How to build a waterfall.

Visit some natural waterfalls or at least look at photos. Observe the water, and look at the way in which it flows over the rocks and terrain naturally.

The design of your falls will depend on the layout of your terrain, pump and pipe size, length of water flow from pump to falls, and pond size. It’s important to keep the elements of your water feature in scale. If you have a small pond, have an appropriate sized falls and vice-versa.

One of the most common mistakes results from the desire for a tall waterfall at a level building site. Large amounts of soil are imported to build the falls up to a three or four foot height. Yes, you will achieve a dramatic waterfall, but the total effect will not look natural. Try not to let any part be overly dominate. A falls of just two feet will produce a very satisfactory effect both visually and audibly.

On a level site, with an “average” size pond of say 11 by 16 feet, the amount of soil needed to surround the biological filter and create the berm is just about equal to the amount of soil excavated from the pond, so it works out quite well. To further enhance or enlarge the berm, you may want to import a little more soil, large boulders or other features.

Be sure to use a wide liner under the falls and/or stream, this will allow for twists and turns in the course of the water and also contain splashing. A ten foot wide liner is recommended. Under-layment under the falls and stream liners is usually not required.

When your excavation is complete for the falls, and the liner is in place. Then begin to add your stone. This is the fun part, so try out several combinations and visualize how the water will flow.

When satisfied with your arrangement, use black waterfall foam to direct the water over the stone instead of under it. That is, stone that is directly in contact with the liner should sit on a bed of foam so the water goes around or over the stone instead of underneath it. Caution - the foam expands greatly…don’t use too much!

Building a waterfall can be extremely satisfying. Though you should give some time to preliminary research, you’ll learn most by actually building your water feature.

Planting a rose garden.

A good garden loam with organic matter is important when planting roses. It should contain some peat moss, leaf mold, compost, rotted or commercial manure, and the bed should be prepared as far ahead of planting as possible to allow for the soil to settle. GreatGrass

Autumn is the best time for planting out roses, but you can also plant in spring. When they arrive from the nursery, plant at once. If they have dried en route, soak the roots and put the tops in a bucket of water before planting. Trim back any roots that are weak, long or broken. Dig a hole that is wide enough to allow the roots to spread without crowding.

The rose is properly placed when the bud (the point where the top joins the roots) is just under the ground surface. Space hybrid teas about 18 inches apart in any direction. Prune the branches 6 to 10 inches from the soil.

To grow good roses it is necessary to cultivate, to prune and to spray. If you have a well-cultivated bed you need not worry about watering. But if you start to water in hot weather, you must keep it up, soaking the roots thoroughly about once a week. Spraying every 10 days will guard against diseases and insects that attack roses. Nicotine sulphate wipes out the green lice; arsenate of lead is used against chewing insects; or sulphur and arsenate of lead may be used in a dust, as may DDT dust.

Winterize your roses by mounding sod around them after the first frost, or mulch with straw and evergreens. In colder parts of the country, (like Michigan) remove the supports from the climbing roses and place the canes on the ground, peg them, and cover with soil mounds.

In spring, cut back your roses to within 6 inches of the ground. Lop off all but three to five canes on hybrid teas. This pruning will give you strong plants. When your plants grow out from spring pruning, you will have to disbud, cutting off all the buds except the top ones on the cane. This is the way to grow large blossoms.

Remember to enjoy your roses! Cut some nice stems from time to time and place them in a vase inside your home. Share them with friends and neighbors. After all, what good is growing a beautiful plant if you cannot enjoy it and share it.