Not every summer resident can boast of a natural pond in a personal plot. At best, this is a small pond decorated with improvised materials. We propose to make a stream - flowing, gurgling and sparkling under the rays of the summer sun. Agree that the dynamics of moving water among stones and greenery completely changes the landscape picture, more precisely, turns it into a real living corner of nature.
Types of streams: choose the best option
If you are not lucky with a natural brook, we will try to make an alternative option, like two drops similar to a real one, but having a secret, or rather, a secret hidden at the bottom of the reservoir. The role of the secret will be played by a submersible pump, known to all owners of a well or a well.
This scheme of the device of the stream is universal, however, if desired, it can be varied with one of the proposed solutions:
- a waterfall;
- thresholds;
- chain of cascades;
- a small fountain.
For the landscape composition to look natural, a height difference or at least a slight slope, for example, a gentle slope of a hill, will be required. Depending on the steepness of the descent - the place where the proposed channel will be located - we will choose the type of stream.
The tilt of the channel can be achieved in two ways:
- make a small artificial mound;
- gradually deepen the bed closer to the mouth.
Do not overdo it by digging out the channel and forming its banks - everything should be extremely natural. Nature does not like clear geometry, which means we make smooth bends, an uneven line of the coast, an inhomogeneous filling of the bottom.
A difficult terrain, inconvenient for planting a garden or a garden, in this case will play into our hands.
But do not get involved in the construction of complex structures, otherwise your stream will turn into one big waterfall. The course of a mountain stream is faster than that of a plain stream, the speed of water movement is higher, the height differences are sharper, which means that a more powerful pump is required.
Step-by-step instruction on the arrangement of the stream
So, what is an artificial stream, we briefly explained.
If you can find a plot of uneven terrain, provide water and purchase a submersible pump, you just have to study several nuances of the technical side of the issue, and then you can get down to business. The best time of the year for construction work is spring or summer, for the winter period it is better to conserve the pond.
Layout: location, direction, size
The first stage, preparatory, is both the simplest and the most difficult. For its implementation, you will need office supplies: pencils or markers, a ruler and a large sheet of paper, preferably millimeter or checkered.
On paper, it is necessary to display all the objects already available in the summer cottage area, including a house, garden, paths, etc. Pay special attention to the area where your stream will be located.
Keep in mind that the stream forms a zone of high humidity, so you need to consider planting moisture-loving or aquatic plants.
If there is a garden or flower garden with exotic flowers nearby, consider whether additional moisture will damage the already planted crops. The same applies to garden trees, shrubs, and even wild flora.
The length of the stream can vary: you may prefer compact compositions or, on the contrary, you need a source that crosses the entire garden, enveloping buildings and flower beds. But remember: the longer the channel, the more difficulties with its arrangement, and the main problem concerns the slope of the terrain.
Do not forget that our stream is decorative, and this is its advantage. You can make a completely sealed channel and pond so that the water from the source does not penetrate into the coastal soil.
The shoreline will remain constant, will not be eroded by water in the springtime, as is the case with natural reservoirs during snowmelt.
Instructions for the installation of the channel
The main stage is the construction of the channel. We decompose it into points so that it is more convenient to work:
- We carry out marking on the ground. When developing the project, you have already determined the location of the stream, its dimensions, source and mouth points, it remains to transfer the markup from the paper scheme to nature. This will require small pegs and a skein of twine. We stick pegs along the proposed channel and connect them with twine or cord to outline the boundaries of the future reservoir.
- We tear out the groove for the channel and the pit in which the pond will be located - the end point of our stream. The pond is not only a picturesque object, but also a necessary functional part of our project, since it is in it that we will locate the pump that supplies water to the source.
- We make soil finishing, concrete the riverbed. If you have chosen a mountain stream - in an arbitrary form we place stones, boulders, plates, we fasten them with concrete mortar. For a flat stream you need a gently sloping base with smooth bends. The result should be a trench of a given width and a volumetric bowl for a pond.
