Fountain and Pond Inspiration at Morton Arboretum


I've posted a bunch of times about fountains and ponds here on the blog including a look at some designs that I'm documenting to save as inspiration for something that *could* eventually find the way into our backyard.  In April, I showed this park pond in Woodridge.  And last year, I posted about these bowl-like fountains that I found at Wannemakers

Today, I'm sharing this image that I took at the Fragrance Garden in the Morton Arboretum.  It is a kind of hybrid between some of the pond ideas that I've been filing away AND the bowl/fountains that I've posted about, too.  This one has a nice round elevated bowl that is perfectly level and lets the water roll off into a concrete bowl that has flagstone ringing it.  This is a kind of interesting approach, but I wonder if having something like this that has A LOT of turbulence in it (water fall) limits the fish you can keep in this?  Maybe they're smart enough to head to the calm waters?  But, I also like the elevated lip around this thing - means that you don't have to dig as far down but also provides the visitor a place to sit and engage with the pond. 

This pond is - I'm pretty sure - concrete and poured and then painted black.  Also, how they have this arranged is that 50% of the perimeter of the pond is 'exposed' and 50% is kind of 'backed' into the landscape planter/berm.   They then can keep all the mechanicals buried over in the planting material and keep the 'outside' part of the ring clean and free to sit and spend some time.  The only thing that I'd do is to make the edge a little bit higher so it is more bench-like than it is currently.  I could see this - perhaps - part of the waterfall/stair kit that I've been noodling over for the past few years.  Maybe a little pool on the left as you enter.  And a larger pond on the right.  With - at one end, perhaps a fountain/pond combo like this?

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