Water garden plans and sunroom update

There wasn't much opportunity for gardening this week. Rain has left the ground far too wet for work. So I spent my free time drawing a plan for the water garden that will occupy most of the front yard outside my sunroom.

Speaking of the sunroom, the walls are painted and the woodwork is stained. It's very pretty. Jerry is working today to finalize the wiring and install the lights and ceiling fans. And tomorrow the slate tile will be laid. Those tiles are really beautiful. The only thing that will be left then is cleaning and sealing the concrete floor. Yes, the delays have been painful and disappointing, but it's hard to complain with such a beautiful space just begging for plants.

Okay, now that I've gushed over the sunroom, back to plans for the water garden. Here it is. Outside dimensions, not including the waterfall (brown area), will be 10' X 12'. I've moved the pond out from the house to insure a good view when I'm seated at my desk. I may run the supply for the bog filter through the pond rather than around, but this is the basic layout.

I was excited to learn about bog filters just a couple of weeks ago. There was a large article in Reflections, the newsletter for the Water Garden Society of Greater Kansas City. Nelson Water Gardens in Katy, Texas, authored the article that illustrated several possible layouts and explained the construction. It's actually called a gravel bog filter. I love the concept because it allows for a more natural looking planted area. You see, the plants are placed, dirt and all, in 12" deep gravel partitioned off behind a permeable rock wall. The roots absorb waste to feed the plants. By doing so they filter and clean the pond water in a way that mimics nature. So rather than placing my bog plants in water, I can put them in the gravel where water is pumped in at their roots. If you're interested in more details about the concept go to the Nelson Water Gardens website.

My builder will dig the deepest part of the pond for me. It saves us some money on fill dirt needed around the foundation of the sunroom and will save me a lot of hard work. I'll dig the shallow shelf and use that dirt to make the outside edge level, because my front yard has a gentle slope south and east to the street. Then I'll have the liner and rocks delivered. I think this will keep me busy for a while. I'll make sure to share pictures. Stay tuned - but don't be shocked at the mess!

Needless to say, with the weather as wet as it has been, the digging will have to wait a few days. But, if our weather man has it right this time, there will be several dry days this week. Of course, it will rain again on Friday but a few days of sun will dry things out quickly.

I have a few more plans to put together, so the extra time isn't so bad. The crocuses don't seem to mind, either. They are blooming brightly near the mud puddle beside my front door. They keeping me smiling in spite of the mud just because they're pretty :-)

Progress toward Spring

There's nothing wrong with being so close to nature that your moods swing with the weather. Is there? I read in another blog I follow that it might not be healthy, but I think just the opposite. I love the outdoors and spring is one of my 3 favorite seasons. Winter is the only one I struggle to enjoy. Although occasionally it does provide glistening beauty that stops me in my rush to get on with life. Frozen mornings like this one last week is an example. Sparkling crystals hung everywhere as the sun rose and it looked like an ice garden :-)

The snow has nearly melted now bringing muddy tracks into the house and new birds in the garden. We have robins year-round, but this week
I saw my first robin in the yard picking through the wet leaves looking for, and finding, worms. With highs in the 40s we are still below normal, but that hasn't stopped the bulbs or the birds. The cardinals, chickadees, and titmice are calling loudly, determined to set up territories and begin nesting. In spite of the cold and mud being out in the yard is a treat for my ears.

This weekend I built a prototype for my benches that will be placed under the windows in the sunroom. My sunroom, which will be my haven next winter, is still in progress. But in a couple of weeks I should be able to begin moving plants into their new home. I'll need to have the benches ready to raise the smaller plants up to the light. Last week I found commercially built "light stands" that were pretty pricey and too tall for my purpose. So I came up with a plan that would fit perfectly and give me space for starting seeds next winter. This bench, including the trays and light bulbs for the fluorescent fixture cost a little less than $60 to build. It measures 22"H X 52"W X 12"D. The fixture uses 2 T-8 bulbs and can be adjusted to hang at different levels as seedlings grow. The wood will be stained and sealed to match the trim in the room, so it will eventually be a little prettier and water resistant.

