Upper Level trough over the Big Island has created periods of heavy rain and showers over the past two days, currently coming down at 1 -2 inches an hour for the last 20 minutes or so. Thunderstorms over the Kona side of the island yesterday afternoon. Steady lighter rain most of the time. Ice and possible snow on the top of Mauna Kea.
Other than retrieving a garden angel from the forest trails and bringing it to the new ponds during a break in the rain nothing is getting done.
Home Depot had no bedding plants yesterday. Not surprising after Mothers Day weekend so just purchased two packets of seeds - petunias and Impatients and will try to grow my own. Makes a change to grow something nontropical. Should be easy enough.
So everything on hold outside. Might go down to the greenhouse and clear some stray weeds and dead head Orchid Cactus blooms.
Looks like I need to get out on the roof and clear gutters. All little overflow evident in the heavier showers. Problem is bamboo leaves blowing onto the roof and that's two storeys up.
Levelled ground and set second pond yesterday and today. Filled the pond with water and found out that it was not level so pushed some rock underneath and now it looks better. Next step is to raise the wall around the pond and back fill with soil. Got the weed trimmer going yesterday afternoon and was able to catch up with grass cutting. Trimmed along the driveway, along the path to the bottom round pond and started the community service work of trimming the roadside grass outside the gate. Took a few minutes to clear the plant bench on the other side of the potting shed and found three Fushcia plants that I might be able to save from the weeds. Peacock has munched on the water lily leaves in the tubs again so each tub will be fitted with a poultry wire collar to stop that problem. Spoke to Grant, the landscape plant guy, at the farmers market yesterday and order two waterlilies for pickup next Saturday. He only charges $10 each which is lower than other local store supplies when they have them.
We will be naming our ponds so we know which ones we are referring to in conversation. Will be much easier to refer to "Ascot" rather than the "top pond on the right hand side of the driveway". Just in the driveway area there will be six ponds and 5 or 6 lily tubs.
I was able to finish the pond yesterday and put the bedding plants in the ground. Now need to fill the small and large pots that will surround the pond and chose what to put in them. Probably Azaleas in the big pots and New Guinea Impatients in the small one.
As there is a slight slop on the driveway the "flower bed" along side the driveway also slopes so now we have decided to put in a tier of three ponds at different levels. This afternoon I cleaned out all the existing plants, kept some bromeliads and ornamental pineapple plants to put elsewhere in the garden or out in the forest. The two additional ponds will be round 4 ft wide kiddie pools lined with black plastic sheet. Hopefully will make some more progress this weekend.
The wheelbarrow full of bromeliads was hauled to the back "copse garden" which is a brand new space looking brown and empty. The Hapuu ferns that were transplanted are now putting out new fronds so there is some green appearing. It will take a year to 18 months to get the area really greened up.
Other jobs around the yard are getting behind because of the pond project.
Had to go to the office this morning and this afternoon we have to take a dog to the vet. So on my home from work I stopped and purchase some bedding plants to go around the new pond. Vinkas, Coleus, Petunias and Portulacas. They will have to stay in their pots until tomorrow afternoon as I work tomorrow and Friday morning. Looking forward to the weekend.
Spent most of the day finishing the pond. Just a bit more soil to put around the edge and in the pots, add some plants and fish and that should be it.
Walked the garden forest fence line this afternoon. Wild pigs are nudging against the fence so hope it holds. The last thing I want is wild pigs in the yard. Been there done that a couple of years ago.
Need some rain so that I can move some plants around.
