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Habitats and Water Features

Habitats and water features are multi purpose. Increasing the bio diversity of a property is vital to the health of the local environment. Beneficial insects, snakes, birds all add up to a healthier place to live. After less than a year, one of my pools became resident to a loudly ribbiting frog this past Spring.

The property already had several shrubby areas. I have enhanced a couple of those and have also turned two places that were grassy yard into beautiful small habitats/water features. Sheet mulching was the start. Both pools do use totally unnatural pond liner. Both pools are enhanced with chunks of former driveway. As is an important design feature in Permaculture, there are many edges in these habitats. They are planted with mostly natives such as sword fern, ocean spray, vine maple, snow berry, violets, and more. Both locations are evolving.

Both locations are a wonderful aesthetic part of the place. They are beautiful to look at in their own right. Both water features have foot high waterfalls on demand from the rain water storage tanks. There are no pumps, no recirculating of the water. One pool is up to 30 inches deep, the other maybe over a foot at its deepest. Both contain about 300 plus gallons.

To this point, the water has stayed fairly clear. I do have duckweed which is "thinned" on going. There are modest "beards" of algae which I remove as I take water. Both ponds are home to mosquito fish. The fish are no maintenance, able to feed themselves. They survived the winter. The front pool, in 6 month shade, had ice 2 inches thick fro several days during our one cold snap. The fish survived. Larger fish would attract raccoons. Eventually, some of the shrub sized plants will become small trees. The pools will become much shadier and forest like. Watching them evolve is a lot of fun. The front pool is just outside the kitchen window, a pleasant view in all weather.

The east side fence is another habitat area. See below.

Links to other pages at the bottom.

Future pool and habitat. Yet to be sheet mulched. November, 2000.

Raised beds soon to be excavated.

Raised bed. Some natives planted.

Excavation and pond liner. April, 2002.

Pond liner in place. Blocks set aside.

First water flows.

June, 2003. Lots of growth.

View of the water fall, June 2003.

Front yard at move in.

Sheet mulched front yard. Pool to be in leafy foreground.

Excavation of the front pool. May, 2002.

Driveway removed. Much gravel where it was. Block terracing.

Front deck to street. Same view as excavation above

Same view as sheet mulch 2 nd foto above. May, 2000.

Front yard pool/habitat and waterfall.

Pool and view to front deck.

Front pool May 2005.

Front pool and habitat. May 2005.

Close up of back pool. May 2005. Compare to June 2003 above.

Back habitat at left. May 2005. Compare to foto at top of column.

East Side Fence.

The east side fence will become a sort of a hedgerow/edible habitat. The plan is to combine apple, pear, fig with natives, perrenials, thornlessblackberries, kiwi fruit. Fruit trees will have a gently espaliet. The blackberries trained on wires in front of the fence. Ultimately, the wooden fence will no longer be visible. Fences are wonderful places to make more productive.