life in and around the garden
I absolutely loved this house with it’s wrap around porch that I spied while on vacation in Maine this past summer.
The simplicity of multiple pots of Eucalyptus lined up on the edge of the porch stopped me in my tracks.
The plants gently swayed in the breeze that was bringing in salty air from the water.
An inspiration for my own garden this summer.
Where do you find garden inspiration?
A few years ago, we added a small pond to our garden. After digging a spot in the garden, we pieced together some filters and pump, filled it up with water, and dropped in some rocks and fish.
We loved the sound of water splashing down a small rock waterfall and placed a few pond plants along the edges of the pond.
We sat back to enjoy the tranquility of the pond and watch our little ecosystem grow.
We soon realized that we had some issues!
The water was cloudy and began to grow layers of green algae that we couldn’t skim fast enough from the water. Leaves and pine needles clogged the filter and the hot summer days warmed the shallow water, making it unhealthy for fish; but we hatched lots of mosquitos!!
The pond became a frustration instead of a retreat in the garden!
Early this spring we were given the opportunity to work with the Oase Living Water Company.
Taking a look at images from last year’s garden was all it took to sign up for a garden pond makeover.
With the help of Oase Living Water, we were able to design a pond suited for our zone 4 garden. We wanted a larger pond that we could grow water plants and enjoy colorful Koi fish. We also wanted a pond that was easy to take care of!
Oase helped us select the appropriate equipment to keep a pond that is both beautiful and easy to maintain. We were excited to learn that the equipment has an Eco-friendly rating, making it energy efficient to run the pond equipment.
Oase also have a Clear Water Guarantee. “When a pond owner properly uses specifically marked Clear Water Guarantee products, they are guaranteed to have clear water and minimal maintenance.”
The equipment that we used to build the pond include:
AquaOxy 450 Air Injection Pump
AquaSkim In-Pond Surface Skimmer
Corrugated and Flexible Tubing 1 ½” and 2” diameter
Dismantling the old pond was the first task, and this was the most difficult part of the project!
The little red tractor was perfect for removing the old liner and rock. We also needed to relocate several shrubs and perennials to allow for a larger pond.
Spring is generally the best time to move most plants in the garden, and I am happy to report that everything we transplanted is growing and thriving.
Once the old liner and rocks were removed, we began the task of digging the new pond. We were able to add several feet to the width and length. We chose not to disturb an existing brick paver area and carefully worked around a favorite River Birch Tree that was in place.
Once again the little red tractor was the perfect size for working in the constraints of the garden. The waterfall area was dug by hand with shovels.
We dug the pond to a depth of 40 inches in the center; this depth will prevent the pond from completely freezing solid in the winter with the addition of an aerator. The sides of the pond slope quite sharply; this will help prevent animals and critters from entering the pond and bothering the Koi that will soon inhabit the pond.
The remaining rocks from the old waterfall where removed.
The weather is certainly a factor when working in the garden in early spring. We are a small crew of 2 and with some delays we finally got to this point in the project. The garden looked pretty muddy and messy at this point, but it’s going to be pretty!
Stay tuned for Part 2-The Pond Build!
April brings warmer weather and lots of garden chores to get things rolling around here!
Off to search for a right and left garden glove!
This simple garden tool inspired my article that is in the February issue of Artful Blogging. This small garden hoe was bought at a farm auction, and once home I noticed the initials carved into the handle. How interesting that a gardener left their mark.
I tend. I tend kids, critters, and a garden, and I blog about it.
Here’s the giveaway! Leave a comment about where you get your inspiration? I will pick one winner to receive a copy of Artful Blogging! If you follow me and leave a comment, I’ll put your name in the garden hat twice. I’ll announce the winner on Mon Feb 16.
I’m continuing with my garden inspiration images this month.
With snow all around me, I would rather look at pretty garden peas.
Fresh broccoli from the garden this past Summer.
down to earth digs 