Stole In Art.: The hole that was to become a pond

The beginning….

For the past few weeks I have been doing some landscaping in the back part of my folks property. It all started a couple of springs ago while walking around the yard, visiting with my mom when she showed me a tree that wasn’t doing too well.

“It’s getting far too wet in this spot. We need to dig it up and move it soon or it is going to die.”

My natural response was to grab a shovel and take care of it right then. So, I did.

After we moved the tree to a nearby spot that was at a high enough elevation that the water draining from the neighbors wasn’t keeping it soaked, I walked back to the hole. Or rather, HOLES. It took a few efforts of digging to find an area dry enough for the tree. They were full of water, right to the top edge of the hole.

Next idea.

In my brilliants I think, “Well wouldn’t this be a great place for a natural pond!” So here’s where it all began. I started digging…and digging….and digging. Armed with nothing more than a shovel, wheelbarrow, and with no plan or outline. No idea, really, as to what the hell I was doing at all. Just digging.

This went on for a while whenever I had free time, and while the weather permitted. Along the way I also planted a wonderful Sycamore Maple called Eskimo Sunset (Acer pseudoplatanus) nearby. Eventually it became too wet and cold to continue for the year. (The hole was, yes, full of water.) Then, as does happen, life became a bit busy and I forgot about my giant hole, not yet a pond, in the back part of my folk’s property. Eventually a tub was tossed in it that was pulled out of my grandparents place when we remodeled it, and weeds and grass overtook the area. My poor, poor pond-to-be had become about as trashy as can be. Eventually the tub was disposed of and the grass around it kept down for the most part. See, it had this pistachio-esk shape which made it difficult to cut the grass down with the riding lawnmower in the elbow of the hole. This brings us pretty well up to date on my “little” project.

The last few weeks…

I’ve had some free time from my work with Modernist Cuisine, and decided to get a little work done on this so-called “pond” with that time. It started with me digging the sod up in the elbow area (and by sod I mean the top few inches of lawn that’s grass and their roots), as well as a 1-2 foot area around the hole so that the grass could be cut properly. Then it all came tumbling down and took over my life for the last few weeks.

See, while I am working on the pond, and on a few random photo projects, I also agreed to pick up some hours at Sunnyside Nursery. Dangerous thing being a lover of plants and working at a nursery. One day while watering, I saw a big ol Chandler blueberry bush on the 50% off table. How could I pass it up! So, I purchased it and planted it out by my pond. To be fair, I had planned on landscaping the area around the pond as well. Along with the blueberry, I planted a Salal (Gaultheria shallon) which is a native shrub that is edible. One that I think most people would mistake for poisonous. Fun fact for ya. Look them up, and keep an eye out for them when you’re out hiking!

The next day while at the nursery I found myself walking through the shade area. Now, I need to say, I LOVE ferns! All woodland type greenery really, but I have a special place in my heart for ferns. Ok, back to the shade area. I was walking through and noticed a variety of hosta that I had not seen in years past. It is absolutely stunning! It has green and yellow variegated foliage (which isn’t uncommon), soft lavender flowers (also the norm), but what was different was the flowers stem. The stem is this deep, rich, wine red! I couldn’t pass it up. And like I said before, I have a thing for ferns. Since I decided to splurge on this hosta for my shady pond area, I may as well start getting a few more things, right? So, along with the Cherry Berry Plantain Lily (hosta), I also purchased an Athyrium “Ghost” fern, and an Athyrium filix-femina “Lady in Red” fern, which was also new to me. Like the Cherry Berry hosta, it has a vibrant red stem with bright green, lacy fronds. Now, there was one more plant that I just HAD to get: “Sweet Tea” Heucherella.