Except that I’ve moved a blackcurrant bush, the last hangover from when I had a vegetable border apart from some random volunteer potatoes and a bit of horseradish. This bush had become a monster plant and it was definitely in the wrong place. So, risking its death and an end to annual baskets of plump juicy fruit (not too catastrophic as we have a second bush in the yard anyway), I got John to help me dig it out.
This turned out to be quite a task due to heavy, parched soil and the fact that the bush had become established over about eight years with an extensive root system. I ended up pruning it hard and cutting through the roots and it now has a chance to settle into the border behind the pond (a clump of branches visible in the picture to the right of the stone lion).
When I saw the new space we’d made, I realised this was an opportunity to create a better access path to Lion Pond. So I’ve rearranged the planting a little and here’s the result. It just needs a few stepping stones to complete the job.
In other news, well nothing much has happened…
The butterfly bush has been busy with visitors. Buddleias can self-seed in all sorts of places and this one fits in very well close to Lion Pond. It’s large but can be pruned almost to the ground each Spring and is a must have for a wildlife garden.
The ponds have been busy with bees and froglets and the occasional large frog…
A keen eye can spot tiny frogs on the move or sitting in damp, shady spots, or on the pond weed and lily pads. A large frog can be seen basking in the cool water on warm evenings.
The only surprising thing that’s happened was finding a large green speckled frog in the sitting room one evening. I was so shocked, when it loped out from behind the sofa, that I didn’t film it until it was outside and hopping across the gravel.
Postscript…
Here’s how the new Lion Pond path looks with stepping stones and a few new plants and cuttings in place.
FROG BLOG 