My garden under water.
By sophiejo
8 comments
Hello everybody.
Many thanks for all you kind thoughts and helpful ideas regarding my garden. I shall look into some strong bog plants and maybe put out some plants in pots, that way they can always be moved.
As you can see by the photo my garden at the momment is slightly under water, although this is only a small flood. I was wanting to get down the big island and put up some more nest boxes but they are going to have to wait a few days now.
We do not have any otters here at the lock although they have been spotted further down river. In the spring we have a pair of Kestrals who come to nest on the island and rear their young. We always look forward to seeing them as it means summer is on its way.
The ducks are already starting to pair up along with the geese. for the past 3 years I have had a duck make its nest in the flower tub on the balcony of the house. I always make sure she has enough food and water and when the time comes for her chicks to take the first swimming lesson I scoop them all up in my large net. Next I take them to the waters edge and gentley lower them in and off they go to find mum whos always watching. It seems such a long way up for them to jump into the water from the nest which is easy 12 ft high.
The Heron is always nice to see as he goes away in the winter and returns around March time. He does get picked on by the sea gulls but he is getting better at standing up for himself.
We also have a couple of pairs of Kingfisher here, last year we did have a pair who nested in the bank by our boat we noticed them going to and fro with food but never saw the young come out.
The swans, geese, ducks and even phesants all find a spot down the big island and both myself and Christopher go down twice a day to fedd them. Some times the birds will let us watch when the eggs are hatching so long as we do not get too close.
Spring here at the lock is just fantastic.
12 Feb, 2009
3 likes
Previous post: How does my garden grow? With great difficulty.
Next post: SNOWDROPS AT COLESBOURNE PARK
Comments
Sounds wonderful, I'm sure you can find some plants that can take the flooding. As TT says you will become the expert! : )
12 Feb, 2009
I've only ever seen two kingfishers for real - they are such beautiful birds. We get a Heron in the garden occasionally, and an Egret too - but rarely.
Definitely a bog-garden for you, sophiejo! It will look wonderful. :-)
12 Feb, 2009
Hello SophieJo, your garden sounds wonderful. We have a large wildlife pond and get visited by the kingfisher regularly (but I've never seen 2 together), such beauty!! I'm hoping one day they will nest. We also have a brook that runs around one edge of the garden and we see him go along there too. A pair of mallards usually nest each spring on the island on the pond and the moorhens are always around all year, along with the heron.
12 Feb, 2009
There are several types of ducks that nest in trees and the ducklings just jump, however high it is. They are so light they bounce then bustle off to the water so your 12ft drop would not worry them at all. Lovely for you to share your home with all that wildlife.
12 Feb, 2009
hi sophiejo,
such wonderfull wildlife, and such a terrible flood.
talk about 'extremes' . pity our inept government can't tackle river floods , all they keep doing is allowing more homes to be built on flood plains , doh!!
12 Feb, 2009
Sophiejo, living where you do must be heaven. What a lot of wildlife variety you have right on your doorstep. I see Kingfishers quite frequently here as we are very close to the Thompson River. However, they are not the lovely coloured ones that you have over there. Ours are bigger and are just dark green and white. They make quite a "chak chak" noise too.
13 Feb, 2009
really sorry to hear about the flood. I really do sympathise, as we're flooded right now (2 feet covering all of the garden but not the house, fortunatel). Our garden is usually flooded at least once a year at least! We're by a river so it's inevitable. Re plants etc advice - I've learnt the hard way what does and doesn't survive floods and have set up a free web site for gardeners. have a look at www.thefloodedgarden.com. Good luck!
13 Feb, 2009
Recent posts by sophiejo
- My Grand-daughters holiday with us and her trip to the Butterfly Park.
15 Jun, 2009
- DISASTER STRIKES AGAIN.
7 May, 2009
- KEUKENHOF GARDENS PART 2.
25 Apr, 2009
- MY EASTER TRIP TO KEUKENHOF GARDENS IN AMSTERDAM
24 Apr, 2009
- Hello everybody
28 Mar, 2009
- WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MARCH MORNING.
15 Mar, 2009
Members who like this blog
-
Gardening with friends since
14 Aug, 2008 -
Gardening with friends since
10 Nov, 2008
You certainly get to see some interesting wild birds and animals. I hope you sort out the challenge of the flooding.
You'll become an expert on water-loving plants. Lol
12 Feb, 2009