Come along Pond!
Went to the disturbingly nearby (albeit surprisingly difficult to access) Watergarden World this afternoon and acquired some duckweed, dwarf papyrus, and something leafy and varigated I've already forgotten the name of. Oops. (ED: Water Fringe). Also, three pygmy perch which I am assured are both frog friendly and dolphin mosquito hostile. Mix with pond and pump and lo, a water garden.
And here it is:
It is still a work in progress, but the next bits of progress involve rocks, so that will require a healthy dose of spoons. I'll get small flat landscaping rocks to replace the piles of bricks around the outside and simulate the sedimentary layers in Kimberley gorge country. I plan to use some of the outdoor pretty rocks to build a bit of a crystal cascade around the pump, and maybe introduce a second level to create a small waterfall.
May even chuck in a light. Muahahahahahaha.
Part of the rock shuffling will involve making it easier for birds and frogs to access the water. I'd like to reposition the panther so it looks like it's coming in for a drink, and hopefully that won't frighten off the birds.
I can see I will have to invest in a small chair to sit by the pond and stare at it in comfort.
The plants too have some work to do, to untangle their leaves and find their new depth. I picked a young healthy-looking papyrus to give it a chance to grow into its new home so I expect it to fill out a bit. In the long term it's always worth buying plants when they're young, and since most people prefer to grab the bigger ones at the same price, I find it's generally easy to get good ones.
The staff at Watergarden World (It's a World... of Watergardens) were very friendly, and I earned points for bringing my own bucket in which to transport my soggy purchases. I'm told this little bit of forethought was unheard of, which makes me fear for the future of humanity.
They also had a really nice show garden and huge pond full of enormous koi, which is worth a visit on its own (free entertainment FTW). The koi were not coy and clearly recognised that a person on the bridge meant FOOD! NOW! FEED ME! NOW! I'LL COME TO YOU! *splash* FOOD! as they all gathered to beg. Quite a sight. Coming soon: Mega Shark versus Killer Koi?
And here it is:
It is still a work in progress, but the next bits of progress involve rocks, so that will require a healthy dose of spoons. I'll get small flat landscaping rocks to replace the piles of bricks around the outside and simulate the sedimentary layers in Kimberley gorge country. I plan to use some of the outdoor pretty rocks to build a bit of a crystal cascade around the pump, and maybe introduce a second level to create a small waterfall.
May even chuck in a light. Muahahahahahaha.
Part of the rock shuffling will involve making it easier for birds and frogs to access the water. I'd like to reposition the panther so it looks like it's coming in for a drink, and hopefully that won't frighten off the birds.
I can see I will have to invest in a small chair to sit by the pond and stare at it in comfort.
The plants too have some work to do, to untangle their leaves and find their new depth. I picked a young healthy-looking papyrus to give it a chance to grow into its new home so I expect it to fill out a bit. In the long term it's always worth buying plants when they're young, and since most people prefer to grab the bigger ones at the same price, I find it's generally easy to get good ones.
The staff at Watergarden World (It's a World... of Watergardens) were very friendly, and I earned points for bringing my own bucket in which to transport my soggy purchases. I'm told this little bit of forethought was unheard of, which makes me fear for the future of humanity.
They also had a really nice show garden and huge pond full of enormous koi, which is worth a visit on its own (free entertainment FTW). The koi were not coy and clearly recognised that a person on the bridge meant FOOD! NOW! FEED ME! NOW! I'LL COME TO YOU! *splash* FOOD! as they all gathered to beg. Quite a sight. Coming soon: Mega Shark versus Killer Koi?