On Golden Pond

My husband has always wanted to create a pond. Though we had a small pond in Sydney it really wasn't anything to write home to mother about. He wanted to create a special place; he wanted to create a BIG POND!!

After moving into our humble abode, it was his mission to put his dream into fruition. But in order for this desire to become a reality he had to extricate trailer load after trailer load of old car parts, debris, junk, concrete slab after concrete slab and whatever else the previous owner decided to bury in the backyard. Why is it that some blokes have a need to cover large expanses of rich fertile soil with junk?? The previous owner seemed to have a penchant for concrete. It seemed his mission in life was to plant concrete everywhere.....yukkity yuk!! The clearing of the miscellany of rubbish  and concrete took my husband a good year to accomplish.

The tragic thing is that the previous owners lived here for forty years!! I can see in my mind's eye the previous owner thinking "mmmm.....what shall I plant here......car parts, concrete, junk.....or will I plant  some glorious green as green trees, sucking up all that yukky carbon dioxide, replacing it with good clean oxygen, so that we might breath a li'l easier?? Perhaps some beauteous flowering rhododendrons, buddleias, or perhaps, exquisite Magnolias?? Now here's a thought (and it is just a fleeting thought)......a gift that keeps on giving....an ever bountiful, producing orchard. ......nah.....I think I'll go with the junk"!!!

As is always the case in this far rural outpost word had got around of my husband's "one day" dream. Our friendly (and very generous), farmer neighbour appeared in his bulldozer one afternoon and declared that today was the day to dig a very, very big hole!! Not wanting to waste any of the farmer's time (farmers don't have a minute to spare) my husband went to supervise the excavation.

Okay........so the bulldozer began to dig, and dig, and dig.......until what stood before us all was an 'olympic' sized cavity for my husband's pond. Farmers love their big boy toys don't they?? Feeling chuffed at his good deed, our farmer waved us goodbye as he and his bulldozer idled rather noisily off into the sunset. The thought did cross my mind if only my husband had a bulldozer, he could've removed the graveyard of rubbish in next to no time. Oh well, not to worry, removing all that heavy junk was cheaper than a gym membership! Alas, there are no photos, as the burrowing into the earth by the earth moving equipment took place before I happened upon the "Land of Blog".

So......my husband began to slowly transform the rather large hole in our backyard into a "golden pond". He covered the bottom and sides with metres and metres of old carpet, then covered the carpet with silage plastic (a generous contribution by the aforementioned farmer) and began to build the sides of the pond with hundreds and hundreds of rocks, which both he and I collected from our friendly and benevolent farmer's rocky outcrop.

My husband begged, borrowed and stole acquired oodles of plants and trees and began to landscape and fill the gaps with bountiful specimens of the plant kingdom; Iris, Poppies, Lilies, Water Lilies, Foxgloves, Daisies, Gladioli, Cosmos, Agapanthus, Ajugas, Dahlias, Daffodils, Jonquils, Lupins, Ixias, Tortured Willows, Chinese Elms, Maples........you name it, he has planted it.  Oh....and I must not forget to mention that Miss Maisie is always on hand to supervise!!

My husband has created an oasis with it's own micro climate happening. He has created an atmospheric area where plants thrive and flower joyously all year round. Each season produces it's own beauty. There is always something to see.....pretty butterflies flitting from flower to flower, dragon flies zipping around and around and lately there has been a frog croaking at high decibels to his lady love. There are times when the croak becomes very ebullient....mmm...a little romance amongst the lily pads! Oh...and there are sizable gold fish playing catch and chase, darting in and out amongst the water lilies and reeds.

I have watched my husband with amazement as little by little he has turned what once was an eyesore into a lovely pond....pure gold......surrounded by vigorous growing plant life. Just a 'few' happy snaps to show the beauty of our li'l paradise!

Beautiful Irises.

Elegant Foxgloves.

Ixias and Water Lilies.

Glorious Dahlias dressed in pretty tutus.

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The beautiful Fruit Salad Plant.

Tall spires of Gladioli.

Miss Maisie can never resist a photo shoot!!

 

Just to think that a little over 3 years ago this space was a monument to the junk god.....but today it is a paradise filled with oodles of  life, happily existing in it's own li'l micro climate, giving much pleasure to whomever sits a while on our swinging seat, to just dream or take a little moment to enjoy a cuppa. 

Yes indeedy, my husband and I can always be found at various times throughout the day, sitting on our swinging seat, enjoying 'his' golden pond!

It's toodles from me.....have a lovely weekend everyone. I intend to steal a few moments to sit and swing, whilst drinking in the bounteous life in, on and around the golden pond!