WAB Members' Garden Photos

[naturelover]

hi jez i hope your right, thing is i have been here two years now and never seen a frog,ok when i moved in there was hardley any greenery in the garden,i soon changed that as you can see by the last picture,also the lady that lived here befor me put algi killer in the water feature,perhaps the froggies havnt found it yet,you never know might be lucky next year i will keep you posted.

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by naturelover

hi jez i hope your right, thing is i have been here two years now and never seen a frog,ok when i moved in there was hardley any greenery in the garden,i soon changed that as you can see by the last picture,also the lady that lived here befor me put algi killer in the water feature,perhaps the froggies havnt found it yet,you never know might be lucky next year i will keep you posted.

One of your problems maybe that the pond is an ornamental "fish pond"..ok im not sure if you have fish in it or not? but the design, steep sides and those overhanging capping/edge stones will make it hard for most wildlife to get in and out...the plants will help a little bit but i would be inclined to build a gradual pebble or rock "beach" in one end allowing easy sloping access?...just my opinion

oh .also..your pond appears to be surrounded with ornamental gravel..which is in effect kind of making the pond an "island" habitat for amphibians...they will cross this gravel..but if it were surrounded by vegetation/lawn/or long grass you would have a pond full of frogs/newts/toads for sure

[NickCantle]

Took some snaps over summer of 2006 that fit the bill for this thread. My beautiful country home in Norfolk I'm at Uni at the moment so I dearly miss it, but I was there at the weekend and it was lovely to be there again. Just the feel of being somewhere so country perfect is smashing. Enough rambling, more pictures.

That's the view from near the barn just so you can get a rough idea of the size. It goes out further on the right too and there are a few acres of fields and scrubland too.



Taken in summer, this photograph describes the part of the garden I was earlier referring to as the part on the right...



It doesn't really show the flowers and plants that we have but let's be honest, I didn't anticipate such a thread. There were taken in summer of 2006, just before I joined WAB.

Hope you like them. More to come in winter.

Nick

[jdurbo]

Hi Nick
Think i could live there its looks beautiful!!!

jen xxx

[Susie]

On the first page of this thread I posted some pictures of my garden when I first moved to the house and when I dug the pond in April.

Now I am pleased to add some pictures of the pond and garden as it was in July. It's a work in progress and I can't wait for next spring/summer to put into practice the next step of its development.





Lastly, a quick picture of what you can achieve in a short time. Just a few months after the pond was built I had dragon and damselflies paying it a visit. Here are a couple who found it comfortable enough a habitat to call it home. I am looking forward to meeting their off spring next year.

[aeshna5]

It's looking good Susie, nice pond + I like the Monardas.

Don't be too disappointed if you don't see offspring next year, as Large Red Damselflies are supposed to have a 2 year life cycle unlike some of the other species which do take 1 season.

However if you've managed to attract adults this year, then it's likely others from elsewhere will visit your pond again.

[Susie]

Thanks, aeshna. How is your garden now? I remember it as being very beautiful in past years.


The Monardas thrived in the damp next to the pond and the buff tailed bees loved them (which was a bit of luck as I had a nest of them in the garden ).

I shall keep my eye out for the damselfly and dragonfly nymphs next year. They should do well as there are no fish to eat them.

[aeshna5]

Yes Susie garden's looked fairly good, but because of wet summer far less insects than normal, so hoping for a better season next year!

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Susie

Thanks, aeshna. How is your garden now? I remember it as being very beautiful in past years.


The Monardas thrived in the damp next to the pond and the buff tailed bees loved them (which was a bit of luck as I had a nest of them in the garden ).

I shall keep my eye out for the damselfly and dragonfly nymphs next year. They should do well as there are no fish to eat them.

What type of soil do you have in your garden Susie as i'd love to have Monardas but never have much success!

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by Susie

On the first page of this thread I posted some pictures of my garden when I first moved to the house and when I dug the pond in April.

Now I am pleased to add some pictures of the pond and garden as it was in July. It's a work in progress and I can't wait for next spring/summer to put into practice the next step of its development.





Lastly, a quick picture of what you can achieve in a short time. Just a few months after the pond was built I had dragon and damselflies paying it a visit. Here are a couple who found it comfortable enough a habitat to call it home. I am looking forward to meeting their off spring next year.

Blimey Susie!..is that the same pond? that has established really quick and looking very natural i love it well done

[Susie]

Bouncytigger: Your pond looks good; I am sure the frogs will love all the nooks and crannies around the rocks.

Jez: I have clay but it is fairly neutral. It grew well last year but it didn't grow as well in my previous garden, which was also clay but more acidic. What is your soil type?

Dan: Thank you very much, hun.

[polygro]

Susie -

Regarding your Large Red Damselflies: I dug my wildlife pond in May 2006 and had visiting damselflies and dragonflies that Summer. During the following Summer I watched Common Blue and Large Red damselflies as well as Common Darter dragonflies all emerging as nymphs from the water and saw them become adult beauties

So despite what the books may say, it definitely only took one year for them to develop. So keep your eye on your pond later on I guess it is warmer in Sussex

Polly

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Susie

Bouncytigger: Your pond looks good; I am sure the frogs will love all the nooks and crannies around the rocks.

