The other thread went a tiny bit over so I'm starting a new one.
Yesterday, I went to a "new to me" perennial nursery which I'll write about later in Gardener's Chat, but I just had to mention here that I got one of the plants that Carol had suggested! I'm not sure I'll put it by the pond though, because I only got one smallish pot since they were $10 each!
It's the blue eyed grass! I was so excited to see that they actually had something that had been recommended here and that I liked - of COURSE I had to get one since it does flower blue!
But... according to what Carol copied for me...
Quote
[color:#000000]Sisyrinchium Angustifolium--(blue-eyed grass) 16 inches high--blue green narrowe leaves appear to be a grass--but is not a true grass. has clusters of blue flowers with yellow eyes--needs to be in a group for best effect.--blooms late spring.--sun
It's a shame that I couldn't buy a "group" at that price though... So it might have to go into my "blue" garden instead. (which for now is being taken over by all the new orange annuals I've planted there already - gazanias and zinnias for a start. But blue and orange are on opposite sides of the color wheel so it should work out just fine!)
Thanks for letting me know about this plant, Carol! [/color]
Welllllllll there's good news and bad news to report tonight...
First the bad... The past 2 days or so, I've been seeing one of the new baby koi that I bought last Monday hanging out about 5 inches from the left side of the waterfall. Initially I thought he was dead and floating, so when I went to feed the fish 2 mornings ago I took the net with me. As soon as I got near, he swam down into the water. But he remained in this spot for about 2 days. Sometimes the other baby koi hung out with him there - weird!
But... yesterday morning Don told me that there was a dead fish in the skimmer part of the waterfall pump. How did he get in there??? Don said he must have gone through the bottom drain! I didn't have time to look until this morning, as we had a very busy day yesterday. There were then TWO dead koi in the skimmer! I can't believe they went down the very small slit of the drain edge - it's just too strange!
And... I haven't seen any of the 3 medium sized feeder goldfish that I put in the pond last Sunday, since the day I put them in. I turned over the pot shelter this morning but there was no site of them. So where could they be if not with the other dead ones? Late this afternoon, Don checked the regular skimmer for me, and there were all 3 of them swimming around and thankfully all healthy! He threw them back into the pond and they went directly under the pot.
BUT... and here's the best of the good part... He also noticed a toad in the skimmer just sitting there as happy as could be! I ran in to get my camera and he was still sitting perfectly still. Here are the best of the pictures - he would not leave the skimmer as Don put it back together after cleaning it out - I hope he comes out on his own one of these days so we can enjoy him in plain site!
Don cannot do anything about the bottom drain, but he did turn down a bit both the skimmer and the waterfall, so hopefully the other fish won't end up in there again!
Did you see my first post here Carol - what I wrote to you?
The other thread went a tiny bit over so I'm starting a new one.
Yesterday, I went to a "new to me" perennial nursery which I'll write about later in Gardener's Chat, but I just had to mention here that I got one of the plants that Carol had suggested! I'm not sure I'll put it by the pond though, because I only got one smallish pot since they were $10 each!
It's the blue eyed grass! I was so excited to see that they actually had something that had been recommended here and that I liked - of COURSE I had to get one since it does flower blue!
But... according to what Carol copied for me...
Quote
[color:#000000]Sisyrinchium Angustifolium--(blue-eyed grass) 16 inches high--blue green narrowe leaves appear to be a grass--but is not a true grass. has clusters of blue flowers with yellow eyes--needs to be in a group for best effect.--blooms late spring.--sun
It's a shame that I couldn't buy a "group" at that price though... So it might have to go into my "blue" garden instead. (which for now is being taken over by all the new orange annuals I've planted there already - gazanias and zinnias for a start. But blue and orange are on opposite sides of the color wheel so it should work out just fine!)
Thanks for letting me know about this plant, Carol! [/color]
Your welcome, Lynne---and I cannot wait to see how it grows for you---I may buy some for my new flower bed as well---
________
Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
Awwwwwwwwww I'm soo sorry for the loss of your two koi Can the skimmer be adjusted somehow so this doesn't happen again???
You're right,, Mr. Toad needs a name since he appears he may take up permanent residency!
Einstein?? For being smart enough to found a great new place,and even smarter not to leave even while Don was working on the skimmer?? He knew he found paradise ~ a far cry from where he had come from I'm sure! :wink:
"Grace without perfection is more to be desired than perfection without grace."
