"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The pond in May.

The weather has been perfect here. We enjoyed temperatures up in the 70's while our company was visiting. It's always fun when people other than us get to see the garden. We were able to sit outside and visit, but it sure was hard sitting there while the weather was so nice.
Yesterday afternoon I was able to top off the pond with some more water and take a few pictures of how it's looking right now. While I was outside all of a sudden lots of Crows started circling overhead and calling to each other. After a couple of minutes I realized what they were so upset about, a hawk was near an area where there are some Crows nests. Now I know why we never see hawks around here very often, the Crows chased it off before it could get into any trouble.
As the sun was going down I was watching the pond out the window and saw a small bright yellow bird hopping around the pond and in the waterfall. It was a canary yellow with an even brighter yellow stripe on the top of it's head and just the lightest gray markings on the side of it's head. I've searched books and the internet trying to figure out what it could be. It was definitely not a Goldfinch or a warbler. I hope it comes back so I can get some pictures.

I didn't have much luck with quite a few of my pond plants this past winter. I already discovered that the Pickerel Weed didn't survive and now just realized that the Cardinal Flower didn't make it either. I've had it in the pond for years, and I'll definitely replace it, I love the tall red flower spikes it has.

For some reason I thought I had planted more Iris reticulata around the pond and was trying to figure out what was going on with them. As I was going through some plant tags I realized they were Dutch Iris and now they are blooming all around the pond.

Around the waterfall is this planting area that I couldn't decide what to do with. I had thought of turning it into a bog, but decided to try growing these small Daylilies here. They are 'Mini Pearl' a coral/apricot color and are also rebloomers. I'm really trying to stick with my color scheme in the pond area and so far I really like how it's all looking.

While we were at a nursery over the weekend my husband bought me this cute little toad house. If a frog isn't going to move into our pond than maybe a toad will. They are around this area, just still haven't found the pond yet. And if the toads don't like it, then maybe the garden fairies will.

From this angle you can see a little more of the yard as well as the fish that were busy following each other around.

The camera didn't capture the pretty lighting very well, everything looks so fresh and green. Clematis 'Josephine' is growing on the trellis. It has a couple of blooms but just doesn't seem very happy. I may plant it somewhere in the front yard if it doesn't look better soon.


Here's a short video of some of the fish chasing another one around last week. The kids in the background are from the school playground on the other side of the fence.
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38 comments:

  1. What a beautiful pond ! And the view down the side to the other garden beds is also beautiful. That first photo needs to be framed of your pond. thanks for the post, Gina

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  2. Catherine, I do love that pond. The iris look striking in that blue.

    Eileen

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  3. I think that the fairies will definitely find this garden to their liking and the frogs and toads will be looking for another home.

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  4. The Pond looks greater than last year! I finally got a lotus (or that's what the woman at nursery said), but the one leaf it had has died and another sprout died. It still has one small leaf. Hope it survives. The sprout is underwater. Should I reduce the water level?

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  5. Just simply beautiful Catherine - I also had a peep at your Garden Path Blogger page to see how your path has progressed over the years - loved seeing that too.

    Your backyard must be ever so quiet when the school is on holidays.

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  6. Oh, I hope you are able to get a snap of the yellow bird ~ it would be fun to figure out what it was :) The toad house is darling! I have the a similar colored reblooming daylilly and have enjoyed it. They are such hardy plants and mound up nicely. Catherine, the pond looks so peaceful and welcoming!

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  7. Your pond is just beautiful I love all the plants you have around it.

    What a cute little toad house.
    Marnie

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  8. Your pond is looking absolutely fabulous. I loved the video of your fish. What self-respecting toad wouldn't want to move into that lovely little house?

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  9. I LOVE your pond progress posts! Your pond is really coming to life now...but I think I said that last month too! :)

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  10. Hi Catherine..yay such beauty..fun video! I love your toad / faery house..they will all be very happy!! I love the new little spot..it will look stunning filled with the daylily's!! awesome!! Wonderfull inspiring post again!
    Kiki~

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  11. The blue of the iris is stunning! Your pond looks great. Your photos make it seem possible to reach into the water.

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  12. Absolutely gorgeous! A pond is on my long list of garden-have-to-haves!

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  13. The pond area looks better and better by every month Catherine! It's sad to hear about the lost plants, but is seems to be something that have happend to all of us this odd winter / gittan

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  14. Your pond is so wonderful, and it truly looks different each season. Of course, it is beautiful in every one. I think you have the season thing figured out. Love those hostas and ferns on the edge! And your iris is awesome.

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  15. Your pond and the path are looking just beautiful. I'm sorry to hear your Pickerelweed didn't come back. Cardinal Flower I have always found to be fickle and short-lived; it seems to like to seed around and do its own thing.

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  16. Oh how cute! You've done a great job. The hostas and ferns look so lush and full.

