FISH

Here are links to the other water garden pages: This page
The last water gardening page This page has the older information on the fish.
The Fish Pond page This page has information on the water garden pages
The second Water garden page is a continuation of first and original water garden creation
Predators in the pond
The last water gardening page.This page has all the older information on it.

On February 12, 2026,
As I viewed the pond in the morning I saw 2 of the gold fish swimming about. So, they are not all lost!
On April 9, 2026, as I filled the pond, I tried to find the fish I had seen in February. There were none to be found. I had seen the heron on the garage roof a couple of weeks ago.
Sometime in late April, or early May, 2026, as I was sinking the fish caves I saw 1 big gold fish. I have not seen it since then as at May 16, 2026.
On August 5, 2026, I noticed a little black fish around the fish cave that had floated to the surface. The water is quite clear. I have not been running the waterfall due it loosing water at some point. On August 6th upon viewing the pond I saw whole bunches of little black fish at the top of the pond near the fish cave. I got a few photos, to be added to a blog post someday. The little black fish are about three quarters to one inch long. I should probably start feeding them. They seem to be eating the duck weed as it has disappeared.
As I fed the fish on the morning of August 15, I was quite excited to see the big gold fish again! On August 18, 2026, as I was feeding the fish I saw a little gold/black/white fish. It was about the same size as the little black ones. Japanese Shubunkin is a hardy, single-tailed calico goldfish with transparent nacreous scales and a distinctive blue-grey base speckled with red, black, and yellow. Bred in Japan around 1900, they grow 9 to 18 inches long, live up to 15 years, and thrive in outdoor ponds.
On August 21, 2026 I saw a huge black one in the pond, while feeding the fish. August 22 - some of the little black ones seem to be turning a light color.
September 1, 2026: In the last few days I have seen 2 big fish that are changing colors, and 2 big black ones, with all the little black ones that are growing quite quickly.

HERE: This is where I will keep track of the Fish with blog posts for the photos.

POND

Here are links to the reconstruction of the pond and pond surrounds by Larix Landscaping and my restoration of the drystream, and the under the deck entries and viewing platform:
Photo album for Larix Landscaping (note: I had Larix Landscaping rebuild the waterfall, pond and surrounds after the pond sprang a leak in November and December of 2024. This newly lined pond includes a new Aquascape Ultra 1500 Water pump.
List Page for the Larix Landscaping rebuild of the waterfall, pond surrounds and the pond starting in December 2024 and finished about March 2025.
my restoration list page of the drystream, etc. Restoration photo album . The above pages will be under construction for awhile. See the blog posts for updates on the pond, along with any maintenance and upkeep.
In early May I purchased a piece of expandable pvc pipe with 4 inch inside diameter. I have cut it into 3 pieces of approximately 32 inches long. The pieces can be expanded to longer or shorter lengths. They do not sink, so I have had to attach some pieces of mesh with a rock inside the mesh to weigh them to the bottom. I have the old red mesh on one of them, and a piece of the new white mesh on another on the bottom of the pond in the 'deep end', and one closer to the mermaid rock. I have not used the third one as at May 16, 2026.
In August of 2026, the fish cave with the white mesh, has lost its rock balast and floated to just above the surface. I think I will leave it there and make up the third one, perhaps with a red mesh again if I can get it to work.
As at September 3, 2026, I have 2 fish caves made with the red mesh bags. I have not found the white mesh to drag it out of the pond.
I find that the waterfall is losing water out of a leak about half way down the waterfall. The water runs behind a small stone unlined with pond liner. Someday I will need to cement a larger stone here and cement over the hole beneath it. Or, maybe ask Larix how I should fix it. I have not been running the waterfall all summer because we are on water restrictions.
HERE: for more pond additions

