Author Topic: Pond Photos: Then & Now (Read 5514 times)

Mikey · « **on:** May 21, 2008, 08:06:18 PM »

I "finished" building our pond in 1998. I thought it would be fun for us to share "before" and "after" photos of our handy-work. Here are a few of mine:

Before: Looking northeast. Here I am standing near the bridge. The plant in the foreground with the green leaf is a single giant bird of paradise.

After: And here is a photo I took today. The tree trunk on the right edge of the photo is one of three trunks of the giant bird of paradise. The next immediate photo below shows the tops of the giant birds of paradise.

Before: Looking southwest.

After:

Before: Looking southeast

After:

So lets see your before and after photos!

livetogarden · « **Reply #1 on:** May 21, 2008, 08:08:51 PM »

Great pictures, Mikey. I loved being able to see how things have grown. Your pond is gorgeous!!
Cath

Sunbeam56 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 21, 2008, 08:09:55 PM »

Wow!
That took vision. Ten years made a lot of things happen, and I see you kept working on it too... meaning the paths and so on.
Good job!

karen J · « **Reply #3 on:** May 21, 2008, 08:12:24 PM »

I may have to resort to the scanner for that one.

Mikey, you should be proud of what you have accomplished. It's just gorgeous, and a truly amazing transformation. It doesn't even look like the same yard!

Lisa816 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 21, 2008, 08:46:54 PM »

Oh my gosh! I can't believe the difference in your before and after pictures. In the before pictures, it looks like a very nice yard and it shows that a lot of work has been done there. But in the after pictures, it looks like PARADISE. It is so beautiful!!!

landey1230 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 21, 2008, 09:02:39 PM »

I like your overalls the most. I'll post my before and after pics asap.

Mikey · « **Reply #6 on:** May 21, 2008, 09:35:16 PM »

Those darn overalls must have shrunk. Can't seem to fit in them anymore....

Ruthie · « **Reply #7 on:** May 21, 2008, 10:01:10 PM »

WOW!!!!! It's amazing! My pond is just at a year old...so I can only begin to imagine the amount of hard work and sweat and love that went into the transformation. Your pond is breathtaking.

(My photos won't be quite so impressive

but I'll get some taken tomorrow. Before there was a pond, it was an overgrown dog kennel and cattle pen.)

Also. I had no idea that Bird of Paradise got quite so big!

Jerry · « **Reply #8 on:** May 21, 2008, 10:13:10 PM »

What a great idea mike! This would be a cool thread too. I will hunt arounf for smilar photos.
Your garden/ pond look wonderful

-Greg- · « **Reply #9 on:** May 21, 2008, 11:02:06 PM »

Great pictures Mike, you have an awesome back yard! Great idea as well.

Greg

EagleEye · « **Reply #10 on:** May 22, 2008, 05:13:57 AM »

Mikey,
Breathtaking!
That is simply amazing!

You have created a tropical wonderland right in your backyard.
The before and after is so cool to see.

Thanks for the pics.
Steve

joeyb5980 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 22, 2008, 05:18:36 AM »

Wow- it's like a tropical paradise! Everything sure has filled in nicely- it all looks great!

Sonny · « **Reply #12 on:** May 22, 2008, 05:25:28 AM »

What a difference 10 years makes!

Sometimes it takes pictures like these to realize the full extent of change because when you see it every day do don't realize what's happening. It's all beautiful!

Birdman · « **Reply #13 on:** May 22, 2008, 05:25:57 AM »

WOW! what a difference, your garden looks like paridice.

landey1230 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 22, 2008, 05:42:18 AM »

Quote from: Mikey on May 21, 2008, 09:35:16 PM

Those darn overalls must have shrunk. Can't seem to fit in them anymore....

That's the nature of the beast.

mcp · « **Reply #15 on:** May 22, 2008, 05:54:17 AM »

Mikey, Great pictures of your ponds and gardens. What a wonderful transformation your pond has made. From bleak and spotty to beautiful oasis in your backyard. Thanks for sharing.

tweetybaby2005 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 22, 2008, 06:02:36 AM »

Wow, it looks like a tropical paradise! I am green with envy.

