N9 Mike and Ursula – Anderson Mill

Escape the summer sun in the shade of tall oaks. This pond will remind you of a secluded natural spring on a hill country ranch, but it’s perfectly at home in this Austin backyard. Water ambles down a 3-foot waterfall that looks like it’s been there forever into the 600-gallon rubber-lined pond nestled at the base of a large oak tree. The bog to the right resembles a spring bubbling up and trickling into the pond. Around the pond you’ll find native plants, driftwood from Brushy Creek and a cattle skull.

N10 Phil and Linda – Anderson Mill

You’ll think you’ve just stumbled across a hillside spring in the Texas Hill Country. The ferns have matured since this pond was on the tour in 2013 and they’ll take your breath away. All of the limestone boulders used to construct this 1,200-gallon pond were dug or pried from this lot over the last 39 years. The site features a 3-foot grotto waterfall embraced by ferns and rock moss. The upper waterfall pool feeds two streams that flow down to two more fern-shrouded waterfalls and drops over a stone ridge into the main pool. Ask Phil about the ingenious solution he came up with to feed his lilies! Take a moment to sit on the patio and enjoy the tranquil sounds of the waterfalls and view the numerous birds, toads, cricket frogs and dragonflies that also share the enjoyment of this shady water oasis.

As with all of these slides, if you click on any one of them it will enlarge and then use the side arrows to move the pictures along. Press  “Escape” to get back to normal.