We
were lucky enough to catch this work in progress on our way home from
Aqualand. You will find this pond on 38th Street between Hickman and
Urbandale. We’ll add to this page as the pond matures.
Betty Nielsen Duff
(former owner of Exterior Designs Landscaping) and her son are building
this creation. She has an almost published book on soil and its
effects on plants at the publishers now.
You can contact her at bettyduff3@mchsi.com
if you have any questions. You’ll notice the pictures taken on
cloudy days show better colors than sunny day pictures.
LA
Pic
Picture taken early August. Shows retaining wall and liner for the future
waterfall.
LA
Pic
Closer look at the future pond -- no water yet.
LA
Pic
Closer look at the future (pre-rock) waterfall -- plus a limestone wall.
LA
Pic
Straight on view of future waterfall. Next pics show two weeks more
work.
LA
Pic
Now we're talking. Got the water running. Still a small leak in the
fall that needs repair.
LA
Pic
Closer look at the pond itself. Note overhang to discourage
raccoons. No fish yet.
LA
Pic
Lots of "work in progress" evidence on hand. Still a ways
to go.
LA
Pic
Many terrestrial plants just getting established. These will fill in
over time.
LA
Pic
Walkway around the pond now in place. Colby patrols the pond via this
walkway.
LA
Pic
Closer look at the walkway. Many more perennials added.

LA
Pic
Numerous perennial succulents inserted in the rock retaining wall.
LA
Pic
The pond's biological filter resides/hides behind this clump of cypress.
LA
Pic
More plants, including pond plants, so most of the work is completed.
LA
Pic
Pics taken in August and September. We'll check in with more next June.
Last Word.
Most pond keepers put their ponds in their backyard and keep them to
themselves. Betty’s sharing her pond with anyone who drives
past. Plus she’s cut way back on any lawn mowing chores.
LA
Pond plants new last week. As we said earlier, less mowing
(actually, none).
LA
Her yard has become a total rock garden with a water garden centerpiece.
Here it is, Next June.
LA
Pic
06.9.04 and the perennials are really filling in.
Laster Word. Well,
we may visit again in the fall and add our lastest word.
9.14.04.
Betty and her garden were featured in the 9.9.04 Des Moines
Register. We’ll update our pix and show you her fall look as soon
as it stops raining.
LA
04.15.05 Looking good this year. Still early, tho.
LA
You can't see it, but Betty put bird
netting over her pond to keep the leaves out. Good idea.
LA
July 1, 2006. All the plantings are now well established.
LA
Screen's off the pond. There's a slow leak in the spillway and the
tour visits July 15.
LA
06.19.08 and the plants have really filled in.
LA
Yes the pond is there. You just have to look harder to see it.
Well, it took longer to
get back than we intended. LA
© 2003,
© 2004,
© 2005, © 2006,
© 2008 LA Productions

3600
Sixth Avenue
Corner
of Sixth & Euclid Avenues
Des
Moines, IA 50313
515
283-0300
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