Diane - you are too sweet! I'm not sure how much of a paradise it is, but if he sticks around, I actually have a container of frog food I can feed to him.
I was thinking of naming him Walt? Came from thinking of warts - ya know... from frogs? Couldn't call him Wart, so Walt is close?
I'm sorry you lost 2 fish. I wonder how other people with your pond set up manage to not lose fish? I hope you can figure out a way around it all so it doesn't keep happening Lynne.
I did read the other day that new koi fish added to a pond will be very skittish and hide for a good while until they get used to their pond environment. My goldfish were the same way at first. They hid forever.
The 2 koi are gone, but the 3 goldfish are hopefully still in there. I haven't seen them all day, but Don checked both skimmers when he came home and I also checked the big one earlier - the were not there. I just hope they are getting some of the food before it gets into the skimmer since they don't ever seem to come out and eat it!
I have used 3 applications of the Algae Fix and my pond is still green. I'm wondering if my pond was just so bad that it will take longer to fix it? Tomorrow will be another application so we'll see how it goes.
I hope your fish are getting the food too....when I first put my fish in the new pond it took them a long time before they'd actually come up to eat. I guess they just weren't used to it.
Actually, our pond has gotten green again since the sun was on it last week. I imagine it's going to take a while for the algae to be controlled while the pond heats up for summer.
Don wants to try and vacuum it out again - there really is too much dirt in it, but none of the vacuums he's tried is working very well, and the real pond vacs are just too expensive. I wish they would rent them, like they rent carpet cleaners in supermarkets!
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! Another fish is dead in the waterfall skimmer - the first of the 3 nice sized goldfish to go...
What is going on? I emailed Don hoping he can call the pond store and find out. I'm thinking that the drain is sucking them down, but I don't know anything at all about how it all works. Hopefully Don can get it fixed - there are only 2 more goldfish left in the pond now - at least I think they are still there!
Don just got home and said it's the drain that runs to the waterfall - it's how the water is circulated around and up to the waterfall, so it has to run. He said he'd turn it down, and that I should try and get bigger fish so they don't fit into the slit of the drain, but I don't want to lose bigger MORE EXPENSIVE fish too, you know?
Diane - you are too sweet! I'm not sure how much of a paradise it is, but if he sticks around, I actually have a container of frog food I can feed to him.
I was thinking of naming him Walt? Came from thinking of warts - ya know... from frogs? Couldn't call him Wart, so Walt is close?
hope you didn't name him Walt because of warts. That makes me think of HPV. (guess cause I do pap smears all day long not because of the name Walt. I have a good friend named Walt and he doesn't look a bit like a wart)
I like Einstein. He does look like a statue. Are toads good for the ponds?
Could you get a water plant basket---you know---the kind that is full of holes...or heck, even a colander--and then line it with mesh and then turn it upside down over the drain---and maybe put a small rock on it to weigh it down?
Now to find a basket that will fit over the drain and have just the right sized holes... not too big for the fish to go through, but big enough for the water to flow smoothly through! A strainer would not have large enough holes. And I don't really want to have to spend on a water plant basket because the only place around here that might even have one is the expensive pond store. HMMMMMMM...Any suggestions?
Yes, Sheri - I did name him Walt instead of Wart. Sorry about your connections to that.
I heard a loud, long song a little while ago and am thinking it was him, or another frog. I didn't see him yesterday when I looked in the skimmer, but he's probably around somewhere.
I have a brilliant idea about 3 times a year , glad I could help and that I had one for you Lynne.
I hope it works out. I'm not sure what your drain looks like on the bottom, is it round? I'm just trying to picture it in my head. But it would be an inexpensive fix.
I NEED a froggy! Last year my neighbor caught me a few at her daughters pool. But she moved, the daughter, so if it comes down to it maybe I'll see if Mark can catch me one at the river.
Don said that the mesh strainers would not be good because it wouldn't allow the water to flow as much as it needs to. He also said it's about 12 inches in diameter and the basket can't have a thick top to it because it would block the space where the water flows into when it's inverted.
