Day 22, Saturday, June 20, 2026: Bog Filters have Plants!

It’s hard to believe we have begun week 4 of this project. Predictably, we got a lot done today, this being a weekend and all. Some of us were up and working before 7 given it was too warm to sleep. Y got a jump start on the herbarium style plant registry app for the garden with the help of Claude and had a working app before 8 am. P and D were outside at 8 am pumping back all the water stored in rain barrels into the lower pond. Y came out and helped wrap this up.

How do you fill up a pond? Photo credit: YS

It filled up just right, and is better lined with rocks! Photo credit: YS

The water level was fine, and the transition to the stream was very smooth, but we still need to fix a rock on this bottom waterfall stack! Video credit: YS

P and D then went about hunting more medium sized rocks to cover up all the visible liner while Y filled in the remaining stream with rocks. D went out to purchase a new overflow valve. While D was out, P continued to cut liner and place rocks. Y placed a couple other lilies, one each in the two ponds.

Y placing a new water lily in the upper pond. Photo credit: PO

After D was back, he roughly installed the new overflow valve in the skimmer. Once the flow test for the pump was complete, D took the new part out for adjustment and P trimmed it with a saw.

D: Make sure you cut it straight down! Photo credit: YS

Getting a handle on that unruly overflow pipe. Photo credit: YS

And, a photo of the clouds because it was a gorgeous day! Photo credit: YS

P and D then proceeded to trim the liner and the under-lay everywhere, while continuing to place more rocks. Y worked briefly on setting some other functionalities on the herbarium app.

P and D cutting corners, all day! Photo credit: YS

“In Claude we trust”. Our app is up and running! Snippet: YS

Adjusting the liner is fun. I promise, you’ll love it! Photo credit: YS

D and P working on leveling the area below the stream to plant more, and tucking in the liner behind the rocks. Photo credit: YS

Y proceeded to plant all the bog shelf plants we had on hand. E came out to change up some positions before the planting began as well. Mama E in the meantime prepared another batch of muffins to feed the machines! P and D continued to fold and trim the liner, and of course, place yet more rocks! We think we have officially exhausted most of the supply of rocks on the property. After leveling the area, D planted a couple of our pond side plants next to the stream. Later in the evening, P went out and foamed the bottom waterfall to try and improve the water flow the following day.