Tuesday 1 July 2008

My Water Features!


Because my garden is so small, I don't really have space for a pond and I wanted to grow some miniature water lilies. I came across a little book explaining how to create a mini pond in a tub. There were all sorts of inspiring illustrations showing various kinds of garden tubs and containers planted up with lovely lilies, so last year I decided to plant one up and am quite pleased with the result. 
This little pool attracts damsel flies in bright red, blue or green.
It was on this lily pad that I thought I would capture a photo of a damsel. However it turned out to look like a stick and nobody would have known what it was. So maybe in the future I will be able to capture a picture of one! For now you will have to imagine it!




This is a little marshy tub containing reeds and has to be kept moist at all times. The two tubs stand side by side on the patio.
Further down the garden I sank a heavy duty bucket into the ground and put pebbles all around. It wasn't long before a frog set up home there. It is possible to attract wildlife into the garden with only the minimum of space.




24 comments:

Suburbia said...

Your lillies are lovely, what a great idea. But it is your garden isn't it?!!

Have you tried cropping the photo of the damsel to enlarge it?

Jeni said...

COOL! Just way, way cool! I would never have thought of doing something like that but it really is as I said above, just very COOL!
Peacekroihwk

RiverPoet said...

Maggie -

What a great idea! Can you post something telling us exactly what to do (if there are any special "how-to" tidbits?)

Peace - D

kylie said...

i especially like the second one...the green and white together are always so elegant and the violets (?) at the bottom are just so delicate
blessings on you

the mother of this lot said...

Watch out Alan Titchmarsh!!

® ♫ The Brit ♪ ® said...

Wow maggiemay!!
Your tubs are really beautiful!! and I really love the miniature pond in a tub!
Maybe I will try to do something like this when I move house!
Have a great week!! :)

Laura Jane Williams said...

What a beautiful garden Maggie May!

Rose said...

Your water feature is lovely! I have lots of room for a garden and would love a pond. But unfortunately that requires work and money...This is a very doable idea for me--I'll have to try it.

I think you've already seen some of my efforts at photographing dragonflies. If the darn things would only stand still for awhile, it would be so much easier:)

Suzanne said...

Hi! I see you on Peter's blog and thought it was time for a visit. I'm happy I stopped by. Your water features are beautiful. Nice job. I like both, but the second one is very special. I've read all the comments and agree you should post about how to design a small water feature. I know how to because I'm a gardener, but so many don't. And they should because just a little something like that attracts wildlife and it's a beautiful thing. I have froggies too!!! Are they loud, or what!?

Nice to meet you. See you at Peter's!

XO Suze

menopausaloldbag (MOB) said...

Well, those pictures have inspired me. I love the lillies - extremely prett and your garden must be a little oasis. I lack any such talent.

Maggie May said...

Suburbia....... IT IS my garden! don't know how to crop!

Jeni ..... Glad you like them.

Momma ..... there's not much to tell really. Just put pebbles on the bottom of container & put the special pots of water lilies in the bottom. Hey presto!

Kylie ...... the little one is quite small. The flowers at the bottom are companulas.

Jackie ...... Yes I am fair competition!

The Brit ........ Good to see you again over here.

Girl with a mask ....... gee thanks!

Rose ..... your dragonflies were lovely. The big garden ponds would be too much for me.

Suzanne .... nice of you to pop by. Please come again. Glad you liked the water features.

MOB ....... Any one could bung a few things in a container of water!

Working Mum said...

What a great idea. May have to pinch that one when I get going on my garden as it is much safer than a pond for daughter. Only thing is, I have a bit of a phobia about frogs!

Anonymous said...

What lovely water features you have! Very tastefully done (not that I have any type of garden to be tasteful with!).
It must be so nice to go outside and enjoy what you and nature have created together - just beautiful!

Peter

Gone Back South said...

You know what Maggie? You are just fab!

Dottie said...

Know what you mean with wildlife pictures problem. Our garden is home to loads of bats, three born-free rabbits, one mad pheasant and an obsessive compulsive hedgehog - none of which stay still long enough to take a photo of. Must get some tips from that bloke off the telly...

Cath said...

I've an award fo you now. Come over and see....

Mignon said...

Maggie,
Absolutely marvelous. Great job. Fantastic. I always see them at the garden markets just never thought they were do able. Looked, I guess, complicated.

Irene said...

Good for you for having such successes in your garden. You see, where there is a will, there is a way. You proved it.

Unknown said...

I LOVE your tub and your lillies. I want a pond, too, but don't want it in the back yard, and really don't have room in the front yard. So, maybe I can take your inspiration and put it SOMEWHERE! Very pretty.

Suburbia said...

Maggie I can't explain cropping here. Did you get a basic editing cd with your camera?

Anyway, there's an award for you at mine (hope you haven't got it already!) come and get it when you have time!

Lavinia said...

What a fantastic idea! I love your tub ponds...they are so naturalistic and lovely. I have to read up on this topic, as my garden needs a water feature too (aside from all the birdbaths!)

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

Love both of those water features, Maggie, they are delightful. I do think miniature water lilies are a good idea. M xx

Cath said...

I have come back to read the post properly. And I love it. Your ideas of how to create the pond you want with little space is ingenious.

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