question about my ugly lake

[FJ and G]

 

I just put it in and looks horrible. I'm gonna try rearranging the rocks. No fish. Methinks plants might improve it. It is 100% in the shade under the deck (that's why funny slats reflections). Are there any plants that take 100% shade?. It's a plastic cattle trough.

 

THANKS!!!! 

[SNOWSHOE]

I have koi pond myself except I use a rubber liner.  I have always had a hard time with the plastic ponds etc...  It is very tough getting it to look real.   Do you have it in the ground or above?  If it is above you might might to think about putting it into the ground.  I find it easier to get it to look like it belongs with the landscape.  I found the best way to do it so it looks real is to put some nice stone on the bottom.  Take the rest of the flat stone and line them around the top but have them overhang into the pond (this should hide the ugly plastic sides).  Try to keep it one layer. If you add to many layers it becomes somewhat unrealistic  Only stack the flat stone where you might put a cascade or waterfall into the pond.  Put some nice ground cover that will grow onto the rocks and then overhang into the pond.  Periwinkle (I spelt that wrong I think) works great for that.   Here is a shot of my koi pond, nothing is growing yet for the season so it looks a little sloppy now. Also go to Lowes or home depot and brows through the garden pond books.  You can get great ideas, or just but a rubber liner.  Much easier to work with.  Good Luck

 

[FJ and G]

thanks; good concealment job; yes, stones on bottom; I'm going to rearrange some more. It's under the ground

[altterrain]

It's hard to tell what look you are trying to achieve from that pic. I'll post a few pics that may help but you will have to check them out at home.

This dry stack wall on the left is all smaller stone but is neat and tidy. The mountain on the right is larger flat stone set on edge. -

 

This little pond and stream is all from medium sized round rubble -

 

Maybe a mix of stone sizes and types will make it look a bit more natural. Also think about breaking up some of your larger stones.

For plants I would try miniature parrot's feather (I could give you a hunk if you were up this way) -

 

-Brian 

 

 

 

[FJ and G]

appreciate tips; I thought long and hard about this and decided to completely refocus this issue and do 180 degrees turn. I'm planning now to make it look manmade and place an industry beside it! Maybe concrete around it and some benches with people sitting and a fountain; or a runoff pond beside an industry; something artificial; sorry to send you on a wild goose chase and change my mind like this; but the urge just hit me this morning