Playing Koi

Sorry for the stupid pun blog title... just one of my attempts to be more like John and Sherry.

Anyways, my husband, Luke, does so many incredible things around our house to make it beautiful. He blew me away with this one and I couldn't believe how fast he completed it. I wish I could take even an ounce of credit for this one, but admittedly, I cannot. This one is all Luke.

  

 

 

When I left for work there was just a big, dirt hole in our yard. When I came home I found this:

I couldn't believe it! It should be noted that it was about 90 degrees this day too. When Luke sets his mind on a project he works tirelessly until it's complete, it's so impressive. I definitely need to take a lesson from him on finishing projects in a timely manner.

 

So in just a day later he had finished the pond. It took him a little while to get the waterfall part just right. He played around with a few different options and ended up with the great idea to use to whiskey barrels.

 

 

 

 

 Luke lined around the pond with rocks, and added lily pads and other aquatic plants. He got goldfish and koi and will soon be getting turtles. He transplanted some bamboo from his parents' house which looks very zen-like around the pond. I love the waterfall he made with the two whiskey barrels, the sound is so soothing and it reminds me of something from Splash Mountain at Disney World. Luke also wants to get a light for the bottom of the pond (which will look so cool at night) and a bench. Not sure I'll be spending too much time on that bench once there are turtles roaming around though...kinda weirds me out. And finally, he planted grass around the pond and is growing blueberry plants, tomatoes, and a few other vegetables.

 

 

 The best I could do for a before picture was from our home appraisal.  But, the "before" was basically nothing - the grass never really grew and it ended up just being a mix of mud and poison ivy (which Luke regularly got and actually currently has). I, on the other hand, was never affected by the poison ivy-either I'm not allergic or because I never do any manual labor outside (sorry, Luke!)

 

 

 

But my husband has found the perfect solution - to use that area for a koi pond (soon to be turtle pond...) and extended garden. I'm so proud of him and what he was able to do, his landscaping abilities cease to amaze me. Let's just hope he doesn't order a rare $700 turtle online. Yes, that's a thing and yes he has mentioned it to me. I'm nervous.