Pond watch & path work
Still ponds act as mirrors, reflecting the sky and the trees above. But this ghostly mirror image is of dwarf papyrus (Cyperus papyrus ‘Nanus’), a potted plant in my stock-tank pond.
You can see the papyrus on the right. The ‘Colorado’ water lily is still blooming, and the ‘Helvola’ has numerous buds.
A couple of goldfish recently died inexplicably, but the others seem healthy and increasingly friendly.
Over on this end of the garden, the deeper setback of the new fence has opened up the side yard to the back garden. Last Friday I used marking paint to spray out a path to the gate, and I started digging out grass to make beds on either side. Here’s the view looking up from the stock-tank pond toward the gate.
And looking down toward the pond. (The paint marks show how I tweaked my path layout.) I’m planning to build or have built a faux garden house to hide the pool pump equipment, which is marked by two vertical posts where the old fence once surrounded it. More on this later.
If I followed my own advice, I’d start this side-yard garden by constructing the path itself, but no—I have plants ready and waiting to be planted, so the beds will go in first. I’m saving the path excavation for later, when I can do this one and the one on the other side of the garden at the same time. For now it will remain grass as I continue the whittle the lawn down to grassy paths in the back yard.
Oh, but if you could see all the lawn in the front yard you’d know how far I still have to go.
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Looking good, Pam! Is that a red-leaved crinum I see on the left side of the stock tank? I’m wondering because I just yanked a couple out of my bog.
They called it a pond lily—pretty generic—at the nursery. I don’t know what it really is, but I do like it. —Pam
Your stock tank seems to have come through all the rain with no problems. It is wonderful to follow, along with you, your plans for the garden. I just find it exciting to be starting on new plans. It is just the getting started that is the hard part! Right now it is pomegranate juicing for me.
It IS exciting to start on a new garden, especially if you can break it down into manageable projects. Otherwise it can feel overwhelming. —Pam
I agree with Jenny. It’s the ‘getting started’ part that’s hard.
We finally have the fence in. Now, there are beds, paths and dry creek/drainage to dig. I’m very much a ‘do it yourself’ type. So, there will be lots of work in my future.
Keep on inspiring us.
I’m with you, Linda—pretty much a do-it-yourselfer. That leaves me more money for plants. 😉 —Pam
I’m always impressed when someone gets rid of lawn. Sorry to hear about your front yard but you’ll get there eventually. At least that’s what I keep telling myself about our front yard! I still love that stock tank pond!
The stock-tank pond is one of the easiest garden features to maintain, Jean. You need one! —Pam
You have a serious orange exclamation going on here. Love seeing the ghostly reflection and your fish.
Thanks, Lisa. —Pam
Looks like you have some really good plans in motion. I can’t wait to see the pathway and faux garden house finished. -Jackie
Me too, Jackie! —Pam
Pam, Always love seeing that orange paint on the ground. Can’t wait to see this new addition.
Orange paint on the ground is full of promise, isn’t it? I got a little more grass out today. Slowly but surely. —Pam
lovely pond and in there my favorite flower, water lily. It looks different, i think it is a hardy one as compared to my tropical ones. i am sure there are lot of new things you have in your mind but still not done.
Yes, it is a hardy water lily, Muhammad. They are not as electrically colored as the tropicals, but of course in my climate the tropicals wouldn’t make it through the winter. —Pam
Hope the remaining fish stay healthy! I look forward to seeing your path and faux garden house. Pool pumps certainly are not attractive garden features, I had a huge old pump in Alabama, what an eyesore.
They are ugly and loud, Robin. The old fence helped muffle the noise, and I need to get the new structure up soon. If only there were more hours in the day and days in the week. —Pam
Only a couple of tweaks? One reason I use garden hoses to mark a path or border is the area would be painted solid before I made up my mind.
I still swear I’m going to have a stock tank pond next year 🙂
They’re easy to make, Wiseacre, assuming you have a flat spot for one. But then you’ll give up the opportunity to move some gorgeous rocks for an in-ground pond. —Pam
I see you have a new photo up! Nice. Just came across this blog: roundrockgarden.wordpress.com/
Thanks for the link, Jenny. Meredith at Great Stems just told me about that one too. —Pam
What kind of a gardener would you be if you followed your own advice, that’s no fun! Fun new photo of you!
Do as I say, not as I do, right? Ha! —Pam
The new path is going to look nice there, Pam! But those rocks that the path meets in the foreground… are they part of a natural outcropping that you’re going to have to fight as you dig, or stones that have been laid there by previous owners? I seem to remember you commenting about the rocky areas in your new yard when you moved in, so this could be a real chore!
