Ponds in Canada

[callingcolleen1]

LONG WEEKEND FEATURED PLANT Acorus Calamus. (SWEET FLAG )
Not to be confused with Yellow Flag!
Hardiness zones 4 to 11
There are also varigated and dwarf sweet flags. This plant is another fine example of a "sedge" that I have grown for many many years. Does very well for me here in zone 2/3. The long spear shaped leafs are known for their "sweet smell" when crushed. Sweet flag oils are commonly used in perfumes, soaps, and lotions. If you make your own soap you can infuse the oils from the sweet flags into your homemade soaps. When the summer is long and hot, this plant will help shade the pond without smothering the fish. Sometimes I like to walk by and pick a leaf to crush and rub on my skin, smells so very nice, feels natural and good.
This plant has been a proven winner in my garden pond every summer.
Caution: This plant will "jump out of pot" not to worry, I just let the rhizomomatous roots "run a muck" over the basket for at least 10 years now, seems fine to me, enjoy the hypnotic photos from the "bottom pond"!

 

[j.w]

I've got the Variegated Dwarf Sweet Flag growing in a planter in the pond and also a floating ring. It does quite well! Never tried squishing it on my face tho. I'll have to give it a squeeze next time I walk by it!

 

[callingcolleen1]

You will have to let me know if the dwarf variegated sweet flag smells nice too. ( Crush and squeese the leaf)

 

[callingcolleen1]

Anybody thirsty, come sit and have a drink by my pond, don't worry about the water cause Goldie and Whitey promised they didn't "p" in the pool!

 

[CometKeith]

Colleen, the pictures of your fish and plants never cease to amaze me. Are there both koi and goldfish in your pond?

 

[callingcolleen1]

Thanks Keith. My pond still never ceases to amaze me either. It's been a 20 year love affair with my pond. I get so excited to watch the fish and plants come to life each spring!

Yes, I have Koi and goldfish. I got Goldie and Whitey (both very large Koi) in the top pond, their so big they can really splash water over the edge sometimes. I put them right in that top pond many years ago when they were only 2 inches long, and they never have been moved since I first put them in there, now they have no fear of me, they follow me around the pond like pond dogs, begging always for food. Goldie lets me touch her skin and pet her. She comes half out of the water and eats dog food out of my hand, you can really feel how strong she is. The middle pond has medium size koi and goldfish, I think there is five koi, one half koi/half goldfish, and two or three goldfish.. The bottom pond has small goldfish, about fifty or so. I have "size gates" that prevent the medium and large koi from getting downstream to the bottom pond. I think I'm going to play by the pond till I'm 90!

 

[j.w]

Colleen I squeezed the Dwarf Variegated Sweet Flag and it does smell good.............kinda reminds me of deodorant.
Does that glass by your pond have pond water in it cuz if it does it is nice and clear..........but then I don't know maybe it's vodka

 

[addy1]

I have the dwarf sweet flag, it has never done really well.

Love that heron statue, need one of those for my pond. Great fish and plants you have there.

 

[j.w]

Mine does well in the ground and in the pond but I took it out of this tub pond and put it in the big pond. Don't have a photo of it in the big pond yet tho:

 

[callingcolleen1]

Oh my goodness, I'm so excited, this is great, I told everyone at work this morning about my small gathering of pond people who follow my thread!

I love your picture of the cute little tub with your nice little dwarf sweet flag JW! My sweet flag is is the larger type, and it grows right in my pond, in a large basket and the water is about one inch over the crown. I do divide every five years of so, not as fast growing as the yellow flag, sometimes this is good. The sweet flag does not seem to float like the yellow flag iris. They are actually two different plants, not related.

Got to run, having my mom for BBQ rib steaks and potatoes with lots of butter and sourcream, maybe a little salad. Missed mothers day cause I had to work last week, so I'm making it up today!

This next picture is what happens when you sit on the log and gaze to long at the pond, sort of just drift away......

 

[callingcolleen1]

I have the dwarf sweet flag, it has never done really well.

Love that heron statue, need one of those for my pond. Great fish and plants you have there.

Thanks addy, I never had much luck with dwarf type, I think is needs full sun, looks good in JW's pond. I find the larger type grows better for me.

 

[addy1]

I will move it to more sun, that might be the issue. Thanks

 

[callingcolleen1]

WARNING The eclipse it coming here in 30 min or so will start, (west) sky is cloud here, they say not to look at sun.

I think my yellow flag grew again, her another view from the other side of pond, I think I could hide my truck behind soon!
Here's a picture of the sweet flag in the marsh side of bottom pond.

 

[addy1]

Very pretty. nice looking fish too

 

[callingcolleen1]

Thanks, I just love the pond, I wish I had a scanner cause then I could scan some old pictures and show you how different everything was when I had my first pond here and how I slowly changed the ponds over the years and made them bigger. I never get tired of playing by the pond and moving rocks. I must have tons of rocks, between the front yard and back, they line my flower beds too and it took me 20 years of collecting them one by one. I made the ponds too all myself. My honey works hard and he does the garden. He grows his own tobacco, they also make pretty flowers!