The Rock Garden will be closed from Monday 7 January for 4 to 6 weeks.
This is to repair a serious leak in the pond. Contractors will remove the lilies and rocks before emptying the pond, jet-washing it and repairing the leak. The pond will then be sealed, replanted and refilled.
What about the fish? You may have noticed a heron by the pond – see the previous posting – the lower water level may have made fishing in the pond more attractive! The fish will be removed from the pond and stored in large, polythene-lined skips. The species of fish include Koi carp, mirror carp, common carp, goldfish, golden orfe, blue orfe, roach, golden rudd, green tench, bream and perch.
Once the pond repair is complete, take a look at the life in the water there – it’s fascinating. There are frogs, toads, two types of newt as well as a variety of insects and birds that come to take advantage of the water.