The pond comes into its own come midsummer. The water lily covers the pond in pads and pink blossoms, although the latter are only out at midday. Lizard tail (Saururus cernuus) is taking over one corner of the pond, and is now showing lots of white pipe-cleaner-like flowers.
The pickerel weed (Pontederia cordata) is not as widespread as it was last year due to my overaggressive cleaning of the pond bottom earlier in the year. I think I’ll have to live with a few leaves on the bottom of the pond until it’s warm enough for me to clean them up by hand rather than by long-handled skimmer net. Both the pickerel weed and the lizard tail are rooted in the pebbles on the bottom of the pond, which means fewer planters to tip over, but a somewhat less pristine pond bottom.
The goldfish have done a very good job cleaning up algae and bug larvae from the pond, which means they’re always ready for a snack when anyone gets near the pond. The day I took these pictures, two dragonflies (probably male Eastern Pondhawks - Erythemis simplicicollis) were darting around the pond, but never alighting near enough to pose for a portrait.
Posted by Northern Shade on June 28, 2010 at 7:22 pm
Your pond edges, with the rocks and branches looks very natural, and they are thickly palnted. The waterlily blooms are beautiful, the perfect topping for the pond. In the last photo, as the the goldfish rush over to the edge, it does look like they associate food with you.
Posted by lakechicagoshores on June 29, 2010 at 10:59 am
Any human gets the goldfish love these days – the heat has them hungry!
Posted by Eileen on June 30, 2010 at 5:25 pm
I love the pond. I wish I had room for one, we do put plants in our fountain and they look great but not the same as a pond.
Eileen
Posted by lakechicagoshores on July 1, 2010 at 9:37 am
You’d be surprised about how small our lot is and how small the pond is! The MPKS pond tour is coming up in 3 weeks (I’ll post details this weekend), so please feel free to visit then to see some small-yard ponds. Another lower maintenance alternative is a pondless waterfall. They’re pretty neat!
Posted by Diane on July 1, 2010 at 10:20 am
Your pond is so pretty; it must be peaceful to have it in the yard. Hey, did I see you at the Halsted blue line stop the other day? I would have said hi but then remembered I know who you are but I don’t think you know who I am!
Posted by lakechicagoshores on July 1, 2010 at 3:34 pm
That’s my work stop – was it morning or evening? Please do say hi if you see me again! I tend to space out during commuting (good thing I don’t drive), but I’d love to chat with a fellow gardener.