Garden Projects

 

 

 


Patio + Patio Garden

Pond + Deck

Front Lawn + Drive

Sundial Area

West Side

Pump House Area

Garden Shed Area

Wood Shed Area

Behind Garage

Beside Garage

Completed

Some Day

Front Lawn + Driveway

Patio + Patio Garden

Patio Garden Reclamation

This area is across from the rear patio and was thick with the "mapley things".  I don't know what
they are but they grow & spread FAST.  DH has pulled/chopped and hacked them all out.

Yucky Maple ? Mess Close Up of Yucky Maples

Real Close Up of Yucky Maples Basic Swakking of same

Late Fall '05 -
With the early (and ugly) onset of fall all we accomplished was cardboarding the area & spreading top soil.  I forgot to water down the cardboard before placing the topsoil however with all the rain we got over the winter I doubt it mattered much.

Gazebo Before Gazebo After

And Again with Trumpet Vine

Pond + Deck

There was part of the falling down arbor here which obscured the view of the pond.  Our intention is to put
a deck in the cleared area overlooking the pond.
This is pretty much the view we'll have from the deck.

Iris with rampant Petasites in background Pond from in front of Petasites

Another shot from the Petasites/Sundial end Looking from the *future deck*

From the pump Another shot from the Petasites area.

Koi - look small here but about 16-18" long.  We also have one 'kinda baby' which is about 6" long and one 'really baby' which is maybe 3" long.  As well several goldfish of varying sizes.  We'll protect the pond well for the winter so we don't have "snacking types" thinking this is a buffet. Parrot Feather + yuckky silt on bottom.  The silt is a dilemna 
as we'd like to get the pond a little cleaner however
don't want to traumatize the fish.  We've
added snails and parrott feather and fairy moss -
all towards hoping to obtain more balance.

Lots of Water Lilies - Yellow & Purpley Pink -
began flowering the end of June
Iris falling down creating more stuff in the pond

These Petasites need to go. . . waaay
invasive and simply takes over all & any available space.
I want tropical stuff here but not simply one plant --
gone wild.

Another pond shot in May.  By the end of June you
can't see nearly as much for all the "growth".

Fall photo as you can see by the date. The iris are
fading and lots of yukky stuff falling into the pond
with the fall winds.  I've no idea what should be
done with the iris but surely something.

May '06 - Pond Clean Up
This was too much of a mess and we couldn't stand it any more.  We looked into various methods
of doing it ourselves but finally gave that idea up and got the super folks from Clearwater Pond in Errington
to do it.  We are very glad we did as it was quite a job - even for the experienced!

Pond May 18 - Before Cleaning Red-Legged Frog we found in the pond.   A species of
*Special Concern* more info here.

Fish Holding Tank Catching The Koi - this is the male (white)

And the clean out begins The iris removal project!

This is only one of several - look at the roots! Another hunk of iris - mostly potted into milk crates

Took a machete to get them split apart Getting to the bottom now - finally!

Close to the bottom - a lot deeper than we knew! Tod bailing to get down to the bottom

Must have been a good 8" plus of Mulm!

Vacuuming the remainder

Getting close to cleaned out

Mike repotting the lilies + iris

Plants back in place

Clean Pond

Clear Water!

However . . .
Within two days junk had begun to settle on the pond per picture below.  As I write - its been a day past 3 weeks
since the pond was cleaned  - the *green water* has returned big time and we can barely see the fish.
It's free floating algae which may be caused by one of a few different reasons.  We're investigating and hope
to have the pond back to reasonable clarity by the beginning of July - preferably without using chemicals.
(BTW - this algae doesn't bother the fish - works fine for them - only an aesthetic nuisance to us).
We have waders and nets - both small + large - and we do go in to clean out the stuff.  The pond has pretty
good plant/shade coverage though - with the plant repotting - its been lessened somewhat until the lilies
begin to grow again.  There is lots of duckweed plus Parrot Feather + Water Lettuce + Water Hyacinth
but it seems to be all down at the end that is already quite shaded.

 

One other problem - though not really of concern at the moment - is this crack in the bottom.
The pond loses maybe 2 inches of water over a day or two in the summer with less in the winter.
We top it up and its not really an issue of concern but perhaps something we would look at fixing
at some future point.

