Making a Bog Garden

When we moved in this house almost 6 years ago, we were so excited it had this shady garden area with an established koi pond, arbor, and patio.

These pictures were taken just a few weeks after we moved in and as you can see, AC and B,who were 3 at the time, were smitten with the pond and fish. 

The excitement faded when we had to replace the liner and fish 3 different times over the next couple of years thanks to falling tree limbs and critters who loved getting in the pond and eating the fish.

At this point, we were ready to just fill it up with concrete and forget it,but my mother had the brilliant idea of adding a fountain and creating a bog garden within what was the pond.  We started working on it last summer, but we had a hard time finding a fountain that was inexpensive, fit the informal feel of the area, and could accomodate the huge pump we had bought for the pond itself.

After playing around with a few different ideas, we settled on a large galvanized container for the base and a flower pot for the top.  A few coats of aged copper spray paint later and we have a fountain we love for less than $30!

We transplanted some ferns and hosta from other parts of our yard and added other moisture loving plants like calla lilies, and astible, and Siberian Iris. 

Find me at:  DIY by Design, Shabby Creek Cottage, No Minimalist Here