Friday, August 14, 2009

Pond life - serene



Seeing Ingrid's post about pools which featured my pond - in the rain - I thought I had better show you how the pond is now in the hot dry weather. The pond has moods and often goes dark when there is a change in the weather especially after a big storm. But right now the water is clear and limpid even though the temperature is up around 35 degrees (95F). The underwater plants are busy making oxygen and the water lilies cast shade to help cool the water - the temperature of the water at the surface is nearly 30 degrees when in full sun. The water in the swimming zone is 2.5 m deep and keeps a lot cooler at that depth.
These photos were taken early in the morning, before the frogs had woken up, and everything was serene.

Y

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

cara Yvonne,

The pond looks wonderful in the early morning sun. Assume you wake the frogs up, when taking a swim. Nuoto green, complimenti! Enjoy! Ingrid

Carol said...

What a beautiful setting! The pond with the stones all around and the gorgeous water lilies ... the tiles on your roof ... the golden color of your stucco house ... Lovely! Is that lavender growing along the hillside?

Yvonne said...

Thank you Carol - yes there is lavender but also other 'garrigue' type plants which are found in the wild in this district: cistus, helianthus, santolina, rosemary, teucrium, phlomis. The idea is for it to look like a natural part of the terrain and not to need watering.
Ingrid - the frogs are not 'morning people' and are rather sleepy at that time in the morning. By evening though they are really active, fighting and shouting at each other. You must come here again.
Y

María Cecilia said...

Hi dear, your pond is really, really awesome, I´ve seen the process of making it in your pictures, what a work!!
Congratulations
(don´t you have mosquitos around??)
María Cecilia

MGAP Secretary said...

Bom Dia Yvonne,

What lovely photos of your early morning pond - and isn't it great how the aspect of the pond changes through the day as the sun moves through the sky. Our pond is a constant delight and has now matured well enough to sit within the landscape and enhance it.

I am sure you have no mosquitos because of the high level of natural insect activity which eat all the mosquito larvae - yum, yum !

Our current thrill is the newly arrived Nymphea caerula, the sacred blue water lily of the Nile. It is fabulous, true lilac blue flowers with a yellow centre and has huge fresh green leaves, just the job for shading the water.

all the best from the Algarve MGS.

joco said...

That's not a pond, that's a lake.
Can you swim in it? In between the lily-pads, that would be a treat.

LINDA from Each Little World said...

Found you via GBBD. Your pond is an amazing feat. A beautiful result after a lot of work. It is so instructive to see how others create and construct and document their gardens. Thanks for this wonderful series on your pond.