Spill-way to garden
Monday, July 19, 2004
Irrigation System Redesign 07/17/04
On Friday, Bill told me that my Cyborg irrigation system was too ugly to tolerate much longer. I completely agreed and we spent Saturday getting rid of the plastic pipe and chipping a sort of canal around the top side of the large waterfall. Although I need to do quite a lot still, the water now flows down the rocks on the East side of the waterfall into the flower bed, then down the spillway and around the edge of the shop into the garden. It took a while to rearrange the flower bed so that the water would drain toward the East (the garden) and not seep into Bill's shop. I don't think I'll ever be satisfied with any of it. Even this morning I had to stop by on the way to work and move a rock.
I sometimes wonder if I traumatize the plants. Nearly every day I show up with a weed-eater, or a hammer and chisel.
I sometimes wonder if I traumatize the plants. Nearly every day I show up with a weed-eater, or a hammer and chisel.
Menace Plants 07/16/04
Although these four plants are probably pleasant, docile additions to the garden in the appropriate environment, they were the menacing bullies of my herb garden. The catnip was the most aggressive, and right behind it was the oregano. I planted the first because someone told me the hummingbirds would like it. It overwhelmed one half of the herb garden and I haven't seen a hummingbird near it yet. The oregano was a nice looking little clump that just fit in a bare spot, then it turned into the monster that ate my Russian Sage.
The other two plants are parsley, and something else that kind of looks like the oregano plant. It grows the same anyway - too much. The parsley is just ugly.
I didn't want to just kill them so I moved them to the fringe of the pond. Far enough away that they can't feed on the pond run-off, but close enough that I will occasionally water them.
The other two plants are parsley, and something else that kind of looks like the oregano plant. It grows the same anyway - too much. The parsley is just ugly.
I didn't want to just kill them so I moved them to the fringe of the pond. Far enough away that they can't feed on the pond run-off, but close enough that I will occasionally water them.
Thursday, July 15, 2004
07/15/04
I did a few things at the pond before coming to work this morning, and although my photography skills are poor, the views are very nice. There is usually a variety of animals (mainly birds), and it's like watching a park during a 4th of July picnic.
07/14/04
The garden is starting to do very well, but is it still called a garden when there are only two types of plants? Maybe I'll call it the garden area and add a few more things next year. The main noticeable change is that I painted the walls of the shop. I've asked Bill several times if I could, and he said "no", so this time I asked my sister and she immediately brought the paint and supplies. He has to have noticed, but he hasn't mentioned it yet. I realize that he mourns the loss of his junk car parking lot even after four years, but he should soon get over it.
The hand rail by the steps at the NW corner of the shop was built by my friend (and my boss) to replace an old barbecue that was buried in the berm (see the very early photos). Bill used it to pull himself up the steps on bad days, and he wouldn't let me dig it up until I found something to replace it. I mentioned this to Ron and he went home and built the rail. After that was installed I was able to convince Bill to extend the top of the berm to the side of the shop so we could create the waterfall.
Just a few photos of yesterday evening. I especially like the reflections that appear on the water in the later part of the day.
The hand rail by the steps at the NW corner of the shop was built by my friend (and my boss) to replace an old barbecue that was buried in the berm (see the very early photos). Bill used it to pull himself up the steps on bad days, and he wouldn't let me dig it up until I found something to replace it. I mentioned this to Ron and he went home and built the rail. After that was installed I was able to convince Bill to extend the top of the berm to the side of the shop so we could create the waterfall.
Just a few photos of yesterday evening. I especially like the reflections that appear on the water in the later part of the day.
07/14/04
I rebuilt the waterway area that leads to the small tomato/pepper garden on the East side of Bill's shop into more of an ornamental plant garden. So far it looks great, but I flooded Bill's shop, and it looks like I have finally used up my personal rock collection. I could stop the flooding if I had just a few more real nice rocks, and I know a couple of people in town who have nice rock collections, but we've gone through the "could I borrow a few of your rocks" thing before, and I wouldn't ever loan them any. I doubt that they will be any different toward me.
Bill hasn't said anything, but I'm sure he is annoyed. He doesn't use that shop very often any more, but he does have his remote controlled planes stored in there and it's kind of swampy now. The good news is that he is old, and in a few days the things connected to oldness will kick in and he will forget what I did. It still looks better, up close and from my back yard, which was my objective.
The plants are random choices, whatever was free, on sale, or needed to be replanted. They fill out slightly more every day, and look pretty incredible for a desert environment but would probably be completely different somewhere wetter. We are finding that although the top and inner edges of the pond stay lush (for here), everything below the outer edges of the berm fades quickly in the heat and dryness. Another thing we have learned is that catnip, although the hummingbirds do like it as the brochure said, is a flower-bed eating plant, and kind of hard to get rid of once it establishes. I moved a large plant from beside the waterfall to the fringe of the pond system where less moisture should tone it down.
Bill hasn't said anything, but I'm sure he is annoyed. He doesn't use that shop very often any more, but he does have his remote controlled planes stored in there and it's kind of swampy now. The good news is that he is old, and in a few days the things connected to oldness will kick in and he will forget what I did. It still looks better, up close and from my back yard, which was my objective.
The plants are random choices, whatever was free, on sale, or needed to be replanted. They fill out slightly more every day, and look pretty incredible for a desert environment but would probably be completely different somewhere wetter. We are finding that although the top and inner edges of the pond stay lush (for here), everything below the outer edges of the berm fades quickly in the heat and dryness. Another thing we have learned is that catnip, although the hummingbirds do like it as the brochure said, is a flower-bed eating plant, and kind of hard to get rid of once it establishes. I moved a large plant from beside the waterfall to the fringe of the pond system where less moisture should tone it down.
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
07/07/04
On July 3rd I watched Bill catch several small catfish during a 30 minute period. They were all from 7 to 10 inches long, healthy, and assertive. There are probably close to 1000 of this size, and at least that many from that size up. There are also hundreds to maybe thousands from 1 to 3 inches in length. I never have fished, but it was interesting to watch, and the dog was very excited.
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