This is going to be an interesting expedition to find just the right thing!
i have a colander with square holes that is about 12" in diameter. water just flows through it. the holes are about 1/8 inch or maybe larger, too small for a fish, but large enough it doesn't hold water at all. not even a little bit. spaghetti flows through it (i had to buy a different colander for spaghetti).
it came from a dollar store. i think it was $1.88.
being on the lookout for one of those sounds perfect.
That was my thought too, Jiffy. Unfortunately there are only 2 dollar stores anywhere near here anymore, but I will hit them just as I get rid of this awful cold. I have no idea where this came from, but boy oh boy did it hit me over the head yesterday and is worse today...
Carol - you are too funny! For those of you who don't know what she means, we were IMing on Monday when she wasn't feeling well, and then Tuesday I came down with this cold - weird!
I tried to bake the cold out a bit on the deck this afternoon - it was 80 degrees there - always warmer than the real temperature, but I couldn't sit still. I did constantly hear a noise that sounded like a frog or toad! I hope he's still hanging around. I think he's an American toad, from what I saw in a google search. I need to find a site that has frog/toad sounds now.
Edit: OK - found a site quickly, and YES - that was him!!! This time it sounded like it was coming from somewhere by the waterfall. Hope he's getting comfy here.
I really have no idea, Sheri, but he won't eat the fish, and I do love most critters, so long as they are not doing harm. I do imagine he'll eat some bugs for me?
Edit again...
Just found this interesting info, but while it does say they can secrete a poisonous substance which can irritae human skin, it also says they make good pets!!!
Quote
This species can be difficult to identify. It never has a spotted belly and both cranial crests touch the parotoid glands. In the Eastern American toad these crests almost never touch the parotoid glands, which secrete bufotoxin, a poisonous substance. The poison the toad excretes is mild, but can irritate human skin.
American toads require a semi-permanent freshwater pond or pool for their early development. They also require dense patches of vegetation, for cover and hunting grounds. Given these two things and a supply of insects for food, American toads can live almost everywhere, ranging from forests to backyards. They are common in gardens and agricultural fields. During daylight hours they seek cover beneath porches, under boardwalks, flat stones, boards, logs, wood piles, or other cover. They are easy to find and make good pets. When cold weather comes, these toads dig backwards into their summer homes or may choose another site in which to hibernate
Last edited by plants 'n pots; May 14th, 2008 at 03:15 PM. Reason: found info about the toad
Thought I'd update with a few pictures today. I've been moving some sedums over to the hills of the pond, that have been growing in assorted gardens around the house. I'm hoping that they take off and grow into each other making a nice thick ground cover, so the soil stays put and doesn't keep raining down when it gets wet.
Here are both sides of the hill - the other plant you see there is a lambs ear on each side. I'm so disappointed though - the woman at the nursery told me it would get purple blooms, but I got a catalogue yesterday from another nursery with that same variety in it, and it says it's non-flowering. Oh, well...
And 1 of 2 pots of waterlillies starting to grow leaves out finally! (the red dots you see is food for the 2 fish that are hopefully left - haven't seen them in days!)
I asked Don to assemble the adirondack chair that I bought last summer, so I could see how much room it would take up in the pond garden - it also has a matching ottoman and side table. It actually takes up quite a bit of the space I marked out for the garden, but I don't really want to make it bigger and use up most of the flat land we have up by the house, before the yard slopes down away from the house.
Here is the chair and the pond...
And here is a close-up of the chair and ottoman, and also showing the area that Don started digging up for me today. Poor thing - his back has been hurting him a lot, but he keeps on going like the energizer bunny!
Now that I look at the pictures here, I think I might have to ask him to enlarge it, because I do have some larger sized plants to move into these gardens. Hmmmm...
I'm liking the chair Lynne! and I'm soooooooo glad you made sure there was an area for sitting at the pond,, the plants are looking good too!,, have you seen your fishes yet??
"Grace without perfection is more to be desired than perfection without grace."
No sign of any fish yet! There are only 2 left in the pond - that is... if they are still in there! Don is going to try and vacuum it out again tomorrow - it got a lot of dirt in the when he had to turn the waterfall off to get the dead fish out of that skimmer. I'm hoping the weather cooperates and he can do that tomorrow. Then I will look for a basket again tomorrow and Monday.
Thanks Loz! Haven't sat in it because we only placed it there to get an idea of the size of the garden. It's raining today, so the work that Don started earlier this morning out there has been put on hold.
