My Pond was a Mucky Mess

Happy 2019 to everyone. 

As weather and time permit, I've been able to putter in the garden, tackling the few winter projects that really need doing. For instance, the outer pond in early January needs an overhaul now because soon the newt and frogs will be laying their eggs and I don't want to disturb them.  

For reference, here are a few summer photos of this pond. As you can see it is swallowed up in plants which means I'll need to do some thinning out as well as refresh the stagnant water.

The water is completely covered with waterlily pads.

I was so pleased with the flowers on my pitcher plant.

Parrot's Feather, shiny Water lily leaves, and a ridiculously large and expanding clump of Juncus patens.

What is the point of growing Water lily plants if you can barely see the flowers when they bloom?

The pond is to the left of the Japanese Blood Grass.

Finally, my clump of Pickerel Weed was happily blooming last summer. (Pontaderia dilatata)

Now for the muddy winter mess. This was yesterday after I had already gotten rid of the Juncus, cut many of the edging plants back and scooped about half of the water out.

Mud and roots must be a foot deep!

On the right is my scooping bucket. I've gotten most of the gunk out and I'm refilling it with fresh water.

I wanted to leave some muck in there so it will remain a wildlife habitat. Such a fine balance.

I used this net to gather up the free floating leaves and such.

Here, the water is full. I purposefully left some of the green Juncus blades because the frogs attach their egg sacks to them.

So much better!

In other news, here's a few highlights of the rest of the garden. 

'Sunshine Blue' Blueberry plant.

Geranium palmatum foliage, looking lovely despite several light frosts.

Arbutus enedo flowers, hummingbird food!

Dwarf Nandina looks so lush and vibrant, a stalwart winter interest plant.

A Gardenia flower ready for spring.

Clematis cirhossa var. purpurescens 'Freckles' still going strong

Viburnum bodnantense 'Dawn'

Melianthus is looking so good this year.

Pelargonium 'Filbert' is still blooming. I've covered it with a blanket three times so far during cold nights.

Fuchsia 'Neon Tricolor' also covered during the brief cold snaps.

One of my favorite new containers.

Look at all the little flowers on my Chimonanthus praecox!

So fragrant!

Daphne 'Eternal Fragrance'

Daphne odora

Helleborus getting ready to bloom.

Oxalis crassipes 'Rosea' fixing to bloom.

And there you have it. It's winter but so far it's mild. Let's hope it stays that way.

The Birdie is Back!

Remember last week, when I posted photos of my iced-over courtyard fountain and my concern that my little feathered visitors might not come back. Well, they did. I didn't get photos of the sparrows and chickadees but I did get this little sweetie. From my research, it looks like a female Anna's hummingbird. Anna's live here year-round. 

Do you see her?
 

Sorry for the blur. If I were to get any closer, she would have flown away.

That makes me happy.

There are subtle signs of life in the garden. Last summer, I bought this Heather (below) for a buck at a nearby nursery. It wasn't in bloom and had no label so I wasn't sure which variety it would be. I welcome the winter blooms.

Erica carnea 'December Red'  

Erica carnea 'December Red'

I'm very happy to report that, so far (knock on wood) the winter cold hasn't killed my Geranium palmatum plants. If all goes according to plan, they'll bloom this year. I grew them from seed last year and was hoping they'd bloom, but of the ten or so plants, not one of them did. But they're alive and they've got nice foliage so it's all good.

Geranium palmatum

When I Googled the sedum (below) I was surprised that there weren't more photos. Isn't this guy a beauty? I have it in a hypertufa trough on my covered patio and it is so happy. I got it from Secret Garden Growers last year. 

Sedum confusum 'Moonglow'

I already have lots of gray-leaved sedums but when I saw this pot at an estate sale for three bucks last November, I grabbed it.

Sedum spathulifolium 'Harvest Moon' (I think)

The Hellebores are fixing to bloom!

Helleborus foetidum

The Sarcococca is a little late this year. Usually it's in full, yummy-scented bloom by now. 

Sarcococcoa ruscifolia

This "Pepper Bush" has done really well for me. It's in a pot and sits on my covered patio during the winter. I love the bright raspberry-red stems and petioles.  

Mountain Pepper Bush (Tasmannia lanceolata) 

My photos don't do this Osmanthus justice. It also was a dollar in a small pot. Resistance was futile.

Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Goshiki'

The winter moss is alive and well.  Last winter's ice storm brought down big branches from my sweet gum trees. Here is one of the logs. 

Mossy log

Fungus

You gotta love that!

The garden is looking very sad. I am making slow progress with the clean up. Here is the patio pond.

Patio Pond

And here is the outer pond. I've cut back the Stipa gigantea to make it easier to scoop the yucky, submerged leaves. But I have to be careful because there are frog and salamander eggs. 

Outer pond

Outer pond

Mossy float

Insulators all in a row on a gently aging ladder

Are you noticing a teeny bit more daylight in the evenings? Spring isn't too far off. May your remaining winter days be full of hope and planning for the garden to come.