Today - June 8/06 - I added more Water Hyacinth (to replace that which someone's puppy felt made
wonderful toys) some Fairy Moss and a Water Hawthorn.  The Koi will love the Fairy Moss to snack on.
Hopefully they will all help with the algae fight.  I'll get some photos shortly.

Deck Planning 101

From the Pond Side pre Arbor Removal From the Lawn Side *Before*

From the Lawn Side after Clearing

Fence gone - now to clear area + add decking

The new arbor is up but we've not got the deck area
done.  Lamium is rampant in this area.  How to get rid
of it is the question of the fall.

Beside Garage

Reconstruction of Main Arbor

The start on the reconstruct of the garage side arbor

Almost finished!

It's done.  While you can't really see them the two roses
that I do like (and I'm not a big fan of roses) seem to be
springing back to life after their rather severe haircut.
Billy put in a new walkway from the gate on the
driveway side and we'll be redoing the 'pond entrance'
walk next spring.

Bill staining the arbor with solid stain.  The rough cedar
didn't seem to go with the house.  It's finished now + we
are really pleased with the result.
I'll take some photos when we've finished planting.

Behind Garage

This area is essentially North East.  Once the Robinia leafs out in late May there is only bright but indirect light 
- early AM & then a little more at days end.  Thus it lends itself to shade plants.

Overgrowth Central - the Hydrangea is planted all
of a foot from the Camellia.  Heelllo?  What were you
folks thinking?  On the right is the Privet Hedge
hiding the architecture.

Here the Hydrangea is gone (perhaps) thus the Camellia
stands alone with the bedraggled fern.  I'm thinking I'll take
the fern and move it around the corner (to the left).
I'm still debating with self whether to prune the Camellia
into a tree or whether to prune the top and create
a fuller bush.

Privet gone.  We're thinking perhaps we will extend the brick right back to the wall and do planters along here.
There is a vine that is 'woodland' oriented and may do well here.

This cotoneaster should be replaced entirely however
for now it will get a severe haircut
& we'll see how well it fills in.

" Inspire Photo " -- much more attractive.  Big pots of ferns and impatiens would likely do well in this
northeast protected location.

West Side

This is the fig tree that was beside the house.  Once we discovered we had more than one ---
we decided this one had to go.

This area is due for at least some attention this year.  We want to fence in the LPG tank with some posts and
lattice and plant along this side.  At the far end (far right in picture) is a Wisteria which still keeps trucking along
although it must be eons old from it's trunk.  Next to that I'll put an Aucuba.
Originally - pre-pruning of Apple tree and removal of Fig  - this was quite a shady area.
Now - only shady at the far right side * not so * as you move toward the LPG tank soooo
need to re-think.  Also need to incorporate a path here as there is an arbor on the far right
leading to the front lawn.  (Pictures Below)

Grape Arbor going on to front lawn Grape Arbor going from front lawn to West Side

This arbor is also pretty old and likely due for replacement soon however we're going to try to make it last another
couple of years.  We'll stain it as we have the others (which will be challenging to get around all the vines) --
giving it a bit of a *spruce up* if you will.

Sundial Area

New Arbor for Sundial Area

 

This area was totally overgrown and unkempt.  Once
we cut away all the shrubbery - our ideal of 'repair' was
quickly eliminated.  The rot in the posts was so
extensive all needed replacement.

Another shot of the overgrowth on this arbor.

And still more overgrowth.

Reconstruction begins.  This shot from the lawn side.

Reconstruct from front (lawn) side almost finished.
Still needs the archway detail done.

Photo soon

Reconstruct from sundial side almost finished.  Again still needs the archway detail done.

Arbor now completed and stained.  Still need vines.

Someday . . .

Likely a far distant time from now . . . we'd like to put in a small putting green and a separate guest house.
The putting green thing isn't that much rocket science but the guest house is - due to the septic field.  I F - as
we understand will likely happen - we have 'city water' within the next five years - then we won't be dependent
on the septic field & it's a whole new ball game.  Until then it's only a dream (or a kazillion dollars).

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