Pond Project

Well the pond is almost done. I need to add more mulch and the sitting area need something to cover the mud. We haven't found something we like that doesn't break the bank.


The rocks to the left of the chairs are for Bonnie to walk to the stream and get a drink. She hasn't jumped in the pond yet for a swim but she loves walking in the stream.

There are two streams the main one and the side stream. This is the side stream and the next picture is the waterfall for the side stream.

This is the main stream and the main waterfall.

What's blooming this week.

Most of these are flowers that have been in the garden for years. I guess they are the tried and true. Most of them I have forgotten or lost the names. For example this Clematis. I call them pretty!
This one is easier. The daylilly on the right is Stella Odella and the shrub on the left is St John's Wort. The funny thing is the St John's Wort was on clearance and had one little branch that was alive. It has made some progress and I saved a plant!
These lilies were in a grab bag at a nursery several years ago. I don't remember what they were called but I don't have to worry about them coming back each year!
This is the butterfly weed. It is a native of the midwest. I still remember seeing it along the road on a trip to southern Missouri and thinking I paid for a plant just like that!
Here is what they called the common sundrop. What do they mean about common. How about reliable stunning yellow sundrop!
And last the balloon flower. Another one of the old reliable flowers. You can't say enough about them!

Pond building progress

Here are some before and after pictures of the progress of the pond so far. It has taken longer to complete than I first thought. As a whole I am pleased with what I have done so far.

Now I just have the landscaping to do. First I have to decide if I want to go for the natural planting or more of the mixed border that I have now. Will post more pictures after some of the landscaping is done.

What is blooming now

It seems like every post I have done this year I am apologizing for taking so long between posts. What makes it bad is that 1 of my New Year's resolutions was to post once a week. That one went down in flames!!
Here are pictures of what is blooming now in the garden.

The first two are different Columbine plants.

This is Cat Mint. It doesn't spread like other mint. I say that only having this plant for 1 year how. I like the color and if I remember correctly it blooms all summer. Bonus!!
This is Allium that a dear blogger friend Bob sent me. Thanks Bob!! I have and will continue to enjoy them.
The next two are Peony bushes. These I bought right after we moved into the house. At that time I wasn't very good at keeping track of my plants, not that I do any better now.

a This is the only Aster I have. It does so well for me. The deer had eaten part of it off earlier this spring, which caused it to have more shoots and I hope more flowers. I believe it is called Midnight Blue.
This is my yellow Baptisia, aka False Indigo. I also have the blue one and some of it is blooming now also. I have found the blue variety that I have reseeds itself everywhere. My only complaint is that the blooms don't last very long and then you have this green plant for the rest of the summer.

This was just 2 weeks ago!

I hope this is the last snow for us. It lasted about 1 day before most of it melted. It was some welcome moisture that we needed.

Spring is just around the corner!!

Spring is just around the corner. That saying reminds me of a cartoon my sister send me the other year. Here it is. I got a big laugh out of it.

I am starting to stress a little. I seem to have a lot on my plate right now and in the next few weeks. I have the pond to finish. If the weather had been nicer and we hadn’t gotten the snow and 3 inches of rain in the last month. I would be a lot further along. Right now the pond is a mud hole. Here it is covered in snow. I really want to get the pond done ASAP so it has time to get established. We volunteered our garden for a social function for the Heartland Men’s Chorus in May. When you get a bunch of gay men together, especially the chorus they can be very picky. Not that I am that way at all!!! Then in the fall I volunteered our garden for a member’s only party for the garden club we belong to. I don’t worry so much about the garden members being picky!

Then the house needs to be painted. We are going to get a couple of bids but I know the price will be more than I want to pay. Plus the way I have some of the plants and trellis attached to the house I am sure this will discourage a reasonable price. I figure I will have to do it myself. The deck also needs to be power washed and stained. No rest for me this spring.

Update on my seedlings!

My seedlings are coming along pretty good. I think I started them too soon but I hope to have nice big plants by the time I am ready to set them out. My impatiens didn’t come up at all. I guess that is what I get from buying them from a big box store.



My marigolds aren’t coming up very good either. I saved seed from last years and I know they won’t come back true to the ones from last year. I just wanted to save money from buying the six packs. I am going to give it one more tries and if that doesn’t produce results out the seeds go and I will be buying marigolds.


I am also having problems with my baisl. It looks like the bulbs are burning the leaves. I have never seen anything like that before. I need to move the light up some to see if that helps. This next week is our garden club meeting and if I have some basil that looks good I am going to take some of the plants there to give them away. I don't need basil plants. I could make lots of pesto that way?!?

I went out last weekend and bought somemore light fixtures and bulbs. One per shelf just didn't seem like enough light. The poor little plants on the ends were stretching to get some light. I'd really like to get another shelving unit with more lights but that will have to wait until next year.