Yep - blue chair! When I saw it I just had to have it. By the way... I've been wearing the gardening gloves that you sent me, and I just realized that they were blue! Thanks again for sending them - they are being used well!
I like those gloves because they aren't the really cheap ones---they have that rubber stuff so your hands get grip and don't get all wet, but they aren't really expensive either....I go through a lot of pairs in a year. And I'm glad you're using them.
It has rained her forever. Today is rained all morning, but now it's blue skies with lots of clouds and sunny(ish).
Still noooooooooooo sight of fish! And Don didn't get to vacuum the pond out today, so I don't know when I'll get some more and try again. I haven't found a basket yet either - didn't go out today like I was going to - this cold just will not go away!
lynne, i was thinking, could don make a box out of hardware cloth to cover the drain? the squares in it should be about the right size and it is sturdy enough to hold it's shape.
Interesting idea, Jiffy but it won't work, because whatever we use would have to be held down with a rock on top. You see... it would have to have a circumference larger than the drain so that the water could still flow through, without taking the fish along with it, and some way to hold it down.
Dare I say that one of the fish has been swimming near the surface all morning? I'm almost afraid to mention it, because the last time I saw one hanging around for a couple of days, he was the one sucked into the drain... I still do not see the other one, so I don't know if this one is lonely? I don't feel well enough to get to the pet store today, but hopefully will tomorrow.
lynne, the hardware cloth i am talking about will hold its shape. it is a wire mesh on the weight order of chicken wire, but is more uniform and sturdier with much smaller holes. i think the holes are around 1/4-1/2 inch and are square. you can bend it to fit any particular shape, or you can nail it into a wooden frame. it is what lots of people use to make their compost sifters.
it isn't cloth at all, but that is what it is called. does that make sense? and, you might not even need the rock to hold it down as it won't float.
I do understand what you are talking about, but it needs to be weighed down so the fish don't move it around the drain - there needs to be space between whatever we use and the edge of the drain. And the "lip" of the item cannot be too thick, because the space where the water flows through is close to the ground - did I explain that a little better?
Wood floats, yes? Can't nail anything into the liner... so whatever it will be, needs to be held down somehow. That's why I liked the plastic basket I found so much, but it just wasn't the right size.
The bad... He was stuck in the regular filter again! I saw the one fish hanging around outside the entrance to the skimmer and was afraid he might go in. I chased him away, and then looked in the filter, and sure enough, there was the other one.
Thank goodness he swam off when I put him back in the pond. I still can see the first one out and about - he's mostly white with orange on his head and neck. Today is so raw and windy out, with rain on and off - wonder why he chose today to come out and show his face?
Well, last evening the white/orange one was just hanging around on the top of the pond, breathing, but not looking so good. He didn't swim away when all of us were around the pond, and this morning I don't see him. Haven't gone outside yet to look - it's too early, and raw out once again. Don't see the other one from up in the house either, but then again, I never did see that one swimming around the pond.
I read about putting chicken wire in front of the skimmer door, but that kinda defeats the purpose of the skimmer, you know? It would only allow the smallest of debris to get in, and then would get clogged up by the larger leaves, etc.
What to do... what to do...?
Edit: It is only 35 degrees out there today!!! If I were a fishie in that cold water I wouldn't be showing my face either! What is WRONG with this weather already???
Last edited by plants 'n pots; May 20th, 2008 at 04:26 AM. Reason: saw thermometer!
At least YOU are enjoying it, Tamara! I'm frustrated with it for the time being!!! Once everything is working properly - soon I have to hope, then I'll be able to enjoy it more - right now it's one thing after another...
Spoke with a friend yesterday who lives about 45 minutes north of us - she's had a pond for about 5 years now - she has problem with Herons getting her fish. I feel badly for her, and hope that when we finally DO get some fish established here, that the Herons don't find their way also!
Well I just HAD to get this cute flag for the pond hill when I saw it at Christmas Tree Shops - too perfect for my pond don't you think???
I had the holder and was waiting to find just the right flag! And this one has so many nice shades of blue in it! The holder has a hummingbird on it and says "welcome", in case you can't make it out clearly.