I love the before and after comparison. Great job and thanks for sharing!!

Kuan

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #17 on:** May 22, 2008, 08:42:07 AM »

That is so cool! I even wondered if we had digital photos back then.

I went to Mike's garden a few weeks ago for the garden tour and his Paradise is really a pocket of heaven. The pictures don't show how tall the giant bird of paradise trees are really very tall at maybe 25 feet high! The variety of floral is amazingly planted well together. The stream to the pond is beautiful and natural looking. The garden is fun for visitors. I read lots of funny plant names on little sign tags for many plants. Definitely a lot of work and attention to detail made this garden what it is today.

Great job Mike! You need to update the photos with a pic of your braided goatee

karen J · « **Reply #18 on:** May 22, 2008, 09:59:34 AM »

Quote from: Mikey on May 21, 2008, 08:06:18 PM

So lets see your before and after photos!

My photos are not nearly as dramatic.

Quote from: miguynmkoi

I even wondered if we had digital photos back then.

Good question. I don't think I went digital until 2000 or so...? The first pic is a scan:

This is the only pic I have from approx the same angle, but it's from last spring. Nothing was blooming in the pond yet-

tranquility · « **Reply #19 on:** May 22, 2008, 10:16:52 AM »

What I wouldn't give to be let loose in your garden for a day

....
Lawanna

Blondieskatz · « **Reply #20 on:** May 22, 2008, 10:27:30 AM »

Mikey & Karen J,

Your pond and flowers are beautiful. You can see lots of hard work and heart went into them. :

karen J · « **Reply #21 on:** May 22, 2008, 10:34:14 AM »

Here's a pic from today. Nothing blooming in the pond yet, but some of the lily pads are finally turning green and there's a bud on Patio Joe.

I really love seeing the before and after. Anybody else?

Mikey · « **Reply #22 on:** May 22, 2008, 11:19:37 AM »

Karen: What a major change! You have a beautiful pond/yard. I wish now more than ever that I could have made time to visit you when we were staying in Wheaton a couple of years ago.

karen J · « **Reply #23 on:** May 22, 2008, 11:25:51 AM »

Thank you, Mikey. I remember that! Didn't we talk on the phone, though?

Mikey · « **Reply #24 on:** May 22, 2008, 02:04:04 PM »

Yes we talked on the phone but our schedule on our end was such that we couldn't make it over your way. Our loss....

Jonna · « **Reply #25 on:** May 22, 2008, 04:30:11 PM »

Wow! Really impressive, both of you. I love seeing the before and after, that is really a great idea. I have the before and after from the pond I put in out in Cathedral City, I'll look for the pics.

landey1230 · « **Reply #26 on:** May 22, 2008, 09:05:41 PM »

"Hey big dumby! You could save yourself time, sweat, pain, and money and just buy a liner!"

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #27 on:** May 22, 2008, 09:20:05 PM »

Wonderful idea for a thread Mikey, and what a fantastic transformation. It's really inspiring seeing pics like these. Makes me want to start digging holes and planting stuff.

Karen

-Greg- · « **Reply #28 on:** May 22, 2008, 10:19:58 PM »

My little corner is much smaller, however a big change when I went from my small stream and 100 gal. preform to my 5' deep pond that I have now, hopefully in a couple of years everything will grow in.

Greg

Mikey · « **Reply #29 on:** May 23, 2008, 08:50:46 AM »

Alfonso: That did look like a lot of work. I love that shot of your job foreman keeping an eye on you

The pond is maturing nicely!

Greg: I like both of your ponds and they show quite a change. I've enjoyed reviewing your construction photos on the construction side. I'm toying with the idea of upgrading my filtering system, adding a UV and Skippy.... You and Alfonso above must share the same pond conditions since you both live in the desert.