May 8, 2011, Garden no 4

Garden 2011 No 4

Before I went to France I meant to do a garden update. At that time my daffodils were in bud and the spring flowers were beginning to bloom.
The snow drops had been flowering for a while and were past their best but the primula and cow slips were looking good.
By the time I got back, the daffodils were in full bloom
and the hedge along the inside edge of the garden had sprouted more pink blossom than it has ever had before. The periwinkle is looking good this year.
 I have several additions to the garden; I’ve bought a couple of young fruit trees and a few fruit canes. I’v also invested in a strawberry planter and a potato barrel. I’m already looking forward to my jam making in the autumn. Since returning I’ve planted onion sets in the containers and sorted out all my herbs. The herbs have new compost, plant food and name labels.This year I’m planning some design changes, I’ve acquired a load of wooden pallets to be used as fencing. I’m having the privet hedge removed and replaced by a wooden fence.  The privet hedge is old, it was old and when I moved in and now it’s full of holes and dying. The time has come when it has to go. My daughters partner made a start on the fence but for now…. Rain has stopped play.
At the monent my garden resembles a building site, a very wet building site, but I’m sure it will get sorted soon. The hedge is half in and half out, the fence is half built, the pallets are still laying around the garden and there is an ever growing pile of debris to be disposed of. There are rotten bits of pallet that are no good for fencing,  privet roots, whole privet bushes and general garden rubbish all around in a huge heap in the garden.
The plan is, one day next week when it has stopped raining; daughter no1 will bring her jeep and drag out the last of the privet to be followed by daughter no 2 who will bring her partner who will construct the rest of the fence. Once that’s done all I have to worry about is getting rid of the rubbish. I also plan on replacing most of my grass with a veg patch to grow root veg, but that’s a bit behind schedule now and I’m not sure if it will get done in time to plant root veg this year.
Which brings me to my pond, the water is very, very green but I’ve been reading up on this and am treating it naturally with barley straw extract. The green water isn’t damaging to any thing, it’s just a bit unsightly. I’ve decided not to restock with fish; I’ve lost fish to ice and cold these last two winters and don’t want to risk killing any more so I’m persevering with my original idea of a wild life pond.
AND………..I have livestock for my pond!.........

Tags: garden, plants, pond

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Next: Garden 2011 No 5

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edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on May 9, '11 veroniquemariquita said Every little puddle here is filled to the brim with little wigglers oh Vero thats sad..are you not tempted to go and scoop them all out and put them in a safe place, a bigger pond or something? Think I would end up moving little tadpoles from one tiny watering hole to another...........

delete reply djdx wrote on May 9, '11 I enjoyed your update.

delete reply veroniquemariquita wrote on May 9, '11 Love your "livestock". I wish I could share with you. Every little puddle here is filled to the brim with little wigglers. Sadly lots of them won't make it because when the rain stops the water will dry up. Mama frogs don't seem to realize this.

delete reply greenwytch wrote on May 9, '11 moving right along and looking very, very nice! good job!

delete reply brendainmad wrote on May 9, '11 Your garden is looking very nice.

delete reply starfishred wrote on May 8, '11 wonderful wonderful send us some of your rain we are in a drought mode

delete reply nemo4sun wrote on May 8, '11 forgetmenot525 said not quite.................but nearly :-) just before I left for france a woman from my work gave me a whole load of spawn from her pond. It was just hatching and I didn't know what to do with it while I was away. I decided to put half in the pond and see how it got on and keep half in a tub indoors and get my daughter to feed them on gold fish food. The ones in the pond all disappeared ( I think the birds ate them because the pond always has birds bathing and drinking there. ) but the ones indoors thrived. The plan is to wait until they have little arms and legs and then put them in the pond. Ive counted... I have 24 :-) that is the difficulty my brother started a "natural" creek tank many years ago it was a big tank we went out to local streams and creeks and got tadpoles, minnows, crayfish and baby turtles within a couple months the minnows ate the tadpoles the crayfish ate the minnows and the turtles ate the crayfish and that was all in a indoor tank :)

delete reply bennett1 wrote on May 8, '11 Tadpoles! Great! I planted sage and catnip today with good compost from deep under the layers of leaves. It smelled earthy and wonderful and was black, unlike our clayey soil. Gardening is so good for the soul.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on May 8, '11 nemo4sun said oh frogs :) not quite.................but nearly :-) just before I left for france a woman from my work gave me a whole load of spawn from her pond. It was just hatching and I didn't know what to do with it while I was away. I decided to put half in the pond and see how it got on and keep half in a tub indoors and get my daughter to feed them on gold fish food. The ones in the pond all disappeared ( I think the birds ate them because the pond always has birds bathing and drinking there. ) but the ones indoors thrived. The plan is to wait until they have little arms and legs and then put them in the pond. Ive counted... I have 24 :-)

delete reply nemo4sun wrote on May 8, '11 oh frogs :)