Now... if I can only get some fish to be that colorful and friendly IN the pond! I went back to PetSmart this morning in search of more baby koi - the guy told me that they changed the delivery day to Thursdays, instead of Mondays and to come back tomorrow. Not sure if I want to use the gas to do that, but he is also going to hold a solid yellow koi for me if one comes in - I've been wanting one ever since the hole was dug!
I like it Lynne, but you know me---I like all kinds of outdoor decorations. I have 3 mini flags in my yard. I really do like the colors in that one though. Nice and bright.
I hope that you get your yellow koi you've been waiting for. How far are you from Pet Smart?
Don was kind enough to dig out the grass on the other side of the pond today. Now I need him to turn over the dirt in both gardens and take out all the large rocks, before we mix in the compost and THEN I get to plant! Yippee!!!
It was hard to get a picture of the entire area, so this is the best I could do through the upstairs bathroom window!
I've been trying to get a good picture of the solar ball that Diane sent me, but this is the best I can do. Here it is, nesting among the rocks at the edge of the pond, and then glowing it's very pretty blue color!!!
Wow, you guys have done beautifully with this project! Can't wait to see it all planted as you envision it!
Merme
We were given two hands to hold, two eyes to see, two ears to listen & two legs to walk. But why were we given only one heart? The other heart was given to another for us to find.
The BLue light is even a brighter blue than what I've got,, I wish I could have sent you more of them but that's all I had left,, they would look awesome around the pond at night! ,, Like Loz said,, it has been a long project,, but the rewards will be there at the end,, and you and Don will happy
"Grace without perfection is more to be desired than perfection without grace."
Thank you all for all your kind words and inspiration - it really helps keep us going when we have set backs and frustrations.
Today... Don TRULY was DON OF THE POND!!! He was vacuuming out the dirt on the bottom, and did manage to get a lot of it, but it's still so murky dark - he increased the flow of the 2 filters, so I really don't know if the 1 remaining fish will survive after today - time will tell... Like his new waders that he bought just for working in the pond???
I potted up some of my elephant ears in a large plastic black pot and am trying them out in the pond - it's on a shelf and not all the way submerged as you can see. They are not supposed to like full day sun, but I'm hoping that the water will keep them cool enough that they will continue to grow. I potted them up indoors the third week of March, and it's taken this long for them to get to this size - sheeeeeeeesh!
And Don dug out the first hole in the garden for me so I could move a rather large sedum Autumn Joy over there before it gets too big and heavy to move this summer - it should have been moved weeks ago before it got to this size even! Here's the hole - I'll be planting it later when the sun goes down so it doesn't wilt too badly after the move.
oh - Loz - I cannot put any floaters in the pond, unfortunately, because the main skimmer is so strong that anything that floats goes either directly into it, or stays right in front of it - bummer!!!
Loz - it will be interesting to see what happens if you do get that blue dye.
Jiffy - I had completely forgotten about the hula-hoop trick - thanks so much for reminding me! I am going to make that my next purchase and then the plants!
Diane - there "might" be 1 fish left in the pond, so I think it was ok - he didn't see it, and I haven't for a few days now either.
Ya know... I missed that fish that Diane put in there!!! I was so exhausted earlier that I didn't look at the picture for very long - very cute and well done, Diane!!!
I hate that about your fish, hopefully, it will be worked out! And don't worry, 2 out of 3 of my ponds are the same color as your! I keep using my algae fix every 3 days, maybe after spring is over it will clear up!
OK - I am going to the pond store in a little bit - I am going to ask all about the skimmers sucking the fish in, and the water clarity.
Don floated a hula-hoop in the pond and it went right to in front of the skimmer!!! He had the idea of tying it to a rock on edge of the pond with fish line - hopefully that will work and I can grow some floating plants in that!
OK - I am going to the pond store in a little bit - I am going to ask all about the skimmers sucking the fish in, and the water clarity.
What did the Pond store say any good advice??
I'll look here and see if our stores still have those floaters for plants in ponds I've seen them I just can't remember where,, it anchors down some how,,, I just briefly looked at it , seeings how I don't have a need for one,, but I had thought that was a pretty ingenious thing to come up with,, Danggggggg Now where did I see those at,, I'll get back with you on that.
"Grace without perfection is more to be desired than perfection without grace."
Ya know... I missed that fish that Diane put in there!!! I was so exhausted earlier that I didn't look at the picture for very long - very cute and well done, Diane!!!