PLANTS

The plantlists page will be the main area to find the Plants in the pond, the plants surrounding the pond, the plants in the Japanese/moss garden or any of the other areas concerned.
The Plants in the pond: list page and photo album. Currently I have the under water plants growing, 3 big blue pots with the water hawthorn growing in them. One of these pots has the marsh marigold growing in it. The other 2 big blue pots have water irises growning in pots on top of the big blue pots. In 2025 I had some annual water hyacinths growing in the pond. There is always the duck weed that seems to find its way into the pond. Now, in February of 2026 I have the pond skimmed regularly, removing the annuals, leaves and any debris. We have been having a very warm January and February and the water hawthorns have been blooming.
The plants surrounding the pond: the list page, for the Plants surrounding the Pond and the photo album for the Plants surrounding the Pond. There has been a lot of changes with the Larix Landscaping rebuild of the Pond. The masonry covers a lot of the area that originally held the Wulfenie, (I have added a piece of this plant from the front rock garden room to the Japanese/Moss garden room) the London Pride, the 2 willows (one of which survives in the Woodland Garden room, and I deleted the other one. The Lebanon cedar remains as does the little globe cedar across the masonry from it. The little boxwood hedge backed by the yew hedge also remain. Between the dry stream and the new path from the viewing platform to the sitting area under the deck, there is a primrose next to a big mossy rock, what remains of the astilbes, the lily of the valley plant, a nice new maiden hair fern. There are a few odd other plants growing in the sparse areas at the edges of the masonry. Probably sedums, a feverfew, other self seeding plants. I am attempting to get the moss growing again to soften the look of the pond and waterfall.
The plants in the Japanese/Moss Garden room: the list page and the photo albumof the Japanese/Moss garden room. This area of the water garden suffered a lot of damage in the rebuild of the pond and waterfall. The dry stream had to be totally reconstructed. The masonry expanded very near to the plants that had bordered the old dry stream. The false bamboo goes right to the edge of the masonry. The lily of the valley shrub has been cut back a bit to get rid of broken limbs and reshape it. The little red Japanese maple suffered a lot of damage and has been pruned to get rid of broken branches. The mountain laurel is right next to the dry stream and should be ok. The little maiden hair fern has disappeared and I have replaced it with a new one on the other side of the drystream and it is doing very well. The hepatica which is closer to the deck edge survives. I have been putting clay along the dry stream stones to encourage the moss to regrow. The Landscaping guys added some soil along the edge of the masonry that is not great for growing moss. I have added clay along the big rocks of the dry stream to encourage the moss to grow. I have added a little row of rocks along this part of the masonry and have planned the wulfenie, and some other plants in this soil. On February 8 I purchased a pot of royal blue mini iris with 5 bulbs in the pot. Transplanted 2 by the false bamboo, 2 in the back rock garden, 1 beside rocks along the masonry with the wulfenie, and other plants. Transplanted the burgundy primula with the others, in front of the big rhodo by the deck post, and the red cyclamen is the other side of the dry stream in front of what I hope will be the astilbes, if they come up. I will get new ones if the old ones have been destroyed.
As of August 2026 I have water hawthorn growing out of the big blue pots on the bottom. There is a water hawthorn growing and blooming in the spring, on the blue pot on the waterfall side of the pond. It grew and bloomed quite nicely in the spring. There is a water iris, in pots on top of each of the other blue pots. I had an iris in a pot sitting on the shelf but it got knocked into the pond at some point in time. But there now seems to be a very healthy iris sprouted out of it. There are under water plants of two kinds in the pond. I seem to have removed the duck weed. I wonder if the little fish eat it? :) Yes, goldfish love to eat duckweed and will rapidly consume it. A group of hungry goldfish can clear a large patch of floating duckweed in a very short time, treating it like a natural green snack. I must make up a blog post about this!
As at September 3, I have the 3 big blue pots with the Marsh Marigold on one, two of them have water irises. There is waterhawthorn growing out of one of the pots. I have lots of under water plants. I had a pot of iris sitting on the shelf next to the Lebanon cedar. This pot was tipped into the pot some time ago; and there now seems to be an iris growing out of the deep water. Shall have to wait and see it it blooms.

MISCELLANEOUS

Here are links to the reconstruction of the pond and pond surrounds by Larix Landscaping and my restoration of the drystream, and the under the deck entries and viewing platform:

HERE: I will be attempting to keep up the changes with links from my blog posts.
Blog Post of of 2025, showing some of the new pond, waterfall and pond surround plantings.