WE HAVE FISH!

 I gave in and decided that we'd add fish to the pond this year instead of waiting until next spring. There were a lot of little mosquitos larva appearing around the edge of the pond, so fish were needed now.

Nine fish were added to the pond on Friday and they have settled in well and not a sign of the mosquitos anywhere.

We have these plastic cobweb style things floating around the pond, joined together, to hopefully stop any passing Heron's from stopping off for breakfast!

The pots by the house are blooming, along with some plants that are to be placed in the garden.

More pots, nice and colourful by the house.

Even the Wisteria that got caught by the frost, has flowered, although tiny, again.

Even a second tiny flower near the base! Shows what a beautiful colour they would be, once they get a chance to open.

So, July has been a very busy and productive month in the garden. But there is still quite a bit of landscaping to do, so on we carry!

FILLING IN THE GAP!

 Where the new folly wall is to be built, because the wall is straight, and the previous hedge was curved round, it's left a gap between the new wall's foundation and the existing paving.

Here you can see the gap.

Luckily, we still had a couple of the same paving stones, one complete and one that was broken and a good shape to fill in part of the space. and a few setts left from the original load we bought when we laid these paths.

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We managed to find another piece of broken grey paving to fill the space on the right of the photo, although it's a lighter grey, if it stands out too much, we can place a plant pot on it. 

All cemented in and just waiting to dry.

Filled in and drying.

Because all the wooden edging we put in over fourteen years, has now rotted away, we are slowly putting in new edging, we have used some blocks on the curved part and then in this corner we are adding some rope-top edging. Paul being assisted by his two helpers!

Digging them in where the earth's fallen over the path.

Paul was able to reuse some of the setts that he had to move in order to get the edging in place.

A dry cement mix brushed between the setts and into the gaps and left to dry.

Tidied up this part of the path really well.

Another section of the garden made good.

So, another small area done.

All needs a good sweep and wash once it's all nice and dry.

A NEW STEP

 After Paul paved the Lychgate, it meant that the step down when going through from the box garden /now pond garden side, into the folly and raised bed area, was a bit of a drop down.

So, while he's working in the folly area, suggested he put a step in at that point.

We had some of the same paving slabs left over from an old path, so re recycled these to use for the step.

We also used some leftover grey blocks to make a nice edge, I'm just hoping that once it's all dried and can be stepped on that it's not too high in relation to the lychgate or it will have defeated the reason it's there.

I just hope we don't have to take it out and start again!!!

On stepping on it will tell! 

NB: Have now used the step and it's fine, phew!

BASED ON THIS

 It's coming along!

Now the base for the next folly wall is down and will dry over next few days since the weather forecast is for sunny days and warm nights.

The patch just below the foundation is a hole that needs filling due to the removal of the yew trees, so the extra was used on that.

Viewed from the other end of the path. 

We will need to infill between the existing path and the foundation due to the previous hedge having been planted to make the path rounded.

It will allow us to leave a small planting hole for a rose to grow up the brickwork or some pots to be placed at the bottom of the wall. Now when the shrubs overgrow the path on the right of the path, we won't get soaked or have to fight our way through when using the path.

now they have been swept.

It's nice to be able to actually see this path as it's been overgrown and hidden most of the time. I do like plants to spill over onto the edges of paths, but just over, not so much that the path vanishes beneath them.

Well, we have the bricks but need to decide if we want the stone blocks for this side, then Paul can start building in a few days.

NEXT JOB ON THE LIST

 So, the next job is putting up another wall to the folly.

between the lychgate and the folly arched opening, we are going to build another wall with a window.

In the photo above we have already cut the hedge that was forming the current 'wall' lower while we discussed what to do. One of the issues here was that the planting either side of the path to the lychgate, at this moment, was slowly getting overgrown making it harder to walk the path without having to avoid branches etc.

Paul's dug out all the roots of the old hedge this morning, now the temperature is more like a normal English summer.

Next will be deciding on the line of the wall and digging out for the foundation, then laying it.

naturally we now have to shred the old hedge to be recycled, but it's good to be moving onto the next stage for the folly and shady area.

POND LIFE

 

The wildlife is already checking out the pond! 

MOVING POTS AROUND

 We had a few little jobs to complete the pond garden. One of which was to try out some pots under the heads of Pan and Bucca on the trellis.

We had put these trellis stone pots below the heads with although nice were quite low. We knew we had four higher blue glazed pots, two standing either side of the seating in the flower garden.

So, Paul moved these then stood one of the blue pots in place and it was a much better size. Naturally it only had an old trailing plant in each one, so needed completely re potting, so another trip to the garden centre!

Here you can see the blue pot in place replanted with a nice red leafed grass, two geraniums and a dahlia. We also moved two of the smaller agapanthus pots to stand around it.

and same planting in the pots on this side.

So now a nice splash of colour in each corner.

The other two pots are either side of the bench at the other end but this time they have Heucheras in, instead of the grasses.

action shot of the fountain working, it is solar powered.

We found this little bird water dish when we were buying the plants for the pots, we have placed it here for now, so the birds can get water.

Still a few paving stones to add here and there but it's done.

THE NEW POND AREA

 Back on the 8th of June, Box moth Caterpillars invaded our box garden, but instead of spraying them we decided it was time to change that area of the garden's design.

 This is what it looked like usually.

To this.

from the seating area towards the lychgate.

A closer view over the ponds.

The fountain is in the centre of the pond, and I will try and get a photo of it working tomorrow once the wood is good and dry. You can just see the water lily leaves resting on the surface, yesterday when we put them in they were about 4 inches below the surface but almost overnight they had grown so that they reached the surface!

We still want to change a few pots around, to see if they suit better under the heads but all in all it's done. Not bad for one month and two days from start to finish, but we did finish the folly in that time too. Almost all done by Paul with a little help from yours truly. The man's a treasure.

NEARLY THERE WITH THE POND GARDEN AREA

 We, the UK are having some glorious summer weather, which is lovely if you can sit around in it but not so good if trying to get work finished,

Pond liner is put in and pond started to be filled with rainwater from one of our big water butts, then from the hose.

We have a small water lily, two rushes and another plant ready to go in.

Liner cannot be cut to fit until the pond is filled.

Loving the reflection showing in the water.

For a moment we considered whether to use slim paving around the edge but in the end stayed with the wood.

So, pond was filled, and plants placed now it was getting too hot to continue and Paul had dog training with Rufus in the afternoon.

Now late evening Paul is staining the wood ash black.

The undersides of top borders have been stained ready for tomorrow, when the pond will get it's finishing touches!