Jez: I have clay but it is fairly neutral. It grew well last year but it didn't grow as well in my previous garden, which was also clay but more acidic. What is your soil type?

Dan: Thank you very much, hun.

Neutral Clay Suzie! I should be luck

Thanks.

Hobble Love the garden, very lush, land that time forgot with the quarry and all the ferns. What a top back drop!

[naturelover]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

One of your problems maybe that the pond is an ornamental "fish pond"..ok im not sure if you have fish in it or not? but the design, steep sides and those overhanging capping/edge stones will make it hard for most wildlife to get in and out...the plants will help a little bit but i would be inclined to build a gradual pebble or rock "beach" in one end allowing easy sloping access?...just my opinion

oh .also..your pond appears to be surrounded with ornamental gravel..which is in effect kind of making the pond an "island" habitat for amphibians...they will cross this gravel..but if it were surrounded by vegetation/lawn/or long grass you would have a pond full of frogs/newts/toads for sure

hi dan yes i agree with what you have said,when we bought the house august 2005 it was all gravel decking and patio,and the pond was already there, thing is we loved the house and conservatory and thats what sold it to us,a four bedroom property for £148.000 mind you we have spent £25.000 on it in two years so you got to add that on,i have added lots of shrubs trees and plants trying to get it more wildlife friendly,also its quite dificult to get a slope on the pond i have shelves but the rest of the pond is four feet deep for koi witch also came with the house,its the water feature i am hopeing will attract frogs and newts,there is a picture in my Gallery of it but its now got more greenery in it.

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by naturelover

hi dan yes i agree with what you have said,when we bought the house august 2005 it was all gravel decking and patio,and the pond was already there, thing is we loved the house and conservatory and thats what sold it to us,a four bedroom property for £148.000 mind you we have spent £25.000 on it in two years so you got to add that on,i have added lots of shrubs trees and plants trying to get it more wildlife friendly,also its quite dificult to get a slope on the pond i have shelves but the rest of the pond is four feet deep for koi witch also came with the house,its the water feature i am hopeing will attract frogs and newts,there is a picture in my Gallery of it but its now got more greenery in it.

Sounds like your clued up and aware of the problems so i guess you will get there with a little work

[ExiledWool]

Firstly, hello everyone

Secondly - wow - I've been looking for inspiration for my small garden (30 sqft approx) and I've found it.

There are many difficulties I face - half the garden is taken up with children's paraphernalia, pet cats, a 5 month old baby (no pond yet - boohoo).

So I have half a garden to work with. I have a busted water butt which will be sawn in half and sank into the ground to make a mini pond (how deep should I sink it - all the way or leave a lip?)

Time to sort out all the plants that have been left to grow and look untidy, but not wild.

Luckily, I live close to the National Wildflower Centre in Liverpool so a visit will be paid.

Anyway, my summer begins on Wednesday so I'll take a pic and post it, maybe the collared dove will be on the feeding station and the great tits will be in the apple tree. Perhaps if it's raining the blackbirds will be in the garden. Maybe that peacock butterfly will appear again.

So, not the greatest wildlife garden - but somewhere to start. I look forward to a long and happy relationship with yet another forum!!!

[shei111]

Hello gallanthus, you got a super little garden well compact, love the summerhouse. shei

[galanthus]

Originally Posted by shei111

Hello gallanthus, you got a super little garden well compact, love the summerhouse. shei

Thanx Shiela Can you ID the plant top left of the pic ? It's a lilac No where near the pond

[shei111]

Originally Posted by galanthus

Thanx Shiela Can you ID the plant top left of the pic ? It's a lilac No where near the pond

Ive never seen a lilac bush dont know anything about them are they some sort of garden plant/bushshei

[shei111]

Originally Posted by galanthus

Thanx Shiela Can you ID the plant top left of the pic ? It's a lilac No where near the pond

Believe it or not JEZ thinks you can plant them in fishponds shei

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by shei111

Believe it or not JEZ thinks you can plant them in fishponds shei

Are they aquatic then

oh yes... I'm back

[shei111]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Are they aquatic then

oh yes... I'm back

Nice to know your back, did you have a good one? shei.

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by shei111

Nice to know your back, did you have a good one? shei.

yes, apart from the weather.. good old British summer..

[Jez]

Originally Posted by shei111

Believe it or not JEZ thinks you can plant them in fishponds shei

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Are they aquatic then

oh yes... I'm back

Cheeky pair , I do believe if I'm not mistaken that it was Kayleigh who thought that your lilac was placed in the pond lol!!!!

Anyways, we can argue about that lol over a bottle of wine or two after we see Chris Packham

[shei111]

Originally Posted by Jez

Cheeky pair , I do believe if I'm not mistaken that it was Kayleigh who thought that your lilac was placed in the pond lol!!!!

Anyways, we can argue about that lol over a bottle of wine or two after we see Chris Packham

I thought it was you ? if not you then it was galanthus? lets argue after gardeners world at 9. ha ha shei