pond in progress started 4/21/10

[capewind]

I'll be sure to plant some into different areas, so hopefully it will come back. You are just a wee bit warmer than we are.

I was given 3 starts of LT last year, but after the post office misplaced the priority box in their system, by day 6 when it arrived, I was lucky to be able to nurse one wee stalk back. Was able to plant it eventually, and I have a TINY clump coming up now. It only has about 4 stalks that I can see (it's between liner hiding rocks) and may be about 4" tall now ...

Taro's are not happening here again ... hubby is going to have to pick ONE (likely the black magic), as I am sooooo done with plants that have to come inside for the winter. I'll make room in the family room for ONE (if he gets rid of the tropical hubuscus that I hate - damn plant is tempermental LOL)

 

[capewind]

Cape, be careful what you wish for with the parsley and penny wart! At least the penny wart is manageable. The parsley will take off and then you will wonder why you wanted so much. LOL You will be giving it away left and right next year, I bet.

The parsley is limping along ... will be great next year. The "green" version that I already had didnt do great the first year, but year two comes back with a vengence. I actually bought two more off a mark down rack (sad shape) ... have them all into 2 groups, with the exception that I saved a few clippings to pot up to make a couple more plants LOL ...

Im not sure how well the Pennywart may do where it is. While the PW clump was great/good sized, the tiny bit of clover mixed in really is taking over that spot It IS growing good, but the clover just grows soooo much faster, and the spot I showed you where it was put is so small ... Here's a pic I took a few days ago. In the time since this one was taken, the clover has snuck over the rocks into the water, which the fish are very happy about. Well, Sunny isnt overly happy .. they have already pruned it back, and Sunny just cant get his big mouth into the crevice of the rocks LOL.

 

[CountryEscape]

OK, I see the PW just fine. Keep the water clover from taking over, if at all possible. I know what you mean, it's a tangled mess of roots. By next year, they both will take off very well. Trust me .... I got lots of plants last year, didn't think some of them even lived, now I am finding plants everywhere wondering what they are and who I got them from. LOL I didn't keep very good track of who sent me what. I just like the surprises. The plants I got this year, Obedience and other plants, I put in before the water clover took off, and now I can hardly see them. Glad that I didn't put any WC in the koi pond bog. At least that bog is free of it and the parsley. I like the look of that much better, but will say that the goldfish bog is doing a far better job at cleaning the water, too! So, not going to pull it all. I just want to be able to see the other plants, for goodness sake. Bad thing is that I think that by pulling the tops, I'm just telling the roots to get stronger and spread more!

 

[capewind]

I think what will likely happen is when hubby gets the next pond in, I'll have him dig up the bigger clump of PW (me getting to it wouldnt be pretty LOL), and put it into a tray to grow more, and fish the clover out of it, and then move that batch of PW to the new waterfall ... He was messing around with the new pond/waterfall tonight. It seems he and addy have similar ideas ... I still cant see it, but Addy drew a diagram for me, and it was in line with what he was trying to explain to me.

What I really want to believe you about is those crazy variegated cattails ... want them to hurry up and multiply ... those really are growing great, but with hubby working on the next pond, I have a big spot in the making for them;-)

 

[addy1]

I have so much growth of blue4gme and other plants doing great, the mint I had in the bog is struggling to live. I have found one shoot of it this year. It does work great for filtering the pond water. Algae has no chance of living.

Bet your new pond waterfall is going to look great cape! keep posting updates

 

[capewind]

I have so much growth of blue4gme and other plants doing great, the mint I had in the bog is struggling to live. I have found one shoot of it this year. It does work great for filtering the pond water. Algae has no chance of living.

Hubby wants 4getmenots (one of his fav flowers) but we have no place for it right now. I am hoping the mint (I have "curlie") can take some crowding, as I just put more plants into my little mini bog (6'x4' gravel shelf) yesterday. I am definately planting too tight, but til he finishes the real bog, I am running out of places to put things.

Bet your new pond waterfall is going to look great cape! keep posting updates

He was messing with it after work last night. He decided he didnt like...

1. how close the pond was going to be to the patio - not as much room as I was hoping for between the pond and the boulders for a walkway, etc,

2. wanted to pull the pond back a bit from the waterfall and change the angle of the pond, so he decided that since the machine was home to FILL IT IN, and dig again LOL.

The stock tank is still in the same place, and he was playing with the rocks that will be associated with the bridge, and steps up to the existing pond ... I dont think he is overly happy with it at the moment, but this is what he left for a mess ...

The flat rock on the lower left may not be in its exact home yet, but that one is the step up to the bridge ... Thanks to your drawing, I have a vague idea of what he wants to do with the waterfall, but I still cant SEE it ...

