One more project marked off the list this week.
Several years ago we added a second "pond". This one had no fish, but we grew a variety of water lilies, water iris and other things over the years. And there was at least one frog who lived there for several summers.
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| You can clearly see the gunk! |
But without a pump for circulation and filtering the water got pretty funky - can you say "yuck"?
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| I used an extra pump to empty the water and water the garden. Not as rich as the water from the fish pond, but lots of decaying material to feed the perennials. |
So once I cleaned the fish pond, I decided to dump the lily pond and move on.
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| About 36 inches in diameter and 24 inches deep in the center. It took nearly four wheelbarrow loads to refill. Luckily, I have plenty of compost for little jobs like this. |
It wasn't all that difficult, but you know how heavy water is ... and dirt is just as bad. It took me one weekend to take it out, a second to fill the hole and finally a third to find plants and get it ready to grow again.
A variety of columbines should give me some filler for cut arrangements and one can never have too many Gerbera daisies! Mission accomplished!
Keeping ponds and fountains in the garden clean and healthy is a job. I think you found a perfect solution: flowers!
ReplyDeleteThe "extra" water seemed like a good idea at the time, but wasn't worth the work. Hard to pass up an entire square yard of new space!
DeleteMy co-worker just told me the other day that she's thinking of filling in her pond. Her fish died over the winter. Her lilies even after splitting are not what the used to be and her husband has had enough of the cleaning. I think you came up with the best solution - fill it in and plant flowers.
ReplyDeleteKeeping the fish healthy is a lot of work, especially when you end up feeding the birds - or perhaps it's the raccoons! Am not ready to throw in the towel on the fish ... yet, altho i did have to purchase new ones this year. I suspect we will not give it more than another five years, tho.
DeleteSo happy to read what you and your new shoulder can do!
ReplyDeleteYou're my inspiration.
xo J
Should is finally great, altho it took 18 months. At 13 it suddenly got worse and i panicked, but then it started getting better all on its own. You'll be ok, it just takes time.
DeleteThe daisies look cheery there :)
ReplyDelete