Poor Pond

The pond has been looking pretty unhealthy lately, and nothing seems to be perking it up. Not sunshine, not rain, not tadpoles. I had a feel about in the water and found NO oxygenating weed at all! So off I rushed to the nearest pond centre and bought a big bunch of Elodea and a couple of new marginal plants to replace the water mint I pulled out in the winter. Well, I say replace, but actually the mint seems to have taken up residence in the rootball of the sweet flag and the iris, so I guess now there's no getting rid of it. However, the shuffle has left the pond looking pretty empty, so this water violet (another oxygenator) and water forget-me-not should fill the gap nicely.

It's been a few days now and the water still looks a lurid green colour. Maybe it needs a bit more time...

I'm pleased to say I emailed Mr Fothergill's about the mistake with my leek seedlings order, and they called me within 24 hours to offer to send the correct ones. They should be here within a few days. So I suppose I will let them off this time!

I stupidly let a seedtray of purslane dry out and die over the weekend, and have had to start it again. That's what happens when I put plants on windowsills of rooms I don't use often! Doh! Other seedlings in the house and garden are doing pretty well. The pumpkins and courgettes are dying to get out of their pots, and I think I may indulge them this week; we have several very mild nights forecast and the weather seems to be on the up at last.

The rain kept us off the plot over the weekend, but we're hoping to make some serious progress tomorrow in getting the last patch dug and some more weeding done. There's some kind of greenfly-plague going on around here at the moment - they've been drifting through town in massive swarms for the past few days - so I will go to the plot armed with soap spray I think!