Creating a Naturalistic Stream Garden in Fort Bragg

Inspiration Strikes

One spring day, as rain-splashed flagstone in her Fort Bragg, California front yard created the illusion of a pond, Sarah Forseter realized her garden was missing a vital element: a water feature. With the help of landscape designer Peggy Quaid, she created a naturalistic "stream" that traverses the garden.

Design Details

The stream—about 54 feet long—is actually two ponds that appear to join (a single stream of the same size would have been costlier and destroyed more of Forseter's existing garden). The segment pictured flows across one side of the garden; it begins as a shallow stream, then gently spills into a 3-foot-deep pond stocked with goldfish.

Construction and Planting

Flexible liners covered with river rocks line the pond bottoms. To hide the liner edges, Forseter planted low-growing thyme and geraniums. Dwarf conifers, sedge, and society garlic punctuate the banks.

Maintenance Systems

To keep algae in check, Forseter installed ultraviolet pond lights. A pump in each pond recirculates water through a filter, and a float connected to a water line and spigot automatically adjusts the water level.