The pond

Our pond used to be a big circular swimming pool. At one stage it needed major repairs. Our climate not being all that fantastic to swim from April till October the decision was made to have the pool removed. The garden was rescaped, the huge remaining hole turning into a pond - less big than the swimming pool ever was.

The pond is a source for a lot of activity: birds dangling from and under the twigs, birds taking a daily bath, birds picking up mud to build their nest, searching for food, etc. etc. Insects, a snake the other day, fish, gold fish, todds, frogs, you name it, it is all there. It is lovely to sit by it and see what goes on, its' view changing over the seasons. The neighbours' cats are attracted by it and the dogs swim in it. One of our dogs used to run straight into the house after a plunge, racing around like a mad one and splashing his wet fur coat all over the place. We make sure we close the door now! It makes me laugh!

As summer goes on things seem to be getting too wild on the sides. When it is hot it turns into peasoup almost. It is high time I should start clearing it up by cutting away the plants that seem to be taking over. In the mean time the water lilly feels happy and after a night's rain the pond looks so calm, peaceful and fresh.

I am not much of a gardener, I have discovered, liking things to go their own way in the garden and only intervening when things go wrong or out of hand. You could become such a slave of your garden to keep it all up beautifully. After all the most important thing is that you enoy your garden and can sit in it once in a while, instead of working in it all the time.

Once I visited model ponds and met the owner right next to her gorgeous ponds. It was her ultimate dream to have this area and maintain it. As we talked she started crying and said it had completely grown over her head - the upkeep was too much to handle, she could never go away or leave the ponds.

Another time I visited an open garden. Beautiful but also a story to it. The first things that were moved from place A to B were not her pieces of furniture, but her plants. As time went by and she got older keeping up the garden became a night mare almost.

But then again, who tells you what your garden should look like? Once I saw an advert in an American magazine for an embroidery with a text 'Behold every herb bearing seed God has given you'. And so it is, every herb, weed, plant is beautiful to look at.

Sometimes I am surprised by a certain plant or weed that has arrived unexpectedly in the garden. They can be such treasures. When I allow it to stay it sometimes returns the next year and is almost taking over the garden. Like the Heracluem. Spectacular, and almost mpossible for me to throw away the beautiful flowers of it, umbrellas full with seeds, so stunning. Well, they have taken over a part of the garden and they sure keep me fit and healthy, having to dig them out. The seeds live seven years ...... once they spread all over the place, so you can guess what I will be doing the coming years!