Thursday 28 July 2011

The water feature


We have a modest pond in front of the kitchen window
made from a large black plastic tub, sunk in gravel.
Over time the gravel has been colonised 
by creeping violet, alchemilla mollis,
and a tenacious but unknown weed.
The once fine black bamboo flowered and died,
 so did an acer,
and many of the attractive stones 
disguising the edge of the pond, had slipped in.
My attempt at a Japanese garden had seen better days.

With the impending Visit,
I suddenly saw this sorry sight through new eyes
and although it was most definitely not on the list,
(see yesterday)
I found myself skimming off a thick layer of duck weed 
from the surface with an old plastic sieve,


perturbing a long standing resident.


I started weeding between all the stones
and delved into the pond for the missing ones,


about a hundred of them.
The water level dropped dramatically-
that would be a lesson in displacement there
if I ever had my time again and decided to homeschool.
Then I jet-washed the slimy black stones


taking care to avoid the well-camouflaged frog
and put them back round the pond.
In Japanese water gardens boulders are carefully selected
 then placed using the classic gogan-ishigumi stone-setting technique.


I lack this technique, and it shows.

For a touch of authenticity,
I bought three goldfish from the local pet shop.
Japanese koi ponds have sophisticated koi pond filters
that keep the water crystal clear.
Ours does not, so you cannot see the fish at all.


You can however see a reflection of the kitchen window.

Pond landscaping is groomed and shaped
using special pruning methods.*




These pots are looking nice
and I have clipped the box hedge in the corner. 


All I need now is a little bridge.

* My scant research is taken from The Journal of Japanese Gardening.


5 comments:

  1. You MUST rake the gravel into patterns which will help you meditate.

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  2. You are going to have to have a holiday after the Visit. Love the photo of the frog in the sieve.

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  3. Have you slowed down yet? You do need to. Love the frog and your flowers.

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  4. I'm sure Freddie Frog will appreciate the sudden burst of habitat tidying and get his best kimono on.

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  5. The lily is especially pretty ... what a welcoming sight through your window.

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