I built a dry creek bed out of rocks dug from the property. It is decorative, it does not carry any water. I do wish I had dug it deeper originally; as I tinkered with the shape and placement of rocks, I lost any swale or depth and it is very shallow now. I'd still like to plant more around the edges to make it more naturalistic looking.
 |
| August 11, 2010 |
 |
| July 18, 2011 |
 |
| March 20, 2012 we added a small bridge |
 |
| May 6, 2012 Orange geums and blue forget-me-nots bloom at the edges |
 |
| June 23, 2012 Irises bloom by the bridge and the black gum has finally put on some size. |
 |
August 30, 2012 Sedges are spreading and I put in a dwarf Alberta spruce.
The creek bed area is tied to the spruce berm with an area of mulch and stepping stones now. |
 |
| October 7, 2012 The dry creekbed and bridge are integrated into the scene now, and not a separate element |
 |
| January 17, 2013 I love the bridge under snow |
 |
| April 20, 2013 |
 |
| September 8, 2013 We added bigger stepping stones and brought one out into the grass |
 |
| October 23, 2013 The bridge and creek bed make a beautiful focal point |
I keep messing with the creek bed, and in early spring 2014 I decided to make the area that curves around in back where the stepping stones go, into a moss covered bank. I transplanted clumps of moss from the meadow and watered it all season. Not much happened though. A lot of weeds grew.
 |
| April 5, 2014 my experiment making a mossy bank |
 |
| May 5, 2014 |
The area where the blue forget-me-nots are blooming used to have a pagoda dogwood sapling, but it's gone now. In that spot I put annual pink cleome flowers.
 |
| May 31, 2014 |
But it feels kind of fussy. I think the plantings around the creek bed are too chaotic, and I'd like something simpler, cleaner, and less flowery to complement the simple elegance of the bridge and rocks.
 |
| September 24, 2014 Need to edit some more. The plantings are too fussy |
A stepping stone path in the grass was added next to the dry creekbed in 2015. It ties the areas together a bit more. I think I need to widen the creekbed at the top end.
 |
| 6/19/15 |
I do love the little curved bridge.
 |
| 6/26/15 |
 |
| Before and After |
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Here is how it was built in early spring 2009:
Every one of the rocks I used was personally dug
from planting holes from around my gardens.
 |
This is where it will go, between the two planting beds at the back,
to separate us from the weeds in the meadow. (March 2009) |
 |
| I got rocks |
 |
And this is my help, at least on day one. He did most of the
turf removal. |
 |
| This is the path the stream will take. |
 |
| Finally, all dug out and awaiting the placement of rocks. |
 |
Landscape fabric is down, and rocks line the edges.
Moved every one of these by hand. |
 |
| Oh no, not enough rocks! |
 |
Almost finished... ran out of rocks of all things, so the middle
shows through. I'll fix that after a trip to Lowe's to buy some
pea gravel for fill. |
 |
| June 2009, finished |
