planting for a natural stream

Hello All,
I joined the forum as we have moved into a house which luckily has a
natural stream/ culvert runing across the garden (width about 5o feet
)It flows through the back of all the neighbouring gardens and
eventually into the local beck.
The stream is clean and free running with a sandy pebbly bed mostly
about 6 inches deep ,the banks are supported by a few concrete slabs
but mostly just earth ,our lawn is on either side, there are two small
bridges in the garden spanning the stream which is about 3 ft across.
At present it has no planting near it
I would like to make the stream a feature and so I would apreciate any
advice re planting and maintaining a natural stream, particularlty I
would like to soften the stream sides with plants to obscure the
concrete slabs supporting the sides (about 2ft 6 inches down) At
present it is rather utilitarian looking. I understand that the stream
can flood occasionaly and it is important to keep the water flowing
freely through the gardens to avoid it backing up.
Many thanks for any suggestions




--
Tilly

On May 4, 7:20*pm, Tilly wrote:
Hello All,
I joined the forum as we have moved into a house which luckily has a
natural stream/ culvert runing across the garden (width about 5o feet
)It flows through the back of all the neighbouring gardens and
eventually into the local beck.
The stream is clean and free running with a sandy pebbly bed mostly
about 6 inches deep ,the banks are supported by a few concrete slabs
but mostly just earth ,our lawn is on either side, there are two small
bridges in the garden spanning the stream which is about 3 ft across.
At present it has no planting near it
I would like to make the stream a feature and so I would apreciate any
advice re planting and maintaining a natural stream, particularlty I
would like to soften the stream sides with plants to obscure the
concrete slabs supporting the sides (about 2ft 6 inches down) At
present it is rather utilitarian looking. I understand that the stream
can flood occasionaly and it is important to keep the water flowing
freely through the gardens to avoid it backing up.
Many thanks for any suggestions

--
Tilly

hi,
tilly
infact iam also thinking something similar......but the
only diffrence is ..that you have a natural stream passing throuhg
your lawn,and iam planning to create one....! i would just like to
share some of my ideas about it.......... it all depends on what kinda
look or style you want to give it... eg ; amazonian look?.... simple
natural freash water jungle stream look or some modern but very
artificial kinda look with some sandstone sculptures arround it?

i have already finalised my idea of having an
amazonian look... to my stream............ all it will require are
some rocks /stones which have a natural shape(can have a small water
fall created..),......white river or beach sand(that makes the water
bed).......and some water plants..... finally to add a realistic
touch to it, planning to have 2 or 3 turtels in it....... flatfishes ,
some colorfull varieties like green tiger barbs, blackghosts,
eels...etc....
well this is just a blueprint....yet to
finalise.................. any suggestions are wellcome...............