The good news and the bad news!

[kaz]

This time of year is awesome (I'm sounding like a Yank ). It's just that everything changes on a day-to-day basis and I can never get over that things actually grow for me!!!

Anyway... the good news is that the donated Irish lily pads have surfaced and so has the lily in the big pond . The bad news is (not sure if I've mentioned this before), is that horsehair (or whatever it's called - see pic), is growing out of the same pots .

Is it a bad time to re-pot the waterlilies so that I can get rid of the weed?

You can see from this picture what a dreadful condition my patio pond is in at the moment... clearing it will be my weekend job... and pester me for pics after the clean-up or I'll not do it properly

[whis4ey]

Is that the lily I sent to you kaz?
If it is I am so terribly sorry that there is marestail in with the root
I would dig it out and remove the mares tail right away. The stuff is a curse and will pervade everything
The lily should survive fine (says he hopefullly)
How can you ever forgive me (grovel grovel grovel) for not noticing the stuff
Am I forgiven?
Or do I need to send flowers, or chocs, or a free ticket for a U2 concert, or an autographed photograph of myself ?

[kaz]

Sam... both yours and Sean's lilies are in that pond and I can't remember which one's which . But, I washed the lilies off before planting them, so don't think it's an Irish weed . Where is Sean these days?

I'll pull the weed tomorrow... I've been out gardening all day... what fantastic weather it's been

[whis4ey]

Ye mean ... ye don't want an autographed photo?

[kaz]

HaHa

Sam... while you're around I'd like to ask you about acers, so I'd better go and post under the right heading................

[dampflippers]

There's an aquatic form of mares tail which isn't as much of a night mare as the horsetail which comes up everywhere in our garden. Hippurus vulgaris or equistum, so it may not be such a bad thing. But don't quote me on that if it takes over!