In the summer of '99 Ron committed to the creation of a water feature. He didn’t envision a "puddle" but a "Ron Creation". A top pond and waterfalls and a stream meandering down the hillside. Oh, and a small island, splitting the stream, creating dual spillways gently emptying into a larger lower pond.

Ron has an "artist’s eye" & sees "things" with an very unique creative scope. After much research & study an adventure began. Ron was motivated in part by "Greg’s Pond" bickal.home.mchsi.com Greg Bickal / Toddville, IA.

The top pond is approx. 10' x 10' & 24-30" deep. The shallow stream is about 30' long. The bottom pond is approx. 12' x 16' & 42" deep in the middle. It took nearly 3 months of hard work & lots of "boy-toy" machines & lots of help from friends & neighbors & family to get the heavy construction completed. Ron used 45 mil roofing rubber as the liner which has worked great. We picked up tons & tons of field stones. They were used to define & hold the hard-scape avoiding the "pearl necklace" look around the edges.

Billowing grasses & aquatic plants have naturalized the water's edge. The ponds are always "a work in progress". Ron creates planting spaces & I filled them up. We enjoy drinking coffee by the bottom pond many weekend mornings. We sit & watch the fish & absorb the quietness & are thankful for all nature's blessings.

Ron is the "pond-keeper". He feeds the fish. He takes care of the water plants & the pump & all the hard stuff. Controlling "blanket weed" was a major challenge the first few years but now the plants have created a balanced aquatic environment. The stringy blanket weed is not such a nuisance. We have used chemical control "Pond Balance" for blanket weed that works well. It is expensive but necessary at times.

We purchase most of our pond plants from Josh Spece whom I consider a water garden expert. He is located near Independence, IA. www.inthecountrygardenandgifts.com/jspece/. My favorite water plant is my lotus / see photos / Pond Plants.

Skycrest Gardens / Ames, IA is also a great place to buy pond plants. We love touring their gardens which includes several large water features. They were very helpful to us when we were just "getting started". They do not have an internet website. (See Plant Places)

We're excited that a couple of our local garden centers are now offering aquatic plants. Many pond plants are winter hardy but water lettuce & water hyacinths must be purchased every year. They are important water oxygenators and our fish love chomping the roots.

"Ponding" is fun & challenging. Anyone can do it. I have baby ponds that I take care of all by myself. They are on a much smaller scale than "Ron's Ponds".

#1 - 20 gal plastic tub (from Wal-Mart) in a hole in the ground with a little circulating pump, a few floating water plants, & maybe 5 fish; (see Garden #8)

#2 - large brass pot (5 gal) with a tiny pump & tubing just breaking the water surface just to have the relaxing sound of water in the garden. (see Garden #7)

• Central Iowa Water Garden Association
• Eastern Iowa Pond Society
• The Northern Iowa Association of Pond and Water Gardeners