Being young and dreaming big is often a beautiful recipe for unbelievable success.
Instructables user DragonTamer458 spent nine long years dreaming up designs for his ultimate DIY project — building a backyard pond and waterfall on his family's land.
He relentlessly begged his mother to let him build her the water feature he felt she deserved. However, she resisted his many pleas, doubting his abilities.
Once this dreamer turned 16, though, his mother finally gave him the go-ahead to get out in the yard and start digging out his vision.
After a few months time, this builder constructed both a pond and waterfall beyond his mother's wildest fantasies.
Despite years of resistance, this boy never stopped believing in himself, his talent, and his dream.
The outcome of this refusal to relinquish his vision became a gorgeous backyard water feature, radiant with tranquility.
Scroll through our gallery to learn all about how this DIY-er built his backyard's gorgeous new pond and waterfall.
Instructables DIY-er DragonTamer458 spent nine years dreaming about the pond and waterfall he'd one day build in his family's backyard.
He begged his mother every day, from the age of 7 onward, for permission to build his project, but for all nine years, she refused.
Then, on his 16th birthday, his mother finally approved his project, and within minutes, he was out in the yard, digging away.
This backyard builder began his project by digging a nine-foot wide, three-foot deep hole for his pond.
He positioned this hole adjacent to a steep little hill along his backyard's perimeter.
Next, he started excavating the hill, creating all sorts of different pools along which cascading water would eventually flow.
He used extra dirt he uprooted during the pond-digging process to sculpt his ideal waterfall shape.
While the dirt in his backyard was relatively dense — well-suited for waterfall stability — he recommended that others who live in areas with softer dirt compensate for that difference by adding sand or large, flat rocks to strengthen their waterfalls' structural support.
Once he dug his ideal waterfall route, this crafter laid a rubber liner over the pond and waterfall's surface areas.
He secured the tarp in place with all sorts of differently shaped stones.
With his tarp secured in place, this DIY-er installed his pond skimmer, to ease the burden of future cleaning tasks.
He hid the skimmer from view under a large piece of slate.
This DIY-er then continued stacking rocks along the waterfall's entire facade.
After aligning all his rocks, this Instructables user applied a foaming waterfall sealant, to protect the rocks over which water was routed to be constantly spilling.
This would prevent water from leaking through these rocks, and causing unwanted erosion.
Finally, this backyard visionary rigged up his new pump, filled up his pond, and after a few quick tests, let his waterfall flow.
Soon after completing his water feature's construction, he introduced a few fish into his pond.
He quickly learned that his little fish would fare better with a bit of shelter from birds and such.
To improve their chances of extended survival, he built them a little area under which they could hide from predators when necessary.
While this project might have felt intimidating to his mother, this DIY-er never wavered in his belief that he could figure this building process out.
Trusting his creativity, this builder gave his family the calming backyard sanctuary he long felt they deserved.
What do you think of this backyard pond and waterfall? Have you ever tried to give your backyard an overhaul? Tell us about your project in the comments below.
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