As I wait for the construction to be completed and spring to officially arrive, I've been planning and gathering information like crazy. The Metropolitan Lawn and Garden show left me with information overload. My challenge right now is to focus on some realistic goals for my new garden. The area just outside the sunroom, the front yard, is just mud. I think that's where I'll start.

My first newsletter from the Water Garden Society gave me a great solution for the pond that will occupy the front yard. This issue had a large article about gravel bog filters. I had been trying to figure out how to make a more natural edge to my pond and how to configure the filter. This is the solution I've been looking for. Now I just have to decide what type of layout to use. The pond will be roughly dug by my builder. He has agreed to use the dirt from the pond to fill around the sunroom foundation rather than having new dirt brought in. Cross your fingers that the digging happens before the spring rain begins!

The pond should take up most of my time and energy this spring, but the rest of the year will allow time for observing what surprises are hiding in my sleepy new garden. I am already anxious to see what flowers will top the hundreds of bulbs I see sprouting in the overgrown garden spaces. Everything is in sore need of tending, trimming, dividing, and mulching. So I will probably have no need of new projects. But my list of native shrubs is growing and the hedge row at the back of my property looks in need of some serious attention. The road just beyond is clearly visible through the spindly Althea that has self seeded in the shade under the walnut, box elder, redbud, pines, and other shrubs. That may be a worthy effort before next winter.

I guess in spite of my distaste for the cold and uninviting winter, the time it gives me for dreaming about the fun I'll have outside is a gift. And the occasional beautiful sunrise is admittedly uplifting even for this seasonally sour gardener :-)

Indulging my flower fetish- KC Metro Lawn & Garden show

What a fabulous way to spend Valentine's day! At the invitation of my husband I visited the KC Metropolitan Lawn and Garden show. Of course, being an introvert and near-recluse, it wasn't easy to drag myself out on the last day of my stay-at-home weekend time. But, I'm so glad I did. Running into plant freaks like myself around every corner was pretty thrilling and enlightening.

My favorite exhibitor was the Orchid Society of Greater Kansas City. Oh my gosh! This is the closest I come to being like a kid in a candy store. I can't believe what a weirdo I am, but my heart beats faster in my chest just thinking about all the flowers. My little Phalaenopsis has been in my home for 6 or 7 years and has only bloomed 4 times, but maybe with a little more education, I can have more of this kind of eye candy in my sunroom next winter. In any case, I'm hooked for now. They'll have my membership money soon. Even if I never attend a meeting, it's great to know there is a community of people who have a freakish attraction to plants similar to mine. I don't mind supporting their fetish at all. Giddy? Yes, I think that's exactly how I feel about it. I mean, there was even a guy who likes our native lady slipper orchids!

Here's another photo just for fun. It's a tree covered with orchids. There are also some little balls covered with Tillandsia bromeliads. One of those little "air plants" was my only purchase today, by the way. The guy selling the little plants had a great booth inside the door and sold the "pups" for $3 or $4. They don't even need a pot or soil; just a bi-monthly soak to keep them growing. I'm thinking I can grow those on the interior wall of my sunroom. There would be plenty of room for a collection if I get good at it.

A close second favorite exhibit was the Water Garden Society of Greater Kansas City. In their case, it wasn't the display that impressed me as much as the person with whom I spoke. Maurice was great. He told me about all the projects the Water Garden Society has in the community, particularly in conjunction with schools. The organization does so much to share the love of gardens, plants, and the outdoors with children. It's good to know there are so many doing good work out there. I talked with Maurice about my intention to build a larger pond just outside my sunroom near the entry to my home. The edges, just outside of the pond liner, are usually dry, but I have been mulling over how to create a bog garden near the edge. Maurice suggested I let an area spill over and discussed the way to flip the liner out rather than in to allow water to fill the space occasionally. I was hoping that would work. Since my pond has yet to be dug, I think this is the perfect time to get to know this group. They will be getting a membership application from me as soon as I have time to fill out the paper. Maurice says I'll get a discount at the House of Rocks with my membership. That should come in handy. Rocks aren't easy to come by or cheap. And I'll need a lot of those for my pond.

Maurice, and you guys at the Orchid Society exhibit, thanks so much for sharing your time with me. I had a great time. You really made a cold day in February fun :-)