything I needed. For some reason, I didn’t even think of paying them to do the job. Feeling confident, I rented a Sawzall, cut the fiberglass hot tub into pieces, took it to the curb and waited for my friendly Sanitation Engineers.
Ready to start, I dug a big hole. Then I poured a concrete slab to support the concrete block base of the 4’ high, 6’ long waterfall. Laying and sealing all of the rocks for the waterfall was a tedious job. Next, I installed the rubber pond liner and installed the pump and filter system.
Finally, I placed rocks around the pond and landscaped to hide the edge of the rubber pond liner. I filled the pond with water and flipped the switch for the pump. Water came down the waterfall just like it was supposed to run! The entire project took 6 weeks.
Before I left to buy aquatic plants, I asked Cathy to come down and take a look at the finished product. She said, “That is beautiful sweetheart, but all I really wanted was one of those little kits from Walmart.”
The aquatic plants adapted wonderfully. I got an unpleasant surprise, however, when I added the Koi and goldfish. They didn’t last very long once the word got out about the Simmons “All You Can Eat Sushi Buffet” for egrets and herons.
When we moved to North Carolina, Cathy mentioned a pond. My response, “I hear they have great ones at Walmart!”