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  17. Catherine, I saw a bird very much like the one you described in my back yard this past weekend too. I looked in my bird book and the closest I could find was a Yellow-rumped Warbler, but the picture in the book doesn't have anywhere near as much yellow as I remember it having. What I remember most about it was the bright yellow spot on top of its head, kind of a diamond shape.

    I also had Western Tanagers in my yard this past weekend too, I posted a couple of pictures in my blog.

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  18. I get very confused on Dutch versus reticulata irises all the time. Grr! But your look nice anyhow. Maybe your mystery bird is a domesticated canary that got loose? Hopefully you can get some pictures because it sounds interesting!

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  19. I know you have invested lots of hours of work on the pond but it sure looks nice. I enjoyed seeing the video and hearing the kids from the school's playground reminds me of the first house John and I lived in. It was always fun to hear the kids play at recess. Hope you enjoy the afternoon.

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  20. Catherine, Your pond is beautiful! Love the toad house too. I always enjoy stopping by your place! It's so lovely and peaceful.

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  21. I think I could just sit by the pond all day long getting up to pee and get more coffee. The pond and gardens look so inviting.

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  22. If I were a toad I would move right in! Your pond looks so clean and fresh ... the light is lovely on the water and all the green is so lush. Lovely, Lovely! I love seeing the setting looking out into your garden. Cute video of your fish!

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  23. The pond is looking lovely so green and crisp the plants are.
    The fish video was fun.

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  24. Beautiful pictures, your pond is looking wonderful. Love the colour of your blue irises!

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  25. What a pretty pond! It looks great from all angles. The crows chase away falcons here too.

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  26. So beautiful Catherine. I've never heard of that daylily before. I bet the color will be great.

    Cute toad house. I saw a tiny frog hopping around in my backyard yesterday.

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  27. Love your pond! Thanks so much for sharing these pictures. Paula from Idaho

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  28. Your pond looks so nice. I love the iris photo. Looks like I could reach right in and smell them.

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  29. Thanks for the great views of your pond and yard. Your friens must have had a great time visiting. There is so much to see. i can tell that your garden is very alive and loved by animals and people alike!

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  30. If I were a toad, I would for sure want to move into your garden and that house! Too cute. My poor toads get a clay pot, turned upside down, with a hole drilled into the bottom!
    Do your nurseries sell tadpoles? Ours do and I'm going this weekend to get a few for my pond ~ that could be a way to get a frog in yours as well... I'm sure if they just found it, they would love it and stay.
    Sorry to hear your pond plants didn't overwinter. I wonder why? It seemed so mild there this year. I was lucky and everything from last year is doing well. It's good too since those things were so expensive. I always see cardinal flower mixed in with the water plants but I never think of it as a water plant. Maybe yours sowed some seed around?
    Poor clematis 'Josephine' ~ it does not look like she's happy. Mine is planted in a pot too but looks totally different. I hope to post some pictures this week so you'll be able to see. My pot gets full sun ~ how about yours?
    Great post, sorry to ramble on, there was just so much interesting stuff here.
    ps hope you get a picture and id on the bird too ~ it does sound really pretty and interesting.

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  31. Catherine, thanks for sharing your pond with us....makes me feel peaceful just looking at the photos and can only imagine what it's like to be sitting right next to it.

    If you find out the name of the yellow bird, let us know. Maybe it's someone's pet bird that escaped from its cage.

    I luv the little toad house, not sure I luv toads, though. Well, I like them, but not crazy about touching them.

    donna

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  32. Almost forgot to watch the fish video. It would not have been as good w/o the happy children's voices in the background.

    donna

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  33. Your plantings around the pond are very lush. It's a nice mix of greenery and flowers, reflected in the water. The flat stones make a good edging. I watched the video for the full affect

    The iris do look like Iris reticulata, just a little taller. :)

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  34. Late again! Been outside in this most comfortable weather for me. Overcast is good - yesterday I worked out in the rain and was I ever a muddy mucky mess but got all my plants planted in one garden I've been working on.
    The pond looks super! Looks like everything is just bursting around it so nice and full.
    Sorry to hear Josephine isn't doing well. We had to move ours too but she looks pretty happy now.

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  35. Your pond looks so relaxing. I love all the hostas around it. Very natural looking.

    I love watching our fish swim around too.

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  36. Catherine, Your pond and surroundings are just beautiful although I'm not sure what to make of that toad house, LOL. Looks like it belongs in the littlest gardener's fairy domain.

    The frogs could have laid eggs but the fish will eat them before they hatch. At least this was my experience. It wasn't until the coons ate my fish that the frogs were free to do their thing.

    And, if I haven't completely annoyed you with my know-it-all demeanor yet, I will tell you, I grew 'Josephine' in a container on a trellis and all she did was pout. Now that she's in the garden proper, she's much happier. Kind of persnickety she is.

    Again, just a wonderful setting. Your backyard must be the envy of the neighborhood.

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  37. Excellent pond. Congrats on your hard work. How long did it take to finish the whole pond building process?

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  38. Mesothelioma - It really didn't take us too long. Probably 3 days to dig the hole and get the liner edging stones laid.

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