 

[addy1]

laughing! it is nice to be able to redig.

You will "see" it soon capewind, soon. When you need some 4getmenots I can send you starts I have a ton, they grow great

 

[capewind]

Thanks Addy, I'll tell him he has some coming. It will make him feel better LOL ... At this stage, I am trying to stay out of it LOL. It wasnt working as he had started it ... for starters, he discovered he was going to need a BIGGER liner for the pond ... ummm, he already got a bigger liner than was planned .. it was supposed to be a 15x20 for the pond, but got a 20x25 ... told him last night that I was NOT on board with taking this one back and getting a bigger one ... aside from letting my babies grow there, this pond is for his LILIES ... he was already hinting about getting another liner for another "plant pond" and neither of these ponds have a thing to do with HIS koi pond ... I hate to be the one to remind him that he has a BUDGET ... non pond related, we still need another 6-8 pallets of block to finish the formal walls, need almost 2000 sq ft of pavers for the patios at the house, and he tells me he drove by a pergola yesterday that he liked ... I can only stretch the budget so far at a time LOL ... I really didnt want to hear all of this last night, as I was getting paper work in order for our quarterly audit I have to do today ... Business liability/workmans comp insurance is a pain in the arse, at least I love the guy the insurance company sends out. He flips through papers for all of 10 minutes, then we chit chat about other things LOL. I am soooo going to miss him when he "retires" (he is well into his 80s)...

 

[addy1]

lol sounds like he knows this is it and he needs to do it the way he wants it to be done..........

 

[addy1]

A few omg where is the pond and bog going..........pictures.




I need to find my plant list, first time this plant has bloomed, it was put in last year, just love the color





The lilies are huge this year, think the cool temperatures are helping







lil frogs and toads

The rock this toad is on is smaller than pea gravel


Tiny green frogs hanging out in the preform, I also have seen a bunch in the bog





Tiny tiny ones in the lotus tub, the extra fertilizer in that tub creates the algae. The little ones love it

 

[j.w]

My water lilies are just now getting buds coming up. Yours look beautiful and I don't know what those pretty purple plants are but they are nice!
So many plants, they are taking over and maybe the heron won't be able to see the pond that well now when he looks down.

 

[CountryEscape]

Toad babies!!!!! I never saw a one last year, and this year the toads had been singing each and every night, but not tonight. Maybe they are done with the nasty, and I should be looking for strings of eggs! Anyhow, will watch for tadpoles next week.
Addy, I looked at the pic of the purple flower my neighbor gave to me, and I swear it is the exact same flower! She has no idea what it's called either, someone gave it to her years ago. Here it is again:

So, if you figure out what it is, I need to know. My neighbor says they spread really fast, and she says they are almost invasive. She has moved them everywhere, and they really are pretty. I think she said they don't bloom really long, but she has them with some yellow flowers that bloom at the same time, and how stunning! I figure, the more it spreads, the more I can share and move around, too!
Your beds and plants and flowers and ponds look unbelievable!

 

[addy1]

Here you go CE

http://www.bluerivernursery.com/campanula-glomerata-freya.html

freya cluster blue bellflower

It makes seeds, I may help it spread to other spots in the yard

I had to fight the ground hog last year to get it to survive. This year the new resident gh is picking on other plants.

I have a lot of plants that are spreading everywhere, just adds to the wild look of the yard! and blooms everywhere.



I think this is hyssop, finding it coming up here and there, the bees love it, great flowers. Mine has grass like leaves hyssop, similar flower has bigger leaves, so not sure.

 

[CountryEscape]

Addy, is your tall spikey purple flower possibly a "liatris spicata"? I planted about 25 of them from roots or bulbs whatever they were. They are tall, come back really easy and have a beautiful tall spike purple flower. Mine are not blooming yet, but soon. You are usually about a week or two ahead of me with similar flowers!
Thanks for letting me know about the purple flower. I have blue bell flower plants, but didn't think they looked so tightly bunched with the flower on top, but then I noticed that what you posted is "cluster" blue bell flower! BTW, so far what she says is really easy to grow is really having a hard time getting established. I may have to go get some more starts in the spring. Or, they are dying back on top, but working on growing roots below the ground level.
I'm going to move a lot of plants that have "exploded" into the wildflower garden. That area is going to get expanded and expanded, I suspect! Lots of plants I got have multiplied.
I still have one that I have no idea what it is. It's about 2.5' tall, came back from last year, and has this pretty yellow flower. It has a BUNCH of buds on it, so will take another pic when it's in full bloom soon.

Anyone know what it might be?

 

[addy1]

Yep that is it, grows well, popping up here and there. Really pretty, the butterflies, bees just love it.

Not sure of what flower that is CE it looks like some I get out of my wildflower group.