Wayne. That is the most spictacular water garden I have ever seen. I would love to see it in person. You said you built it yourself; if you don't mind me asking , what do you do for a living? Do you build ponds professionaly?

Thanks for the complement kate. To answer your question, I am a carpenter by trade and have been in business for myself for 15 years now. Ponds are not my income. Just built this one in Robyns pond showcase for for my wife & I. After a hard days work I love to come home and relax by working,or should I say playing, in the water garden. We are able to enjoy the pond and fish 12 months of the year becase its only 4ft from the house and has a pegola over the whole thing. In winter I put a tarp over the 10ft high pergola and seal it tight to the house. We have a view of the pond thru a bay window in the kitchen and one in the diningroom. Glad to answer any questions.

Wayne, assuming you also cover the Pergola sides, does the tarp provide enough protection that your pond doesn't freeze over?

That tarp must be huge, I can't imagine how heavy it is.

I'm also interested in the gas fire under your waterfall. Not so much for a waterfall, although that would be cool, I'm really interested in gas pole lamps/torches around the pond.

Do you light the fire with a switch, or is it a manual system? I'm developing plans for my final home, for retirement, and I'd like to engineer a gas torch type lighting system around the pond and sitting areas. Do you know of a source for such thing?

I'm familiar with Natural Gas as far as running lines to a garage furnace, and patio with quick disconnect for my grill. I've even drilled out propane burner holes retrofiting them for NG, but as far as what type burners are available, lighting systems, and where to find them is new to me. Again, if you know of a source would be much appreciated?

If you prefer not to discuss this on open forum please send personal email to me at coverworks@hotmail.com.

Thanks,
John

The tarp I use is 30'x50' white fiber, and yes its a two man job to put up. I am not to concerned about looks from the outside. for 4 months cause there is no veiw from any road at the back of the house. It is all forest. The veiw from inside is ;well to quote guest; magical, spectacular,tropical.This is because in Feb. theres a foot of snow outside with temps. about 5 degrees and you look out the windows and see orfes and shubunkins lazely swimming in open water. Greenery is provided by moss on some rocks, german ivy,and rockcrop or sedem. No doubt there is a greenhouse affect from the sun, heat loss from the house and our hot tub is under the same encloser all keep the water at a constant 38 to 40 degrees fr. Last winter I brought my male peacock with a 48" tail into the pond encloser.Now that realy looked cool. Had to kick him out after 6 weeks cause he was eating anything green. No I didn't source a supplier for gas torches. The only way I feel comfortable talking about how I built mine is over the phone. I will be glad email my number to you if you wish.

Wayne, how do you normally keep your peacocks over the winter (when not in the pond area)? Just curious. I assume they're less tolerant of cold than chickens and turkeys since they're from India.

Thanks Wayne, Yes please do. And please include country code and any other dialing instructions.

After 13 years in Europe have learned to ask for dialing instructions. It's not always the same dialing into a country as it is dialing within the country.

Hi Robyn. Actualy I have only one peacock. His name is Pete. He just wandered onto the property about this time last year, and hung around for two weeks before I was able to lure him into the dog run with food. Between coyotes ,dogs,wolfs, and cars his days were numbered. I called several people in the area that raise them; but no one was missing any. So I did some research;bult him a yard in the trees, a little bigger then recomended. Now all I need is a mate for him. They are extreamly winter hardy, only asking for a place to get out of the wind. Peacocks are native to India and live in the Himalayan mountains. They are a cousin to our ring neck pheasant. He really adds to charm of the garden,exspecaly during mating season when he displays his tail, and you wouldn't believe the call he makes. It sound like a jungle out there.

Yes, I've heard the call in person. It's really loud and carries a long way. But, they sure are gorgeous! They sell for about $100 each in the US and come in all sorts of colors now.

Did you know that the proper name of the breed is peafowl? The female is a peahen and the male is a peacock. I didn't know that till last year. One nice thing they do is voluntarily donate there tail once a year after mating season. My wife has now two arangments of tail feathers. The standing joke, when a visitor asks " were did you get the peacock feathers " we say "a peacock".

Yes, I knew that. For the average person though, if I called them peafowl, they'd be dumbfounded so I just used peacock when corresponding with people. I've only had a few e-mails over the years about them though. They sell peacock feathers, mostly for cats to play with. We have one still I think. I hope those were all molted feathers like you got even though they probably are more tattered by that point.

our neighbor raises them so we get to see them in our yard all the time the first time we heard them i thoguh a woman was screaming!! my kids love them!! right now we have a bout 15 midsize babies that come over with mommas they are so pretty!! he sells his for between 150 - 200 thats why we just let them wander in our yard and eat bugs instead of owning them!!!

Yes Robyn ,they molt their tail feathers in a seven day period in August, and they are in perfect condition.I wouldn't want anyone to think I was pulling them out. Would you like some for your cat. I mailed some to a friend who makes flys for flyfishing. The tail grows back over the winter so by next mating season he has got somthing to show the girls.

Jess ,does your neighbour have any pure white peacocks. I have never seen one but here they are quit common.

no but some one about 19 miles from m yhouswe does we drive by to see them all the time our neighbor has the india blue and one other breed but i am not sure what they are called?