- We put a waterproofing layer - we cover the entire working surface with geotextile or a special waterproof PVC film (butyl rubber), we fix the edges with stones, pebbles, sand.
- Along the channel, from the pond to the source, we tear out shallow trenches for laying a hose or pipe.
- We decorate the bottom of the reservoir with sand, multi-colored granite crushed stone, pebbles, covering as much as possible all artificial details.
- We bring water, fill the pond, test the pump.
The pond is not really necessary, but if it is absent, a deep container will be required to collect water and place the pump, for example, a large plastic container.
If the soil is hard, rocky, and the length of the stream is small, additional concreting is not required. It is necessary to stabilize the channel if the flow of water is more powerful.
Coastal decor and small architectural forms
When the technical work is completed, you can begin to design the banks and the riverbed with all kinds of decor. It can be small architectural forms made of wood - a bridge, scaffolding, arches, as well as picturesque statues, funny ceramic animal figures, flowerpots for hygrophilous plants, wooden boats and rafts.
The construction and design of the bridge depends on both the surrounding area and the size of the stream. A large stone structure on the background of a brisk brook 30 cm wide would have looked more than ridiculous, and small wooden bridges would come in handy.
Heavy structures are good for decorating a large body of water, so if you still want to build a real bridge, use the area of the pond, not the stream.
On the shore, a small open pavilion for relaxation or a platform with a table and benches will look good. Try to make the design of buildings consistent with the style of the suburban area.
On the banks of the stream, to emphasize its naturalness, we plant plants, but, given the decorativeness of our structure, we can safely use trays or containers with herbs.
Plant World of the Pond
All crops designed to decorate the stream can be divided into two large groups: growing along the banks and located directly in the water.
Both categories include herbs with beautiful carved or smooth leaves, as well as plants with inflorescences of various colors.
Lush flowering bushy flowers will close the channel of the stream, so we plant low-growing plants along the banks of the water: coin loosestrife, creeper tenacious, multi-colored primroses, daisies, stunted veronica, kaluzhnitsa, marsh violets, goose onions, spleen.
A little further from the coast there are higher specimens: fern, ostrich, common bracken, female coder, thyroid, hosta.
If the plant composition includes trees or shrubs, select low moisture-loving species that grow in the wild along the banks of ponds: goat or white willow, evergreen magonia holly-leaved, tree-like karagana, Tunberg barberry, cotoneaster, euonymus.
Directly to the bottom of a stream or pond, if it contains fertile soil, you can plant an elodea or shred, and the pemphigus or hornwort does not take root, but floats freely on the surface of the water surface.
Artificial Creek Care Rules
To ensure that the water in the pond is always clean, and the banks are well-groomed, it is necessary to regularly care for plants and carry out preventive maintenance of pumping equipment. To do this, you must follow a few simple rules:
- check the tightness of hoses and pipes, clean or change filters in time;
- in the hot period when water evaporation occurs, from time to time restore the necessary volume;
- to maintain the functionality of the equipment for the winter, completely drain the water, and clean the pump and place it in the auxiliary heated room;
- clean concrete fences, wooden structures and stones from silt and dirt;
- completely change the water if for some reason it becomes opaque.
Plants require the same care as ordinary summer crops. Trees and shrubs need to be trimmed so that they do not obscure the view of the water composition with wide crowns.
Examples of dynamic ponds in landscape design
We present to your attention several examples of the successful location of streams in personal plots.
Perhaps, in some cases, water compositions are called by streams only conditionally, but all of these are artificially created water sources in which the flow of water moves due to the action of a submersible pump.
If you have the opportunity to decorate a pond with beautiful stones, be sure to use it.
The stream bed does not have to be even and uniform.
See how diverse decoration is used to the maximum - and nothing more.
Feel free to use non-standard solutions and ideas.
If we take into account all the stages of planning, building and decorating an artificial stream, we can conclude: anyone who knows how to fantasize is not afraid of physical work and appreciates the natural beauty of nature.