bog and landscaping

The soil that I dug out of the pond was used for the bog and landscaping behind the pond. I planted the bog area then filled the pond to the top.

When I had completed the planting I cut the pond liner within 30-40 cm from the edge and covered the liner with soil. I planted alyssum, mint, chocolate mint, Vietnamese mint, native violets and other ground covers to hold the soil together on the edges

Water lily, Nardoo and pickerel were planted in the water. After the water had settled for a week I put Colin our goldfish into his new home.

Colin used to live in the half barrel pond in my old house. By the time I had finished the pond it was getting quite cold. There were already a few frosts in the morning.

Water plants and bog plants require specific conditions

Nardoo has attractive four leaf clover leaves that float on the water surface. The plant can be grown in water 5 - 30cm deep.

Water lilies require a depth of 30-90 cm.

Bog Iris can be submerged up to 20 cm below its crown.

Scaevola was planted in very late autumn and it survived frost, cold and temperatures to minus six. The plant has also survived some very heavy bouts of rain and waterlogged soil. The Scaevola is an Australian native of coastal Victoria and New South Wales and is sometimes known as Fairy Fan-flower.

Elephant ears are large attractive water plants with purple leaves. They are suited to moist soil and are best grown in water 30cm deep. In my Canberra garden the plant fell to the first frost.

Pickerel Rush have heart shaped leaves and bright blue flowers The plant grows in wet soil to 10 cm deep. Initially I had placed this plant in the deeper part of the pond. It looked out of place and only really began to flourish when I moved it to the margins.

Water poppies have round green leaves with a bright yellow flower. They grow in water 5 - 30cm deep. I grew these in too shallow an area and they have not done very well nor flowered.

Making a pond

Ponds are an important feature of any permaculture garden. They attract birds, insects and hopefully frogs and contribute to a moister microclimate.

The position chosen for the pond was in the centre towards the back of the garden. It was placed so that when you stand at the back door you can see it between the two new espaliers.

The pond was hand dug by me using a shovel and a crow bar. Pond liner was used to seal the area.

Initially I created a ledge all the way round the edge of the pond. I intended on placing either pots on it or growing plants along it. However, I quickly realised that there was no easy way to dam the soil on the ledge. The ledge was too thin and not straight enough to place pots on. I later drained the pond - bailing it out using a watering can and knocked the ledge off with a crow bar.

I made a bog area at the back and grew bog iris that I had brought from my old house. When I was draining the pond I only rolled the pond liner back to the bog garden.

There were some nice smooth round river rocks lying around in the garden and I incorporated these into the pond. The soil was placed behind the rocks to create a dam and the plants placed in position.

Rose garden

All the roses were chosen predominently for their scent. The site chosen for the rose bed was an existing overgrown bed at the back of the garden. The soil was hard and compacted we had to break it with a crow bar. There was not an earth worm in sight. We were able to enrich the soil with horse manure that was given to us by friends who have a farm.

We originally left the pine bark that was already there as a mulch. However, after the soil was disturbed, the weeds soon moved in and other heavier mulch was required.

Espaliers

The garden began with three mature espalier trees. Two pears and a Mariposa plum were set across the middle of the yard. The idea was to create two separate spaces in the backyard a formal space in the front and a wild space behind.

Following the espaliers an almond, apple and nectarine were grown along the fence line. These were trained as espaliers. The soil used for all these trees were enriched with compost transported from our old house.

beginnings

A few plants, pots and rocks were brought from the old house. Some outdoor furniture was placed under the carport.

A carport is likely to look strange in any backyard but as it was already there and provided the only shade in the garden it stayed.

Pin Oak - Quercus palustris

The pin oak was the only established tree on the property and is planted as a street tree on the median strip. It looks to be as old as the house perhaps about 40 years old. It is developing a nice green mossy trunk.

The Pin Oak is a medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 18-22 m tall, with a trunk up to 1 m in diameter. It has an 8-14 m spread. The crown is broad conic when young, with numerous small branches radiating out from a central leader. When older, some upper branches become quite large and the central leader is lost, while the lower branches gradually droop downwards. The side branches have been cut off this street tree.

full sun, weeds and empty space

The only plants currently in the garden are weeds, kaikoura grass and periwinkle growing out of control along the fences and the side of the house.

The garden has lots of sun, space and potential with imagination as its limit. The plan is to create a food garden and an environment that can be shared with birds, frogs and lizards.

Creating a Canberra garden

This 1960's era house in Canberra has a back yard devoid of plants. There are two large rosemary plants and some feral fruit trees along the fence. A ragged lawn is growing over pine bark.

The oversize 'family' size clothes line, shed and carport are the only structures in the garden. The cement paths are uneven and a trip hazard. The fences are all in a state of disrepair and too low.

Backyard privacy is important. There's nothing like walking out of a morning with bed hair, coffee and bad clothes to be greated by a cheerful faces over the fence.