Messages

91

Terrestrial Gardening / Re: Recommend a "landscape" plant

« on: May 05, 2010, 11:27:52 AM »

Hmmmm, welll i just put in my Butterfly Bush last year, so it's not very established but is already over a foot high with the nice spring we've been having.  The bloom time is summer-fall and they produce flowers on new growth from the current season. You remove spent blooms and prune them in winter while they're dormant (or in early spring just before they push out new growth). They say you can cut them all the way down to the ground in late winter.  However given our area... i think next winter i won't cut it down so much.  They do like being in the sun, do you get much sun in that area??  The height range is 4-5 feet tall, so it seems to be right where you want it to be. 

92

Terrestrial Gardening / Re: Recommend a "landscape" plant

« on: May 05, 2010, 08:41:11 AM »

Hi Bearb, i'm in Zone 5 too... what about a Butterfly Bush?  Pretty flowers, attracts butterflies, and you trim them down so you can blow out those nasty leaves that didn't decompose over winter.

93

Pond Chat / Re: Hi all

« on: May 04, 2010, 03:29:01 PM »

Hi Tom    I'm pretty much a newbie too... love the pics you posted in the album, you have a lovely pond  

94

Pond Chat / Re: the pond today

« on: April 18, 2010, 08:22:56 AM »

Gorgeous pictures!  I love the mirror imaging in the first picture and the contrast of purple and black 

95

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / Re: The CHASE is on!!!

« on: April 07, 2010, 04:05:14 PM »

Ohhhhhhh so that's what was going on in my pond last weekend  

So what should i watch for now? i mean are the eggs around my plants? 'cause if so, i'll wait awhile to work in those areas.

96

Chit Chat / Re: Budgie Loves a Rock

« on: March 24, 2010, 08:19:16 PM »

must've been a quickie 'cause i didn't even see it!

97

Chit Chat / Re: Bug metamorphosis?

« on: March 22, 2010, 05:34:33 PM »

I found this link you may find helpful: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2500.html 

I know i have more than my fair share of these things in my lawn.    Although i think mine are from Japanese Beetles.  Grubs are one of the ugliest bugs i've ever seen... yours are ginormous compared to what i have, can't say i've ever seen one during it's morphing stage.  I definately leave them for the birds when i find 'em, yuck!

98

Pond Chat / Re: RIP to my ogons

« on: March 21, 2010, 11:20:17 AM »

I'm sorry to hear about your ogons too... and i don't even know what they are but i'll look it up right after i post. 

Esther your pond looks beautiful  i'll have to go see if i can find more pics of it after i find out what an ogon is 

99

Pond Chat / Re: If you could do it all over again...

« on: March 21, 2010, 10:16:23 AM »

I wouldn't have been talked into going from a 4200 to a 5500 gph pump.  :'(  Other than that, i'm really happy with our pond... the 2 years of research really paid off.    The guy tried to talk us into putting the pond at the far end of our yard but we said   no way, we want it close to the house.  So as they say location, location, location, i'm glad we stood our ground on that one.

The only other thing i would have changed was to make the patio next to the pond bigger, it comfortably fits 4 people.  But now we have more friends over since getting the pond.  

I know how you feel, it's very exciting!    How big are you thinking of making yours?

100

Chit Chat / Re: Little man in my yard

« on: March 21, 2010, 09:59:05 AM »

What a great idea!    I remember seeing this in a magazine and thinking oh that's cute , but didn't think it would really fit in my backyard... but now that i have a pond it kind-of would really look cute!  I could picture him leaving behind a wee little hat that most likely flew off in the wind.    A little lunch pail would be cute too!

Julles you'll have to figure out how to get those pics posted, or e-mail me... I'd much rather support a fellow crafter than a magazine.

101

Pond Chat / Re: You know your a ponder when...

« on: March 20, 2010, 11:03:29 AM »

OMG Reddad35 that's me!!!!  

The last 3 days have been in the 60's and i've been busy by the pond... but today it's snowing    How 'bout by your Red? are you getting any of this stuff today?

102

Pond Chat / Re: You know your a ponder when...

