(Some of the images below are included at "low resolution" to keep file sizes down; if you want to see the "full photo," click on the image of interest.)

The plan....

The construction...

The main retaining wall construction started in May or June; the pond retaining walls were finished in mid-August. Due to the slope of the yard, only about 12" of digging at the "low" end, about 24" at the high end. All told, about 250-300 retaining wall stones hand-carried from the front yard to the back....

After pouring a footing for the concrete block sides, the internal walls are up, sand leveled in the bottom. Before the liner went in, Styrofoam was used to cover the block to provide a "soft" surface for the liner.

Main liner installation on Aug. 31; two feet deep, about nine feet in diameter... the dog later decided the pond was a great place to get a drink.

The main pond is full (Aug. 31); prep work continues on the upper section. No fish in the water, but it looks like other vermin have decided this would make a good swimming hole....

Completion (two cubic yards of garden soil for fill, two cubic yards of mulch, and about a ton of limestone), planting, and fish....

First plants went in on Sept. 7; a couple of goldfish arrived about two weeks later.

These photos were taken towards the end of October, 1997. If you look carefully at the photo above, you can see water cascading over our mini-waterfall.

Yes, there are fish hiding in this photo (what you mainly see is a reflection of the big cedar elm that is just to the north of the pond). This is again in late October, with four medium koi and four goldfish.

And here is Jody's garden angel, who hopefully will continue to stand guard over the pond, keeping the raccoons at bay....