Scenes from the Pond

Things are looking lovely in the pond...

The Hyacinths have FINALLY decided to bloom.

They're quite lovely.

The pond is so much fun to photograph.

I've been posting a series I'm calling "Last Breaths of Summer" on my PhotogBlog

Check it out!

Holy Pond!

When I bought 3 water hyacinth plants in spring...

I don't think I really know what I had gotten myself into...

So... uh... anybody needs some water hyacinths?

Pond Progress

Earlier this month I made a video of the dogs and me hanging out by the pond.  Since then there have been a few additions and lots of plant growth in and around the pond.  Also, sadly, there has been some plant death.  All the rain we got last week caused some of my potted plants to throw in the towel.  They simply could not dry out and some of the main stems just plain rotted out.

Here's a refresher of what the pond looked like last year after the initial installation and planting.

The plants were a little sparse, and the fake water lilies floating on the top were just plain ridiculous.  The "beach" on the front was cute, but it just didn't last.

Here's what things looked like earlier this year.  This was taken right after I bought some new pond plants and finished planting the pots.  The new plants consisted of a nice new Pickerel (left) and some water hyacinth (back right).  You can't see it in the front right, but last years Pickerel is trying it's best to survive after I made the mistake of putting it out to early.  The "beach" was destroyed by the dogs last year and had to go, and has been replaced by more durable gravel.

Here's what the pond looks like today.  One of the dappled willow bushes has completely given up on life and been removed (replaced by a planter to keep the dogs from smashing the plants behind the pond) and some of the potted plants have been switched out.  I bought a zebra rush at the garden fair, and it's looking lovely right in the middle.  My dad gave my an iris plant that is now in the front right, and I simply cannot wait for the morning glories climbing the back fence to start getting the sun they crave so they will start blooming!  And holy cow do water hyacinths grow fast!  I've already got a number of branches coming off them to form new plants.  (I think I know why people like them so much!)

The very first Morning Glory flower of the summer.

I don't know why, but I think this picture is way cool.

I can't believe how big the fish are getting.

Happy Ponding, 

Lioness

 

Enjoying our Pond

Last year while shopping at Menard's I saw an all-in-one pond kit on sale for $50.  (just the pump in the box usually sells for more than that)  I decided I had to have it.  After all, I'd always thought a pond would be completely awesome.
I waited patently for the utility people to come make sure I wasn't going to dig up any important cables,  but that was all the patience I had.  I dug the hole, and in the process discovered a big heap of scrap metal that apparently the builders thought would be easier to bury than to properly dispose of.  The hole did not end up the size or shape I had planned out as a result of dealing with the metal, but I finally got it squared away and I was ready to put the liner in.  By the time the liner went in it was dusk, but I got it in and started filling the pond right away.  A couple days later I got 10 goldfish, two promptly died.  I got some pretty fake rocks to put around the pond and added some plants here and there.  Then... the real trouble started.
I noticed the water level in my pond was dropping quickly.  I had to add water every day.  At first I thought maybe this was a result of evaporation from my fountain, but after asking around I decided this wasn't the case.  I had a leak.
I bought a repair kit, caught the fish, emptied the water, vacuumed up the gravel, and crawled around on the very soggy bottom of my pond - FOUND IT!  I patched the hole and all has been well ever since.

Here's a video I made recently of the dogs and me enjoying the pond.  The first two pictures are from last year, post leak.  It really was starting to look pretty nice.  The last two pictures are what the pond looks like today.  The eight original goldfish are still going strong, and they are much less shy than they used to be.

I can't wait till the flowers start to get bigger and bloom.  I just love my pond!

**In case you're wondering, this is the title music for Forrest Gump while the feather is flying around.  It's one of my very favorite tunes... and one of my favorite movies (that has one of my favorite actors in it).**