When I first saw this fish pond, it was actually virtually impossible to see the water because a water lily - which could have filled Lake Windemere - had obliterated the pond space. The owner pushed the mass with her hand and said, ominously, 'It used to bob up and down.' And, similarly, with the raised 'chimney' section (enclosing the header pond for the waterfall): you couldn't see it for the giant ivy - about 30cm deep - encircling the stone work.
I started with the water lily. I had to get into the pond, with a sharp border spade, cut up the lily crown into boulder-sized pieces, roll them over the side and then wheel them in a barrow to the compost heap at the far end of the garden. Ditto with the ivy. It took weeks to cut my way through it, and the garden owners kindly dug up the main root, which must have been the width of a man's wrist. We then saw the four goldfish which had survived our endeavours (and the previous lack of swimming space)! |
I also suggested that we buy six stoneware (frost resistant) pots and three went on one side of the pond and three on the other (see photo). I planted winter crocus bulbs - in purple, gold, and white - in these pots. And I have just lifted the corms, in readiness to plant, amongst other things, some purple/yellow leaf Coleus sp. and gold Helichrysum petiolare. (The colour scheme will be purple, gold, silver, orange and yellow around the pond this summer.)
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