I did too so when I read this that Lynne wrote I went back and looked.
great Job Diane---that is so cute.
________
Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
Well... the pond store owner was very sympathetic to my problems and suggested that I use plastic coated hardware cloth to wrap AROUND the drain. Here, we had been thinking that we needed to put something dome-like OVER the drain, but his idea was so much simpler!!! He also agreed that I could put a flat piece in front of the skimmer, so that's what Don did for me. Forgot to take a picture of that though - will on Wednesday after tomorrow's rain stops.
We made lots of progress today!!! I got some floating plants and even found a few toys in the garage that would work as float-holders tied down to rocks on the edge with fishline!
Here is a water hyacinth in one - the plastic is much more neon green than here.
And a water lettuce that was stuck in the corner, but is now floating happily in front of the waterfall and looks so cool! See the ornamental grass that we transplanted from another garden also today? Last year it grew to about 7 feet tall, so I think it will look great there - can't wait!
And the adirondack chair and table in their permanent spots, and temporarily decorated...
Last but not least... Don finally relaxing after all the hard work he put in the past 3 days out there!
OHHHHHHHHH - I got another baby koi today - he's orange and white and I have named him Creamsicle!!! Hope that doesn't put a curse on him since I've heard that if one names their fish it's certain death, but the name came as soon as I saw him. I put him and another baby I got the other day - Rudolph - because he has a very red nose - in the pond after Don put the hardware cloth in. Please keep your fingers crossed for them ok? The last goldfish was found dead in the waterfall skimmer this morning before I left for the store.
Carol - the work is not nearly finished!!! He still has to dig out much of the gardens on both sides - it's really hard to dig out this hard clay soil and rocks! TONS of rocks!!!
Thanks about the blue pot - I've had it for a year now - I seem to collect blue pots - have for a few years now - it's just that that particular one didn't have a plant in it right now and I thought it was fitting for that spot. It's another Christmas Tree Shops purchase - gotta love that store!!!
Loz - I actually have 2 more small grasses of the same kind and am going to move 1 over to the other side of the pond when it's ready. I didn't realize how much room the seating was going to take on each size, so I am much more limited in how many plants I can move over there now. Oh, well...
Cindy - were your ears burning yesterday? I was talking about you to Don, after I bought some parrot's feathers for the pond. I was remembering with affection, the time you sent me some from your pond, for the bathtub pond we had! I might have to change the name of that plant to "Cindy's plant"!
At this point I can't imagine having 97 fish in there, but I suppose it's possible! I do remember your crazy fish "going at it" all the time!!!
No pics of me, Tamara, until I lose some of this awful weight! Though I did lose 2 lbs. over the weekend just from working out there and not being near food as much. I hope I can continue - would like to lose at least a few more before a BBQ we have to go to in 3 weeks!
Welllll... I'm not so sure how long this furniture set is going to last! After being in its first rain last night, it's apparent that there is a rectangular patch in the wood on the top of the left arm , and it's already starting to peal away just from the first rains. I am so annoyed about that - this set came in a box and Don spent a long time putting it all together. I bought it last year, and he threw away the box, so there's no taking it back. I guess you certainly get what you pay for!
Anyway... I did some potting up of a few plants in more blue pots, and thought I'd share a small part of the rim of the pond here.
lynne, i really enjoyed looking at your pond pictures today while i was at lunch, stuck inside working, and it was so pretty outside. you did good oh, wait a minute, i guess don did help you but it is awesome what the vision the two of you have done!
I'm hoping that I'm not being a bore posting the day to day progress of the pond?
Which brings me to my lastest pictures... Today I found some foam based frisbees at a discount store so I decided to give them a try for the pond plants. Even though these plants are floaters, I have to tie them down to the rocks so they all don't end up right in front of the skimmer in the corner.
And much to my surprise... the water hyacinths that I just bought on Monday are in full bloom!!! I didn't even notice any buds when I bought them, nor when I first put them in the pond, so this is very exciting for me!
And the water lettuce in it's new foam holder
I just wish I didn't have to have fish line everywhere, but if it works then so be it!
Looks great Lynne! I love seeing the progress....Ponds are cool!
You could've tied the fishing line around the frisbee and then attached a bag of river rocks to the end and sunk it in the pond. That way you don't see any lines and the plants can't float away if they are weighted down like that.