« on: March 20, 2010, 09:55:56 AM »

  These are all great... keep 'em coming!  I can relate to the rock by the road too 

103

Chit Chat / Re: Buckhead

« on: March 19, 2010, 04:44:00 PM »

That sounds like a nice well rounded little trip!  I wouldn't think lunch at a "diner" would cost that much either... yeesh. 

104

Pond Chat / You know your a ponder when...

« on: March 18, 2010, 06:25:59 PM »

I was inspired by Renee48192's thread, and thought this might be a fun little game to play and see what everyone else writes since i was doing this just a week ago 


You know your a ponder when...

you stand outside with a jacket on twirling a stick in the water to catch the string algea 'cause the ice just thawed.   

105

Pond Chat / Re: Turtles are getting more open minded

« on: March 18, 2010, 06:10:37 PM »

Awwww... now i want a turtle! 

106

Pond Chat / Re: Hi ~ New Member Pond Pics

« on: March 17, 2010, 03:20:37 PM »

Yea i guess so, it's just so massive compared to the nothingness that was there before... and the person doing the pond didn't measure the height of the biofall correctly the first time (too high) so when they lowered the "mound" to the correct height they didn't reduce the circumference.    I'm not crazy about the mound being bigger than the pond.

107

Terrestrial Gardening / Re: Dwarf River Birch Tree

« on: March 16, 2010, 07:41:05 PM »

forgot... i was going to post a pic of one.

108

Terrestrial Gardening / Dwarf River Birch Tree

« on: March 16, 2010, 07:38:36 PM »

Does anyone have a Dwarf River Birch Tree by their pond? I love the look of these trees and I'm considering putting one in my backyard with some uplighting in front of a couple Golden Vicary Privets.  It would be about 6-8 feet away from my pond.  The Fox Valley Dwarf River Birch (Betula nigra 'Little King') is a smaller variety and only grows 5 to 10 feet high.  I also like this variety because it's resistant to pests that usually like the Birch Trees.

109

Pond Chat / Re: Hi to all!! It's been a LOOONG winter!

« on: March 16, 2010, 06:51:09 PM »

I'm with you it's been way to long, especially since this is the first year with my pond! I feel like a bear coming out of hibernation.  Supposed to be 58 tomorrow here in Chicago and then 61 on Thursday.    Wanna guess where i'll be???

110

Pond Chat / Re: Hi ~ New Member Pond Pics

« on: March 16, 2010, 06:40:45 PM »

Thanks everyone, you certainly don't jump into a project like this without doing a little research.    Looking at pictures of different ponds certainly helps... you just take bit's and pieces of what you like and put it all together!  "Pondering" what to do with that area to the left of the pond/patio, and my poor little boxwoods (amongst other plants) have felt the wrath of our adopted Border Collier/Cocker mix we rescued as a pup.  We've had her literaly a year but she has no sence of boundaries or the plants she's laying on.    

111

Pond Chat / Re: getting ready for pond to open

« on: March 16, 2010, 02:44:29 PM »

Your pond is beautiful Donna!

112

Pond Chat / Hi ~ New Member Pond Pics

« on: March 16, 2010, 02:35:08 PM »

So i'll try to post some pics with this thread of the pond we had installed this past summer.  Don't get me started on the big circle of dirt around the stream! 

I can’t wait to get out there and start where we left off last fall.  One of our projects this year is to get a pergola over half the patio since we have no shade or privacy (the patio and a walkway are new as well).

113

Pond Chat / Re: not sure if i shared but...

« on: March 15, 2010, 04:51:09 PM »

Hi Rad Michelle, i agree they are beautiful!  I have 3 white lily plants, i definately need more colors!

114

Pond Chat / Re: Hey NEW members, and there are a bunch! Read this.

« on: March 15, 2010, 04:35:03 PM »

ok, ok... i'll stop lurking   After 2 years of research and pond touring DH and i decided to take the plunge and have a pond put in our backyard last summer.  The ice finally thawed last week, and i saw 12 of my little darlings swimmin' around in the string algea  .  So now i'm lurking lookin to see what everyone else is doin' about this time of year.    I'll try to post some pics soon.