Pond and Wetland

The area beyond the woodland, next to the almost dead maple tree, contains a koi and goldfish pond. The rocks lining the pond were originally the walls of a smokehouse, which is barely visible in the far upper left corner of the old photograph in the display in the barn and on the post cards (which you are free to take with you). It had turned into a pile of rocks which, upon excavation, revealed the outlines of the base of the original chimney which has been turned into an island to preserve that feature. The pond is ringed with native plants which are commonly found next to bodies of water, such as Blue Flag Iris, Obedient Plant, Blue Lobelia, Rudbeckia triloba, Golden Alexanders, ferns and sedges.

Behind the waterfall is an artificial wetland that was created by excavating two feet of earth, placing thin plastic on the bottom, piercing the plastic in various places with a pitchfork, and replacing the earth. This slows the drainage of water and allows for the growth of plants which are typically found in wet environments. The pond is periodically pumped into the wetland area to enhance the effect.

The oak tree limb the is sticking out of the wetland fell from the nearby oak tree which died about four years ago and impaled itself exactly as you see it in the wetland. I decided it looked good there and have left it.

I would like to interject a note here about dead trees. You will see that we now have two of them still standing. Dead trees provide valuable habitat for birds and animals and harbor insects which in turn attract insect eating birds such as woodpeckers and nuthatches. You will note that oak tree has been trimmed to prevent limbs from being blown off during storms, but not cut down. We will be planting climbing native vines such as trumpet vine, honeysuckle, and Virginia Creeper, at the base which will attract hummingbirds and bees. We will also be drilling 1/4 inch holes in the trunk to provide nesting places for native bees, which do not sting and which eat harmful insects in the vegetable garden.

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