Kim, the rocks ARE part of a natural outcropping, a really big one. I worried when I moved in that I’d have to pick-axe through rock to plant anything in the back yard. But I seem to have hit the jackpot with real soil all around the rocks. My guess is that the previous owners brought in a lot of topsoil when they added the pool and re-landscaped the back yard five years ago. Anyway, I’m finding that the digging is easy, and I plan to use part of the rock outcropping as a set of natural steps. —Pam
Pam, your pond looks great! The water is so clear. I hope you do not have Heron problems like I have. Such a problem–and we still don’t have a good solution!
No herons so far, Linda. Hopefully they will be foiled by the relatively small size of the pond and the sheer sides of the tank. I’m pretty sure raccoons have tried to go fishing though. A couple of my potted plants have been knocked off their brick perches, but the fish were too deep to get. —Pam
What happens to all the orange grass? Does the paint kill it?
The orange paint fades away rather quickly, especially if it’s mowed. My challenge is rather to get the grass on either side dug out before the paint disappears. —Pam
Hi Pam, I am loving your new photo too, lady in red! Very nice. I like the new path, nice and wide, it does look like you made it wider after the first spray? The reflection image is terrific, so mysterious. New beds are so exciting, can’t wait to see it. 🙂
Frances
Thanks, Frances. Yes, I widened it on the second try, and I also took out some of the curviness. There wasn’t the length to make it as curvy as I first attempted. Still, it’s got a nice flow, and eventually it’ll lead to a front-yard garden. —Pam
LOVE the new pic, too. You look great and NOT venerable at all. hahaha
HOW do you keep your stock tanks so clean looking? Mine is just green. sigh.
I love paths. I want more, more, more. Someday, someday, someday.
You’re such a great photographer.
Thanks, Michele. A smaller pic helps me look less venerable—ha! The tank stays clean because of the underwater plants and the shading on top by the water lily leaves. And the fish help too. Do you have enough plants in yours? —Pam
I love plans. And you’ve drawn yours on the lawn. Can’t wait to see the followup photos.
I’ll have some eventually, Mary Delle. —Pam
You have boundless energy. I love seeing the garden evolve. The fence looks great and that stock pond….sublime.
Not boundless, Layanee, but I have moments. 😉 —Pam
Planting before installing the path? I’ve done that! 🙂 I enjoy watching you make your plans and look forward to seeing the project progress.
Cameron
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who breaks the rules, Cameron. 😉 —Pam
It’s going to be great. The pond is such an oasis and I can’t believe how quickly you’ve accomplished so much. Love the new mug shot, btw. Did I tell you Linda is coming out to shoot me/the garden for CTG on Thursday?
No, I didn’t know, but congratulations, Diana! That’s very exciting. Can’t wait to see your show. —Pam
It looks like it will be great. I laughed when you wrote about following your own advice. I often forget to follow mine too.~~Dee
“Forget” is a nice way of putting it, Dee. In my case it’s blatantly ignoring my own advice. 😉 —Pam
Will you walk the path for a while to make sure it feels right? I am enjoying watching you putting your garden together in your new home. I just moved into mine in July and have restrained myself to get the inside together before I started outside so I have just lived vicariously through your site to satisfy the urge! Thanks, it is looking great.
Walking a path a few times is a smart idea. I tinkered with mine enough while I was spraying it that I feel comfortable with the design. I’m already digging out the beds on either side—charge! Thanks for reading, LU, and good luck with your garden plans too. —Pam
The papyrus capture is wonderful. Pam, I have so done many of the hardscape projects last! Will the faux house be large enough to store your garden gloves and trowel? gail
Due to a lack of poured footings—it’ll be constructed more like a fence, not a real shed—and because of its immediate proximity to the fence we share with our neighbor, I am not planning to have it solidly roofed, Gail, so storage of gloves and rust-prone tools will not be possible. However, I’ve got a nice spot for all that in the garage. —Pam
Lookin’ good! And who wants to put in a path when you can plant instead? It’s the rare period in the garden where there are no plants waiting to find a home. Leaves are falling fast here and I still have four things sitting around waiting to get settled before it snows.
You’ve got a stricter planting deadline than I, Linda. Good luck with your fall planting and prep, and enjoy those leaves for me! —Pam
I’m enjoying seeing the process of garden making going on at your house. Thanks for sharing that. You’re lucky you don’t have a spouse who is in love with the lawn & begrudges every bit of it lost to a garden.
No, my DH doesn’t begrudge the loss of lawn…much. When he was mowing he was happy to see it go away. Now that our son is the mower, my DH likes the lawn a little better. 😉 —Pam