Oh, what to build?

[Desertponder]

As for a water feature there, I would be concerned about splash. Your walkway could end up always being partially wet.
I would do a disappearing fountain. One that has the reservoir buried and it appears that water is just bubbling up throiugh rock. That would probably reduce splashing.
If you found the right small decorative pot, you could put it in the corner and plumb the water through it so that the water is pouring out of the pot over the rock and back into the reservoir below.
This gives you the sound of running water but isn't overwhelming to the area.

I think some of the pics here will give you an idea of what I'm talking about.
http://springdalewatergardens.com/ShopSite/page16.html

Basically bury a reservoir, set a pump in it and do your plumbing, cover with a piece of expanded metal grate or some other type of heavy mesh that will support the weight and then cover with decorative stone that is large enough not to go through the opening of the expanded metal. Set your pot in the spot you want, fill with water and plug it in. Or, if the pot is like some of the ones in the pics it could be self-contained right in the pot and no need to bury a reservoir.
Do a search on the web for "disappearing fountain" and you'll find all kinds of ideas.
Check out this video on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWKKB_IStFk

 

[XanAvaloni]

I'm with Jen on this one. Take a look at these indoor-outdoor "water wall" ideas.

Dig out the dirt to at least 1, preferably 2, feet down. Use the river rocks--small and/or thin ones--to build up about a foot off the wall edge of the porch and to the same height along the curve of the walkway. (Don't want people stepping into yer pond by accident.) Then line the whole space, garage wall and all, with pond liner to prevent leaks.

Mount the wall fountain so the base is even with the height of the water. Couple of sturdy common goldfish, some parrotfeather, a lilly or two and yer set. The waterfall is self-contained as far as water goes so the pond would have to be topped off occasionally, but it would look like a single unit if you get one with a flat-enough base. Heck, the company will even design a custom one for your needs if none of their stock models suit you.

You can leave the fountain wall in place and just turn it off in whatever freezing months you have, or mount it in such a way that you bring it indoors in the fall. Friend of mine got one for her garden and does that (she's in Michigan, many Freezing Months there). She loves it.

If that blue cord in the pic is an electrical line you will have to adjust the top of the water level accordingly. but that will have the benefit of power to the fountain pump right to hand. And what's that squat cylindrical thing on the left of the pic? If it's functional, a plumbing or sewer fixture of some sort, you would have to leave it out of the pond area too.

I think it could be gorgeous and different. Of course the fact that it's out front means it is vulnerable to vandalism if you have such in your neighborhood. In which case cancel the waterfall and just do the Tiny Pond like you originally planned.

 

[Matak]

Will a water wall splash at all, like a pondless waterfall or fountain does? My concern with it would be not so much that it might leak, but that if you ran it during colder weather, you could end up with a glassy, iced up walkway, and a nice lawsuit from the postman.

What about a fountain with nice plantings? There are some very pretty wall mounted ones, too, that would allow for plantings below. Maybe a vine creeping up the wall behind/around it? Would still look sculptural in the winter if you had to turn it off in colder weather.
Or, a trio of tall, columnar rocks with river rock filled in at the base for a more dry stream bed appearance...

Sorry, got a little carried away there!
Jen

No, no, get carried away! It is possible to build a pondless waterfall, with very little loss of water through splashing, if it's done right. I'll probably shut it down in the fall before it gets a chance to freeze.

Because it's at the front yard I'm going pondless anyway because of kids & the postman.

 

[Matak]

Desertponder. XanAvaloni, Sorry, I answered Jens' post before reading yours. I am thinking that direction, basically a rock spilling water onto decorative gravel, but no pond. Less chance of lawsuits and less maintenance.

 

[Muske]

Only problem with a feature such as a bubbling urn or basalt stone, is the resevoir will be to small in that nerrow bed. It could work, just need to keep an eye on splashing and evap.

 

[Matak]

Only problem with a feature such as a bubbling urn or basalt stone, is the resevoir will be to small in that nerrow bed. It could work, just need to keep an eye on splashing and evap.

Good advice. Most likely it will be splashing onto a 12" deep pool, filled in with about 8" of decorative river gravel, probably about 1/2"-3/4" or so in diameter. With 4" of water showing in the pool/reservoir, I can gauge the water level & fill easily.

 

[shanefee]

Hi mate dig the path up and the garden in front off your porch put a pond in then put a wood bridge over to your porch.:clap: