We really must be crazy to spend practically every weekend doing pond and garden work. Spring and summer are pretty short in Minnesota so we have to use every hour we can to get the koi in the ponds and have the gardens looking nice. This year our ponds and garden will be on the Minnesota Water Garden Society tour. A little added pressure to get the work done sooner. Our landscaper has been sketching out the five year plan for the garden and our contractor tells us what we can and cannot do. I’m hoping the bulk of “construction” work will be done by the end of May to allow us to plant around the structures. We often end up moving around our plants because we change our mind so often as the pond layout changes.

Lots of things on my wishlist this year…the deck and equipment pit cover for the upper pond…the shade feature and equipment pit cover for the lower pond…a new garden shed set back further on the property…more evergreens…a few new trees…a bonsai or two or three for display…some new outdoor furniture…something visual that will separate the back work area. No new ponds this year but maybe next year we’ll consider a new pond.

I’m sure the gardens and ponds will never be really finished because we enjoy puttering around. I used to think gardening was an “old person” hobby…in our gardens and ponds the labor involved is definitely not “old person” activity.

Here’s how the garden changed over the last six weeks – it will continue to get greener and thicker as we head into summer.