New bonsai garden, including koi pond!

I’m planning to put it over on the side of the house. On the patio area. There’s a large propane gas bottle standing there (for the gas logs in the house). I figure I could either tap into that, or possibly set up an outdoor kitchen in that area someday.

Right now, I just have the grill sitting by the side of the back porch. When the wind goes the wrong way, smoke collects under there.

I don’t grill too much. Just the occasional burger or steak. Those who are seriously into BBQ need something more elaborate.

I could still put in a fire pit or something... lots of space!
 
Okay, I just made up my mind.

[EDIT] I'm going to remove this image. I understand that you meant it as a joke, but it hits a little too close to home. [/EDIT]

😢
 
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cheap_walmart_art said:
What a great looking plan! The wife and I have been slowly trying to work out backyard into a garden ourselves, but it looks like hiring a professional would be worth every penny.
Click to expand...
If you can afford it, it’s certainly worth every penny. But if you can’t, a sweet yard is totally attainable, especially if you come up with a master plan then tackle things in stages. Season by season.
 
Adair M said:
I don’t need a workshop. I might put in a pergola or something. I will continue to actually work on my trees on my back porch. But I’ll move the patio furniture to the patio.
Click to expand...

Have you selected a Koi teacher yet? Perhaps there’s one that runs a Koi Intensive Series...

S
 
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Adair M said:
As promised, I thought I’d share a bit about my new bonsai garden.

I have a full sun space, absolutely no overhead trees. Which is great for my pines!

As a temporary measure, I put up these shelves:

View attachment 254050

View attachment 254049

But, I need a patio, more work space, and I have the room to make a nice display garden a la @MACH5, but I have no clue how to go about it!

So, I searched the Internet for garden ideas, patio ideas, bonsai garden ideas... I’ve had the opportunity to visit a couple friends with incredible gardens.

So, I found a pond contractor, and a landscape architect, met with them, and came up with a “Master Plan”.

It looks like this:

View attachment 254054

The pond will have a “wetland filter”, which should aid in cooling and water clarity, even though I have full sun. The concept is water from the pond is pumped uphill into a “pond” of gravel. The water enters into the bottom of this “pond”, which has large gravel rocks at the bottom (softball sized), then a layer of baseball sized rocks, then finally a layer of 50 cent piece sized gravel. Aquatic plants are then planted in the top layer of gravel. So the pond ware is pushed up thru this “bog” where bacteria and plants break down the fish waste, turn it into nutrients for the plants. This body of water is underground, and gets geo-cooled. Once on the surface, it tumbled down a waterfall into the main pond. The waterfall aerates the water bringing oxygen in for the fish.

That’s the theory, anyway!

The Master plan also shows a stream up above the pond. That is a “Phase 2” that may, or may not happen.

Around the bottom of the pond, I’ll have a patio, and around the patio, I’m planning on having the display benches on gravel. That way, I can minimize weeds. And put in hard edging to separate the lawn from the bonsai area. That way the guys mowing won’t have to work around the trees.

Construction is going to start Friday. It will be a moon-scape around here for a couple days!
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It seems from the plan that the bonsai and the garden are separated. I understand the functional reason behind this (ease of watering), but are there any plans to have a display area built into the garden area? You could display trees along the garden path for special occasions, or your own personal amusement 🤪

Good luck with the construction!!!
 
Curious, will @Dav4 have any input in regards to the "photo studio"? 😁

I'm not seeing an outdoor wine rack or a conveniently located beer fridge?🤣

Looks like it will be a great space, enjoy it!!

…...what's up with that JM forest-y looking piece in the foreground.....don't believe you've shared a peek of that one yet....😘
 
Looks great! A member in my club had a koi pond, but the snakes ate all his koi, so now he has a pond... Anyways I like the "Bonsai growing area". Cant wait for updates.
 
markyscott said:
Have you selected a Koi teacher yet? Perhaps there’s one that runs a Koi Intensive Series...

S
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Actually, there is a guy, Chuck Jones, who lives over in Dahlinega, who has beautiful koi. He once judged the All-Japan koi show. He gave me a two hour lecture on koi pond filtration whether I wanted it or not!

He, incidentally, knows Rodney Clemon
 
He knows Rodney Clemons. He called Rodney an “Artiste”! Wow!!! Imagine that! One of our drinking buddies is an “Artiste”!
 
LanceMac10 said:
Curious, will @Dav4 have any input in regards to the "photo studio"? 😁

I'm not seeing an outdoor wine rack or a conveniently located beer fridge?🤣

Looks like it will be a great space, enjoy it!!

…...what's up with that JM forest-y looking piece in the foreground.....don't believe you've shared a peek of that one yet....😘
Click to expand...
We haven't discussed any photo studio as he doesn't/won't have a deck robust enough to build one below. One the other hand, I have absolutely discussed the need to have cold beverages readily at hand to truly make his bonsai garden a delight for all 5 senses... but Adair seems to think having to walk ALL THE WAY into his kitchen is "good enough".... pffft!!
 
JudyB said:
Very nice plans, what is the time line for completion? Looks like a big project!
Click to expand...
The pond is supposed to begin on Friday. He says it will take a week. I’m also going to try to get the landscape guy who will set the patio in place to follow as soon as possible.
 
Brewing and Bonsai said:
It seems from the plan that the bonsai and the garden are separated. I understand the functional reason behind this (ease of watering), but are there any plans to have a display area built into the garden area? You could display trees along the garden path for special occasions, or your own personal amusement 🤪

Good luck with the construction!!!
Click to expand...
You must be looking at the plot on the other side of the house labeled “bonsai growing garden”. That’s going to be a raised bed where I can fatten up rough stock. The finished and refined trees will all be on benches around the patio.
 
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