Well done Liz for doing all that graft yourself - you deserve a good rest on your patio! Isn't that yellow lily thing a Calla lily?

The mozzies, or similar larval types, in the area of my pond have developed the knack of attaching themselves to the rocks the water runs over, and facing into the flow. The still water lily pot has no mozzies but daphnia, the odd beetly thing, and things with lots of legs in it. I acquired a leech or two in the top pond, probably off birds that had been dabbling in nearby dykes, and they keep the freshwater mussels company. A newt is in the bottom one. There are a couple of frogs and a young toad in the area recently, but they haven't been in the pond for a while. Nevertheless, the goldfish have been frisky (as have my snails too) and I have put two tiny larva sized babies into my lily pot for safe keeping. Last year's success is back with mum and dad/s and is over 2 inches long.

Next week my yard is being rustic-paved, so I can call it a patio instead. I'm having a pergola built by the kitchen wall. Ian wants it roofed with perspex (so therefore it'll look more like a car-port)! Never fear, I have a couple of grape vines I can train underneath it, and the clear lid should act like a greenhouse...

Andrea