Above, Below, and Around the Hot Tub Pond

After doing a spring cleaning of the hot tub pond in April, I’m happy to report that plants and fish have recovered from winter well, and the pond life is thriving. I earlier had removed the overwhelming Dwarf Papyrus (when it eventually grew to cover the pond like a giant dome, I decided it had to go) and this spring added in some native plants that work so much better with their limestone pond setting.

This includes Horsetail Reed, Cardinal Flower, Common Rush, two native water lilies, and this Lizard’s Tail, which is rapidly becoming a favorite of mine.

Of course, I still have Pickerel Weed and the almost native Texas Star Hibiscus, and a few non-natives. This little bud…

will become a beautiful Perry’s Baby Red bloom.

The Pink Sparkle is also blooming, but I missed the window on a good picture, so I’ll save it for another day. And the native lilies are about to bloom for the first time — I can’t wait!

Other non-native plant species include a small Taro, the submerged Hornwort, and probably still some submerged Anacharis — these submerged plants are extremely beneficial in oxygenating the water for da fishies and in using up excess nutrients in the pond that might otherwise encourage more yucky hair algae. In the falls, the Lemon Bacopa is finally having a chance to shine, having been overrun last fall by the Ruby Red Runner (appropriate name that). The Runner is trying to make a comeback. I’m sure it will succeed.

The pond has become a haven for a variety of wildlife. We added a few more goldfish in, trying to get an actual “gold” goldfish and some fun ones with black spots, but it turns out they are harder to see in the depths of the water. So we most often still see the orange ones, and they are getting big! Total count back up to about 10.

I’m just glad goldfish are cute and friendly, and nothing like this prehistoric-looking gar skeleton we saw at Lake Sommerville last weekend. Did you know gar can get 5-feet long?

Something has been munching a bit on some of my lily pads, and caterpillar poop all over them helped me know what to look for. It’s this armyworm caterpillar, so I’m back to another caterpillar dilemma. I know armyworms are considered crop pests, but it sure is taking a risk by eating leaves in my pond. So far I’m letting nature take its course, as I have to imagine that there are far better plants the moth should lay its eggs on. If this caterpillar makes it to adulthood, it probably earned it.

These little spiders are appearing all over the yard, but above the pond is a favorite spot. It seems a great place to build a web, but it comes with great risk, too. One of these days, I’ll find out what these spiders are called. (EDIT: It’s a long-jawed orb weaver — thanks, Joy!)

 
The recent nightly toad calls must have successful, because we’ve got lots of tadpoles again.

 
And how in the world did this water strider get here?

We’re far enough away from any other source of water that I can only imagine some eggs came with my native water plant purchases back at the Wildflower Center sale.

And of course we are seeing more damselflies and dragonflies than ever. Welcome, little mosquito-eating predators!

Nearby, I’ve made the dog pond a little more pondlike. Thanks to a hole in our old pool, we now have a green one (and recycled the old one), and a few plants and rocks and a small pump leaves it dog-friendly, more attractive, and mosquito-free. The water is dark from gravel and soil from an overturned plant a few days ago, and when I have a chance I’ll clean it up a bit. It wasn’t really the dogs’ fault, but mine.

And around the pond, I’ve some small trees, shrubs, and a few perennials. Bit by bit, filling it in. This Sangria variety of Yellow Bells adds some orange to the traditional yellow.

 
 
 
 
 
 
And the fragrance of the Almond Verbena is welcoming to the senses.

We still have our disappearing fountain, and a new bamboo fountain, surrounded by native Wood Ferns, is a pleasant sound near our driveway. Anything to mask the sound of the highway cars nearby.

I’ll be adding in a plant or two to hide the pump tube and cord, and I might consider a fish as well, though it won’t be as protected in the winter as the fish in our deeper pond.

I’ll be updating the Pond Project page shortly. (EDIT: Done!)