What does your pond look like ... Today?

[j.w]

@Troutredds sure is pretty grass. We get colder up north here and when it freezes it would kill it. I thought some types of Fountain grass was hardy here. You think it will survive where you are?

 

[Troutredds]

@Troutredds sure is pretty grass. We get colder up north here and when it freezes it would kill it. I thought some types of Fountain grass was hardy here. You think it will survive where you are?

I'm going to shear it back this fall and cross my fingers that it makes it but I fear it won't. Maybe I can over-winter some in the garage window.

@Gloria K. wow that is a nice big beautiful palm! I have a Chinese Windmill palm growing next to my pond but I started it from a seed I found at the zoo here. It's been growing for a few years now and is only about 3 ft tall now. Have to grow the cold hardy ones here as the Mexican Fan ones don't survive.
View attachment 74092

So that's the secret to your green thumb, @j.w....pocketing seeds from Woodland Park Zoo, huh? Very resourceful!

 

[j.w]

@Troutredds you can also put little blankets or burlap over them when it gets below freezing. I have saved some plants that way before. Also the old Christmas lights, the ones that get warm, if you wrap them w/ those it helps. I stay away from stuff I have to do that too now tho. If it can't make it it goes to plant heaven.

Yep there were seeds under the zoo palms and I picked up a few and planted them in pots and put in the green house and they grew after a few months. This is the only one that survived the winters. The other two were smaller when I put them out and one winter I didn't cover them and so only the one was left. It survived that cold winter. Now the lone survivor makes it through w/o covering unless we get one of those super cold spells in the minus zone then I will even cover it. Would hate to lose it.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I love the purple fountain grass, had one last year and it looks good all winter as a dried winter display. So you can enjoy it for only one year, but such is life. I grow lots of stuff that dies for good in the winter, ya I cry hard when winter comes....

 

[Troutredds]

I love the purple fountain grass, had one last year and it looks good all winter as a dried winter display. So you can enjoy it for only one year, but such is life. I grow lots of stuff that dies for good in the winter, ya I cry hard when winter comes....

It's true, isn't it? Physical beauty is fleeting...and the circle of life is fleeting, but beautiful nonetheless.

 

[ZmanArt007]

Well tonight is my last night with the pond this summer, I leave for college Sunday morning and will be out of town tomorrow night. I will be back in the fall to help my dad winterize it, but otherwise this is it.

It's pretty much the only thing I miss about home when I leave; family visits me enough and this small town doesn't have much to do. Still, hate leaving the pond.

 

[j.w]

Have fun Zack and learn lots in school. Sorry you can't take your pond w/ya but there will be more time by the pond next Summer.

 

[ZmanArt007]

Have fun Zack and learn lots in school. Sorry you can't take your pond w/ya but there will be more time by the pond next Summer.

Actually I'm not sure if I'm coming back next summer. I didn't really want to come back this summer. There's not much for me in this town. I am looking to get an internship, and if that doesn't happen I'll just work and take classes through the summer.

Oh well, I'm taking an aquarium that I'm going to keep some orandas or lionheads in, depending on what I find. It will have some small tropical water lilies in it as well. It will be my pond away from home

 

[Big Lou]

Enjoy and study hard.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Saw this weird little bee/fly-type thing today, had to photograph it.

and here's the pond.

 

[ZmanArt007]

Saw this weird little bee/fly-type thing today, had to photograph it.

I believe I found it
http://bugguide.net/node/view/705139/bgimage
http://bugguide.net/node/view/601153/bgimage
I think "weird little bee/fly-type thing" is just as good of a name as "yellow fuzzy bee fly"

 

[Troutredds]

I believe I found it
http://bugguide.net/node/view/705139/bgimage
http://bugguide.net/node/view/601153/bgimage
I think "weird little bee/fly-type thing" is just as good of a name as "yellow fuzzy bee fly"

You nailed it on the bee fly (Bombyliidae) classification, @ZmanArt007 Maybe you should consider a degree in entomology... Good luck at school!

 

[sissy]

rain is filling every thing

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Yesterday I had a juvenile Oriole in the bog.

and one of many Hummingbirds on my Mexican Sunflowers.

and this butterfly in my birdbath.

and today I found my mexican sunflower taking a nap...

The rain took it out. I may have salvaged some of it, but I'll have to wait and see. I should've expected it when I heard the downpour coming, knowing and this 8' plant would hold a lot of water weight. As I've said, its great for hummingbirds, so I hope I saved it, and plan to grow more next year.

 

[slakker]

We put in a pot of carnivores beside the pond...

It's not a clearest picture, but it's doing it's job eating up the wasps!

I looked inside the other pitchers and they are full of bugs (mostly wasps)... which is great, since wasps are the a**holes of the insect world... LOL!