I'm hoping that I'm not being a bore posting the day to day progress of the pond?
are you kidding me?? I don't get to this thread every day,, but I love seeing the progress Lynne!! you plants looks awesome and good Idea with the foam frisbee's to use hold the plants,,
"Grace without perfection is more to be desired than perfection without grace."
your pond & the area around it just keeps getting better & better---I too enjoy coming to see about the progress---and it makes me smile-----so thanks for that.
________
Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
Loz - that is a GREAT idea - but I do think it will have to wait til the water clears up a bit so the fish don't decapitate themselves by not being able to see where the fishingline is, you know??? Don is getting VERY frustrated with the color and murkiness of the water. I am too, but my main concern right now is the welfare of the fish! I haven't seen any of them since I put them in on Tuesday...
I know, my pond color gets me down too---it IS very frustrating.....Hopefully when I get my pond plants it will help clear up the water....People that come over to see the pond/yard think that it should just be crystal clear....it's kind of embarrassing to me to have such a green pond.
I might build a natural filter though....I was reading how if you make another small pond, it could even just be a storage container--that's what I might use....and you have it above your pond and fill it with hyacinths and water plants and then have your pond water pass thru that container that the hyacinths will suck all the impurities out of the water better......I was looking at pictures of a persons pond that had one of these set ups and their water was crystal clear.
I did have one thought for you---with the hyacinth being in the frisbee it won't be able to spread and grow. They are whats great for clearing up the water....some places use them in their sewer system because they have such good filtration.....so the more that you have spread out the better your pond will look.....
Actually the hyacinth in the larger green frisbee does have pieces growing out the sides that have their own roots, so I do think it will be able to spread. I was wondering about that, about the water lettuce, so I will keep a close eye on it to see if being in the frisbee is impeeding the growth. Thanks for the warning though!
Don is so frustrated that he keeps saying that he should have drained the pond earlier this spring and refilled it! Welllllllll... first of all - we pay dearly for our water and I really do not think that is an option. Secondly... the algae is going to grow no matter how clean the water is that you start off with! It's the run-off dirt from the hill that is making it very mucky and that needs to be attended to - hopefully he will put a barrier behind the rocks at the edge so the dirt doesn't pour in everytime it rains or I water.
Today was a long day outside, even though we were supposed to have severe thunderstorms again. It was VERY humid all day, and mostly sunny, until later in the early evening when the storm arrived finally. But I got lots done outside, and one of those things was to place "bubbles" in the rocks of the waterfall.
Blue GLASS bubbles!!!
And look at this magical plant! This is exactly as I found it today - I did NOT touch it in any way - it wasn't apparent until I was close up on it - can't see the shape from in front of the pond.
Love the blue bubbles....are you just doing them on that one side? They are so vibrant!
And hey, I guess that plant loves being in it's spot there.
Lynne...I was thinking earlier. The back of our pond is on a grade....and it's settling and eroding......you might want to keep an eye on your pond for that. I guess the rain plus the settling really got to my pond. I still have yet to do the retaining wall. Maybe in the fall when the plants are out of the way.
Oh Lynne---it is all so beautiful--and that plant--are you sure your DH didn't go out & 'adjust' the plant a bit???--not that he will ever tell you--- but it is all very nice ---for sure--- you are one lucky lady.--it makes me feel relaxed just to see it--I can only imagine how good it makes one feel to actually be there & relax around it.
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
And noooooooo Don did NOT touch that plant - he didn't even want to come over and look at it when I noticed it... But he did put in some garden edging behind the rocks to keep the dirt from flowing down and into the pond - now it will be diverted to the sides instead.
I'm still waiting for him to dig out the rest of the gardens there. He's had so much else to do that it's not top priority for him right now.
Loz - I'm not sure if I want to put more balls on the other side - I kinda like it on the one side, besides, I don't have any more blue ones - only greens and yellow. I liked the way the blue reminded me of water, so I kept it to that.
Noooooooo signs of any fish, and I did add another baby koi yesterday - finally found a mostly yellow one! So now there are 4 baby kois, 1 junior koi.,and a medium sized goldfish but I cannot see any of them - the water is so murky and dense looking!!!
