Tuesday 24 February 2009

Creating Holes

I have been purposefully creating holes all week. Creating holes between clusters of trebles and creating a rather large hole in the garden. More to be revealed further down the post!

During a brief sunny spell about a week ago I decided to cut back some rather overgrown shrubs. Gizmo was happy to supervise whilst I wielded the secateurs.

The next project on 'my list' was to clear an overgrown patch of the garden that had once been a rockery housing different alpine plants. It had also been a pumpkin patch and a very pretty flowerbed at one stage. It had been in this neglected form for a while now - time to take drastic action!

On Friday my son helped me to remove the rocks that were embedded in the rockery, dig out the grass and make the area usable again. It took about 3 hours to get to this stage and filled up four huge bags of grassy clumps.

I was happy to have my helper with me and he was happy to look for treasure. After a 'back breaking' afternoon we decided to call it a day. The next day I got down to the real business of why I wanted the area cleared.

I want to create a wildlife pond.

After another three hours the pond is beginning to take shape. I need to make the shelf wider and deeper and I need to fill in a bit at the bottom. I did get carried away.

Here is the 'pond' from another angle. I still need to level it all out and bank it up on one side and then I will make use of my rockery rocks again as a hiding place for frogs, toads etc. (Sorry Hen - I think it is you that is not too fond of froggy things)! When the pond is levelled off I will add a layer of soft sand and a pond liner and maybe an old blanket sandwiched between. I then need to decide how I am going to finish of the pond edges and what plants to put in. I am really looking forward to seeing how the pond progresses over the years and I will keep you posted here.

Back to creating more holes..............................!!!

18 comments:

  1. Oh I want to crochet!!!!!! Your pond sounds very exciting, just in time for Spring too. Well done for digging it all up, what a great job
    Kimx

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  2. PS Just read your earlier post, so glad you decided to carry on blogging xxx

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  3. Eeek! As soon as I read the word "pond", I thought, "OH NO!" Good on you though, it looks like very hard work. I am being a gardening wuss at the moment, you know, (still) waiting for Spring and all that. Now let's concentrate on the crochet - that does look lovely.

    Hen x

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  4. Well done with the crochet it looks fab!
    I remember digging our pond out, such hard work, it will look lovely all done.
    Think of all those lovely frogs that will eat the horrible slugs!
    Love Lou xxx

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  5. Oh a wildlife pond. We have a small pond which was here when we moved in 4 years ago. One by one the goldfish died-we did feed them only the heron got through the netting-but thats another story!
    Anyway now it's a wildlife pond, frogs and toads and dragonflies and the birds use it too.
    Lovely idea Simone.
    Love
    Lyn
    xxxx

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  6. The crochet looks great! I love all the colours you've used.

    We always had a pond at home when I was growing up so I'm a fan, hope you get lots of wildlife.

    Mel xxx

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  7. Lyn...just to let you know that I have been trying all day to leave a comment on your blog but the word verification has been taking hours so I can't leave a comment! Anyway, thank you for the rainbow. Could you send some sun too please?!!!

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  8. I'm smiling at poor Hen's frog phobia. I'm rather excited too though - As far as I know it doesn't take too long for froggy friends to sniff out a nice little home. You could get some frogspawn this year and you'd be assured of frogginess next year then. It looks great. Emma x

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  9. Your crochet looks really good, and its so neat. We used to have a wildlife pond, and its amazing how much life they have in them, and they don't take long to get established either. Look forward to seeing a finished pic. xxx

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  10. You have been very busy Simone (your son too) - I bet Gizmo can't wait to see the pond finished - he'll be thinking of the fish that might be in there!! :0)

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  11. Gosh, you have been busy. Love the crochet.The hard work of building the pond will be worth it. Our pond gives us so much pleasure during each year - especially when we see the first frog spawn in the spring. Good luck with the project:)

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  12. Love the crochet blankie! The colors are wonderful together. :) Can't wait to see how your pond turns out. I might be tempted to add one to my back yard one day. How fun!!

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  13. I can't believe how quickly your crochet has grown. I hope you will post plenty of pics of your pond as it progresses. I think our garden is too small for a pond, so I think I'll share yours if you don't mind.

    Tracey

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  14. I'd like to create a wildlife pond too - I'll be watching and learning!

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  15. I love frogs, does Gizmo? Your son has been such a great help to you around the garden, more than you can say for Gizmo! I am so impressed with how you are building your pond Simone, a first-rate job, and can't wait to see it fully established. x

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  16. Wish I could be digging in my garden...lucky you. Your blankie looks gorgeous, Simone.

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  17. Oh my goodness, what back breaking work - how on earth you managed that! I'm so impressed, don't think I could. We have a pond (ready built when we moved in thank goodness) and it is full of frog spawn this year.
    Love the crochet! x

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  18. oooh a pond - soon you will have lots of froggies in your garden!

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