(2nd blog in a series of 4)
The removal, renovation and replanting stage of Lindsay’s Garden Pond Project
Cathy Cornish removing heather - past its best!
For those of you who saw Wild to Wonderful’s blog last month, you will know that Cathy Cornish is working on what was my rather dreary, weedy and uninspiring garden pond area. The view to my pond from the dining room table made my heart sink. Cathy came to my rescue with a planting scheme to use existing resources from around the garden to give this area a new, colourful and uplifting lease of life!
Here’s my account of the first step in the three stage process.
Step 1 – Removal, Renovation and Replanting Day
According to Cathy, the best time for transplanting plants is in the autumn. We set a date for October which turned out to be perfect, as it had rained in the preceding days. The day itself was overcast and calm, making conditions ideal for the task in hand but – for the plants themselves – it was less stressful.
Cathy digging over flowerbeds
Area Preparation
I had prepared the ground in advance, in that the pond area was now free of weeds and I had removed a lavender bush that was past renovation. The task now was to work together to remove, renovate and replace plants from around the garden to the pond location, and to prepare for a herb garden by the kitchen window. Once we had done this, we could develop a plant shopping list for the third step of the project.
Cathy and I looked at the remaining plants around the pond. We talked about the heather that remained. As it was past its best, we decided to remove it. After transplanting a large rosemary bush from the pond location to the planned herb garden area, we worked together digging over the soil around the pond, removing further weeds and preparing the area for the installation of new plants.
Throughout this process, Cathy gave me tips and hints about my garden and how I could maintain it. She also told me about the state of my soil. The presence of a large number of worms – the gardener’s best friend – is a good sign. As “nature’s plough”, they loosen the soil, admitting air and water and helping roots grow. Interestingly enough, I learned that the previous owners of our home, who had been avid gardeners, had done wonders to enhance the quality of the soil. Even now, some eight years later, their time spent in the garden is paying dividends. I had no idea that such tender loving care of a garden could provide such a lasting positive impact.
Our break for lunch was – rather charmingly – accompanied by at least five robins, vying each other for the best view of the newly turned soil for grubs and worms.
Flowerbeds prepared and ready for planting
Replanting
I have a plethora of sedums around the garden; the previous owners had plenty and I have since added more. Cathy and I removed, separated and replanted a number of them at strategic intervals around the pond. We then transferred fuchsia, irises and crocosmia from around the garden and placed them in between the sedums. Cathy had found daffodil and other bulbs in the herb garden area; these were temporarily housed in the shed, pending stage three of the project. After planting around the pond, Cathy took a soil sample to determine the nutrient, composition and other characteristics such as the acidity or PH level of the soil; this will inform our buying decisions when we look for plants to place in between. However, for now, Cathy wrote a short list of plants and shrubs to look for in Step 2 – the plant/herb shopping trip.
Cathy separating sedums for replanting around pond area
Review of the Day
For my part, I just loved digging over and preparing the soil, watching the birds and learning more about my little corner of Mother Nature from Cathy. Her love of gardening is delightful and I was a willing learner. I found the work hard, muddy, but very rewarding! My work and family life is mainly spent indoors or in cars… It was thoroughly enjoyable to spend a day working in the garden. The positivity remained with me over the following days. I have been in the garden several times since to do some more outdoor tasks. However, I have also found that – just looking out from my dining table at my “pond in progress” – can give me a positive boost. There is plenty of research to say gardening lowers blood pressure, increases brain activity and produces a general upbeat feeling; I can totally believe it.
We have a date in the diary for next month to go shopping. In between times, I will stay on top of the weeds. Cathy will have the results of the soil analysis so she will be able to give me informed and experienced advice as to which plants will best suit the pond area project. I am thoroughly looking forward to it.
Lindsay's pond ready for step 3
Want to know how we get on?
This blog post is the second in a series of four, recording the progress of my garden planting scheme from start to finish. Follow this blog series to find out how Cathy makes my heart sing when I look out at the pond from the dining room table!
Read about Step 2 – the plant/herb shopping trip – right here in next month’s blog.
In the meantime, let us know what you think about this project, and share any ideas you may have about how this area might be enhanced. Post a comment to tell us about similar projects you have completed. Cathy and I would love to hear about them.
If you would like to meet Cathy, she will be at the Crosfields School Christmas Fair on 24th November 2013, 12 noon – 4.30pm. She would be very happy to talk to you about how she can create the best garden for you.