A quick update before I go make dinner. This is what I spent most of the late afternoon working on today - the walkway in the pond garden so people don't step on my plants! I also planted more marigolds in front of the table because the scent is supposed to keep bees away, and the oranges and lemons gaillardia behind the table. It's really starting to shape up there. Now if I could only see some fish already!!!
I love how you placed those blue balls on one side like that,, and the heart shape HMMMMMMMM.. Putting a lot of love into that pond and plants huh?? and the stone path sets that area off perfectly ,, * while I'm eye balling those orange and lemons* ,,, I'm soooooo jealous,, can't find those here Lynne you and Don have done an awesome job out there,, you should be very proud,, I'm proud for ya!!!!!! It's really coming together !
"Grace without perfection is more to be desired than perfection without grace."
WOW Lynne--that is so nice--your work looks professional. I think the stone pathway is perfect--and yes it will give everyone the idea to stay off of your flower beds.--- I agree with Diane, yo unad Don have done an awesome job with your pond and all the area surrounding it.
I also think you chose the perfect compliment of flowers to put around your 'resting area'.--
Last edited by JunieGirl; Jun 1st, 2008 at 06:09 PM.
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
Lynne, I can't get enough of your pond pictures! I love watching the progress. The blue glass balls are perfect! The Adirondack chair is sweet. I noticed some gargoyles in place too!
Everything's shaping up nicely.
I just took my my kids through this entire thread looking at the pictures. They absolutely love it and of course they want Rich to build a big pond like yours for me (them).
They love the glass bubbles and they especially love the solar light ball. They say it's very cool.
Thanks once again for the really nice comments, Diane, Carol and Mel!
Mel - I can't believe you showed them the entire thread - weren't they bored?
Oh, my son, who seems to know a lot about lots of stuff, tells me that what I have are imps not gargoyles, because gargoyles have wings and mine do not. Do I really care? I just thought they were cute!
I think you SHOULD have a pond of your very own!!! The kids would love it - that is... if they could actually SEE the fish in there!
Most of my fish came out to eat today!!! It was 6:30p.m. and the sky was getting darker and darker with what looked like a storm coming, and the temperature was just about 100 degrees and 200% humidity! It was the last thing I did outside today, after a long sweaty non-stop day - I fed them and I immediately saw 4-5 fish swimming around where I put the food, rather quickly and hungrily!!! I say 4-5 because I'm not sure if one of them was one I saw twice in 2 different places, or 2 different fish. It's hard to tell with the water still murky brown/green. BUT........ OH HAPPY DAY!
I got to watch 3 of the 4 eat for about 10 minutes - 2 in particular were swimming around each other and competing for the food - the white koi, and the bright orange goldfish. Soooooo exciting finally!!!
On Thursday, I bought some quilt batting at WalMart - I had read that if you put that in your filter it helps clear up the water pretty quickly. Don put some in both filters and is almost positive it's already working. Plus... he will finally clean the filters much more often than he thought he should - we've been arguing about that for weeks now - he finally saw the light! And may even get to see the bottom of the pond!
Yea I'm happy for ya! Why is it some guys just don't listen they just have to see for them selves Lets hope you all can see the bottom of the pond soon!
"Grace without perfection is more to be desired than perfection without grace."
I'm so happy for you Lynne! It's so nice to sit and watch them feed. I'm glad that they are in there and coming up to eat!
Very relaxing watching them.
I still want to make one of those filters with the batting. Shoot, what are they called? Brain dead here. But I figured I'd use a nice plant pot and keep it above ground.
Fixed our back pond wall tonight Lynne...didn't do the retaining wall, but we fixed it for now. I was able to add about another 3-4 inches of water to the pond.
Got a hula hoop at the store tonight for my hyacinths too!
From one murky pond owner to another---I feel your excitement with you!
Loz - did you post new pictures? I need to go see... And I too, am now using a hula hoop instead of the smaller frisbees to give the plants more room to grow. I do need to get some more to fill in though.
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I didn't have time to look until this morning, as we had a very busy day yesterday. There were then TWO dead koi in the skimmer! 
I can't believe they went down the very small slit of the drain edge - it's just too strange!
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I'll get back with you on that. ![[Linked Image]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v161/LynneNY/ponding/waterhyacinth5-26-08.jpg)
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I love watching the progress. The blue glass balls are perfect! ![[Linked Image]](http://www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/melcon.gif)
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