After two weeks away, I’m quite relieved that the garden has not become the disaster I feared. While traveling, the gardener envisions many thick stalked weeds sprouting above shrubs with a ground hugging crop spreading seeds below. Certainly, some weeds have popped up, but not in alarming abundance. I will catch up with maintenance quickly…
Tag: koi pond
The koi pond in May
Along one side of the koi pond a gravel bog filter (below) is planted with tall, variegated sweetflag (Acorus calamus), yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus), pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata), and water lilies (Nymphaea). Pockets between boulders at the pond’s edge are planted with Japanese irises (Iris ensata), though a few clumps have been infiltrated by the…
He’s back
My wife identified the snake as a Brown Water snake, and who am I to argue? As far as I’m concerned, any local snakes besides black snakes. copperheads, and rattlesnakes are garter snakes, but she insists otherwise. While this snake is native to habitats a bit south of here, what do I know? Until late…
The ice is melting
Finally, ice on the large koi pond is receding. The pond’s pump was left running through the winter, so there has been at least a spot of open water, which has varied in size through the winter’s temperature fluctuations. Through the coldest parts of winter the pond was almost entirely frozen, with a hole only…
Too many to count
I don’t claim knowledge to distinguish between one bee or wasp and another, any butterfly or moth besides the ubiquitous Tiger swallowtail, or even frogs and toads. Toads, I can identify by sound I suppose, and I’m quite certain that the high pitched, agitated squeals I hear today as I walk along the paths that border…
Koi on a warm winter afternoon.
Last week the edges of the large koi pond were frozen, the result of prolonged cold. There is no harm that comes from this, even if the pump is turned off and the pond’s surface freezes over. On smaller ponds water must be kept moving, or a hole kept open for harmful gasses resulting from…
Quack, quack
When the large pond in the rear garden was first constructed it was dug deep enough so that I could take an occasional dip in it on a hot summer afternoon. Despite recommendations by pond references to the contrary, I stocked the pond with ten small, inexpensive koi and two goldfish that were transferred from…
Ramblin' through Dave's Garden 