All change

[retropwr]

It has been a little bit wet recently hasn't it, but this weekend has been so warm. It was almost 14°c outside yesterday and today, shame it was too wet to do anything in the garden.
I know what you mean about swampy lawns. Ours is flat but still needs great care to get to the feeders without incident.

[retropwr]

A couple of pictures from toady:

Did a bit of tidying


Then it rained and the fish hid, then the sun was out again


Then the birds arrived for a bath

[alison]

It is looking as good as ever Richard. I think you did an excellent job when you connected both ponds together. How clear your water is as well. You can see all the fish with no problems. My pond is only just getting clear enough to see the fish and nowhere near being able to see to the bottom. It can only get better as the season progresses and hopefully will get as clear as yours.
good job.. it looks lovely.
The flowers are all coming up as well. The marsh marigold is a nice sized clump. I have a very small one which was new last year but did get a japanese monster marsh marigold from Steve last year and that is just sending up some leaves as well so once that gets going I can't wait to see the size of the flowers.If the leaves are anything to go by they will be a wonderful flower.
Are they little alpines in your gravelled bit?

[retropwr]

Yes they are Alpines (but don't ask me what they are I've long since lost the lables ), it's quite well drained there behind that slate wall.

I've noticed that the pond is a lot clearer since I added the small one. It seems to work as a settlement tank for anything that get through the filter.

I now need to find a plant that will go on the shelf at the back right on the main pond to hide the pump pipe. Something that's not too tall (up to about a foot ish) and won't spread out over the pond, preferably native, or at least something that will overwinter easily. So if anyone has any ideas of plants to look into ................................

[alison]

I am the same. I always lose the labels and forget what things are called. I went to a small nursery the other day who just do perennials and I just wouldn't know what any of them were without their labels. Just a few leaves coming up and the long latin names on the pots. I will have to go back when they are a bit bigger and try to tell from the leaves.
I noticed today that I have some aubretia growing down into the pond from a steep edge. I am thrilled because it is finally hiding the largest area of liner that shows near the waterfall. How it managed to keep planted on the edge I don't know. It is flowering as well so it looks lovely.
I can't even see the pump pipe you want to hide. I don't think I have ever noticed it so I can't really think of a suitable plant for you. Is it on the gravel or in the water that you want it planted?

[retropwr]

This is the corner in question. I'm looking for something that will go on the shelf (about 8 inches deep), that will tend to grow out over the slate edging rather than into the pond . I used to have the reeds in that corner that are now in the small pond. I want something short because the bamboo behind waves around rather a lot and broke the reeds last summer (the net stopped them being knocked over).
The submerged pipe isn't a problem as the floating leaves and plants hide that

[retropwr]

I spotted the first lily flower bud on the surface today. IF we get some warm sunshine it might be out in a couple of days, At least all the rain is keeping the grass green
There's no blanket weed at all so far this year and the fish have scoffed all the Elodea which normally grows so fast I'm chucking it away.
The one lonely frog still pops it's head up now and again, I wonder if I will get more now I have the small quiet pond with no fish for them to live in.

Junes Picture.

[alison]

Oh it really looks so nice. Well done and the lawn looks really lovely. Mine is more like a field except the day when I cut it. Then it looks like a lawn. It is mainly made up of weeds but at least they are green so it doesn't look bad when it is short. It needs cutting after all this rain.

[retropwr]

Julys picture

Not much has changed really, except the weather has got worse. The taller plants have really been battered by the wind, the Marsh Marigold has wandered off the shelf a couple of times and I have had to tie the basket to a stake in the lawn.

[retropwr]

A few of the plants didn't do as well as I would have liked this year and the pond is now looking very autumnal



But the marigold still has flowers, lost most of it's leaves but is still flowering

[AJC]

Its looking good richard

I wouldnt worry about the plants, I dont think any body had a good year with plants of any kind, even those that do like a lot of water didnt really take off, there jsut wasnt enough sun and when it was out it didnt get much heat in it......maybe next year.

[alison]

Thats true. I think I had 1 lily flower from 4 plants no primrose willow or bogbean except the bogbean did sprout lots of leaves so I had high hopes which were sadly dashed. Nothing has done well this year at all. I don't even think I have taken much in the way of photo's this year as it has all been so disheartening. I would still say that the fish have grown though so hopefully they will overwinter okay.
It is very cold out in the pond today. The waterfall pump needed cleaning and came up to the surface covered with oxygenators and unfortunately a stickleback or two and it was a very quick clean for it as it was so cold. It doesn't encourage us into the garden when it is cold and rainy. I like a cold sunny dry day though as that does encourage you to wrap up warm and get out for a good tidy round. It makes you feel invigorated and that life is good.