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Post by rowanberry on Jul 25, 2017 9:40:02 GMT
I've had to weed the pond again this week- the hornwort has become very prolific now that the sun is warming up the water. Water soldiers surfaced after a slow start; they are big now and producing off-shoots. I thinned out the Mare's Tail back in the spring, because it was starting to get over-grown, and the watercress has also been cut back else it spreads out and colonises the other baskets. My fringed water lilies are doing well, which I'm pleased about... the one I had struggled last year, so I bought some online and they've established themselves nicely. No flowers yet, but with a bit of sunny days they might bloom. I hope they make it through the winter this time! The duckweed is of course doing well- as always.   Pondplants July2017 by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr  Friinged Water Lily July2017 by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr |
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Post by NellyDee on Aug 4, 2017 14:55:17 GMT
Recently (gone mad I think) Daughter and I decided to have our 'Occasional Loch' actually made into a pond.This was to try and control the almost continuous flooding of the area. I could not be more delight with the results. All double lined and a couple of pipes laid so water comes in (where the water overflows from the burn) fills the pond and when the pond water reaches a certain height the water flows out again into the burn. An island was raised in the middle. So we have had lots of fun,and hysterical laughter, planting round the edges and on the island (which required wearing wet suit), as it was not planted till the pond was full of water. Some plants bought, some replanted from the garden (plants that had run riot basically and were taking over the borders (flat growing firs and heather(native). Just waiting for the wild life - a few parr were washed into the pond while being filled (think the now acquired resident Heron got those) some water snails (think they came on the aerating plants we bought) and lots of miniscule little beetles? Managed to get a photo but had to really enlarge the photo to get to see what they are  Water insect by Helen Skelton, on Flickr It will take a while for the plant life to develop and maybe more wildlife to appear. Just hope the frogs and newts are happy - as every year in the puddles and laying water it dried out before the spawn could develop to tadpole etc. |
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Post by aeshna5 on Aug 4, 2017 18:28:07 GMT
Not a beetle but one of the water boatman which are true bugs.
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Post by rowanberry on Aug 4, 2017 20:22:22 GMT
I am looking forward to seeing photos of this! especially the island. How deep is it when it's full? It's great fun planting a new pond and waiting for things to arrive.  |
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Post by NellyDee on Aug 6, 2017 11:08:34 GMT
Not a beetle but one of the water boatman which are true bugs. Loved reading about them on Bug Facts.Think I am going to start recording what joins the pond. Rowanberry "How deep is it when it's full? It's great fun planting a new pond and waiting for things to arrive." - It is 5ft deep one side - 1ft other side. Depth slowly decreases. It is a very large pond! Wanted the island to be a sort of safe place for ducks. But (having received hubby's ashes) decided that it would be a good place for them to be - ducks and ashes). There is/was a standing stone which hubby always joked was my headstone. I commented to the guy doing the pond work that it was a pity the stone could not be moved to the island - the pond was full of water by this time. Well bless them, he and a young lad helping him - wearing diving suits and with supreme effort, got the stone onto the island. They then had fun and games swimming around in the pond - sort of celebration. I could have kissed them (well I did actually!). Most of the plants around the edges are plants that had overgrown in the garden. Planted some reeds - water lily, aerating plants etc. Still have to get rocks and pebbles round the pond and plant up with marginal plants to hide the lining, but getting there. (don't laugh - daughter and I have got ourselves wet suits - might even take a swim). I am over the moon just so pleased with the hard work these two blokes have done, and it seems to have solved the extreme flooding - it had a good test over the last few days of torrential rain.  Pond in the making by Helen Skelton, on Flickr |
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Post by ianr on Aug 7, 2017 6:31:04 GMT
WOW nice. It's bigger than my garden!  ian |
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Post by rowanberry on Aug 7, 2017 13:31:19 GMT
What an amazing pond! and I love the island... can't believe they managed to 'swim' that huge stone over to it, (the one in the centre that looks like a tree trunk is the one, I'm guessing?) The lining for it must have been the size of a marquee. Does your young heron go wading in it yet? |
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Post by NellyDee on Aug 8, 2017 9:41:21 GMT
Yes the look like tree trunk is the stone. They had to move the stone using straps by a series of 'lift move a few inches, drop, lift', it was the only way they could without ripping the liner. Yes the heron does do a wading round the edge, Jays have already had a bath and to my surprise a Siskin. Young red Squirrel seems to have decided that the edges are good places to bury nuts.
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