Landscaping a Woodland Pond: Creating a Forest Oasis in a Backyard

Imagine a cool, spring-fed forest pool lit by sunlight shafts through conifers — now picture it in a backyard. Sandra Adams built this tiny pond (under 4 feet long, 2 feet wide) by digging a shallow impression, lining it with PVC, covering with small stones, edging with river rock, and setting a basalt slab upright in the center to create depth illusion.

Behind the slab: bright yellow Carex elata 'Bowles Golden'. Foreground: chartreuse lady's-mantle (Alchemilla mollis) flowers. Left: red-tipped Japanese blood grass (Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra') echoing a red-leafed Japanese maple canopy. Bottom right: coral bells (Heuchera sanguinea) with hot pink spikes playing off maple leaves and blood grass.

The result: a miniature woodland oasis that feels like a discovered forest pool.