Even though the temperature has been below freezing, the pond heater (the green floating disc) is keeping a space open in the ice. I had no idea that birds take baths in the winter, but they have been loving the open water and all kinds of birds come to drink and bathe at the edge of the ice.
The one pond plant I knew I wanted was horsetail. I have fond memories of pulling the segments apart when I was a kid. Growing up in dry Arizona made finding these water loving plants a rare treat.
Here you can see how the existing flower bed blends in with the new pond. The waterfall is not visible from this angle, but you can hear it from anywhere in the yard.
So no water lily blossom (the closed bud can be seen in the center/back), and there was an untimely algae bloom, but with enough new floater plants, the pond was a beautiful addition to the backyard wedding reception. The snake had slithered away earlier, so no guests were surprised by his presence. Lots of little pebbles got tossed in the pond by little guests, but at least no one fell in!
