WHAT JOBS ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2018

i think ive lost the plot now its not hard for me , explanations needed for what

 

oh , lord ,

 

Well, some interesting reading for me this morning .

@CanadianLori how exciting that you are coming to Britain . Which parts of the uk are you visiting? There are so many beautiful places to choose from, including Wales - but I am somewhat bias on that being Welsh.

@Loki I don't understand the humour or the banter that goes on here half the time, so you are not alone. Actually I don't think I understand humans at all, which is why I like my animals so much .

Anyway, just off to start daily routine of cleaning out pets and hedgehogs and feeding the garden birdies. Will be back later to discuss my hole in the ground - which I might end up burying myself in . Have a good morning everyone and stay warm

 

Yes i do, I've now got a palaster with Germolene stuck on that area, in a few days the big dig with comence

Nowt strange in using a hedge trimer, but holding it with the cheeks is

Any way i sat down for a cold glass of orange juice (as i was sweating) and there were a bit stem on the on the step ladders and the thorn went staight in my right cheek, in a few days it will all be better

 

This morning R braved the cold and went outside to do this

I appreciate the hard work he's done and I don't want to be critical or seem ungrateful but I don't think this will work. The sides are now too steep, the shelves have gone and the levels where the end of the liner will sit are now banked up and not flat. Also sand has been used to make the banks with a little bit of soil and turf bits underneath. He said that to make the pond level he had to build the banks. The pics don't show how steep the new banks are. I'm not sure what to do now. Really fed up. Mainly thinking I should just put the bath back in and sort out the landscaping when he's not around - although there will no doubt be an argument when he notices. Why is it so difficult to make a pond, it's just a hole in the ground . Any suggestions please

 

Luci if you now have it level put some soil back in to make the shelves where you want them, you will have to compact the soil back down, as mentioned before you need to visualize how you want it look at pictures and videos what others have done and copy it,

While your working blind you will never get it how you want it because you don't know yourself, make a decision and act upon it .

 

@luciusmaximus
At the moment, the best advice I can give is ''when in doubt, do nowt'' If you two continue, and are working against each other it is time to stop.
Finding levels on a sloping garden is a bit more technical, and maybe needs someone else with a mathematical brain to come and supervise...otherwise you could start world war 3.
It is time to move away from the wood, so you can see the trees.
If you are in a hurry, and put that bath back it would be a shame, because I don`t think that would ever look natural.
Could you find a different project to concentrate on - just for now?

Do you live anywhere near @Doghouse Riley ???

Afterthought........have you got any decent builders nearby, just to get you started on the levels?

 

You'll get there eventually Lucuis, take your time and try and keep things simple otherwise you'll get yourself all worked up . ps please don't put the bath back in, a natural pond looks ten folds better.

I been walking around the garden yesterday putting buckets /pots on certain plants ( agastasche - lobleia tupa - kniphofia - penstemon ) just in case. I am not sure if I've already lost the agastache and lobleia . I'll be very disappointed if I lost the agastache, the lobleia hasn't lived up to expectation yet.

Been to the GH this afternoon and pricked out some geranium seedling and potted on , sowed some more petunia / antirrhinum.

Ordered my raspberry canes and strawberry plants over weekend, Ordered some more Dahlia's - ginger lily - Iris supreme sultan - astrantia snow star - hakonechloa from peter nyssen this morning / late night

 

Which Agastache Perki? Hopefully I can put your mind at rest if it's Blue Fortune or Black Adder

 

I think you're getting there. I don't want to keep bangin' on about it but if you'd built a concrete collar first, it'd have made the job easier. You could still put one in.
I'd started digging mine out before I put one in.





What you need to do now with or without a collar is get the thing level, not just each end of the pool but also determine how high you want the pool in relation to the rest of the garden. You need a really long length of straight 3" X 2" and at least a 2ft spirit level.

As it's going to be there for some time I'd suggest some money spent on some decent coping stones, or whatever, as they're going to be in your face when it's all done and dusted.

 

I personally don't see the need for a concrete collar you would only cover it up to stop the concrete collar ripping the liner, soil is as good as anything if prepared correctly millions of ponds are made without a concrete collar, lets let Luci get on with what shes doing she is doing a good job ,

There is no right/wrong way to make a pond a few simple guide lines need to be addressed and they have been its now level, as long we have a smooth area for the liner to lay all is well,

Luci has had good advice and just needs to do the finishing touches herself i don't think she needs confusing with a very much debatable concrete collar.

 

Had a beautiful day yesterday so started on cutting down last years perennials. Mostly Michaelmas Daisies, Verbena Bonariensis, Hollyhocks and Golden Rod.
Also decided to cut all the buds off the Carnations as I have no-where to put them in the warm to let them open.

 

We're all offering advice, we're not issuing instructions, people are able to make their own choices, so it isn't polite to criticise observations that others make which were designed to help. I certainly wouldn't criticise yours.

I'm only going by what I can see and it certainly doesn't look level with the rest of the garden.

"I've been there, done that" and my suggestions are valid. No one would put a liner over a collar, without putting some padding for protection.

My point is that ponds can get out of hand, if you're just "digging away." It can be very frustrating if you've no parameters with which to work.

I started with this and was able to end up with what I wanted without the frustrations, simply by following the advice I was given. There were all sorts of other ways I could have done it.





You should also bear in mind people who are going to build a pond look at this board to pick up ideas which suit their particular requirements. The more options shown widens their choices.