The Creek and Ponds

Willie wants to let you know that his creek is running and he is very happy. This is his happy face.
 

After hours of cleaning out dead leaves and branches, we got things up and running for the season.

Someone asked yesterday if we started out with an empty lot to create this woodland oasis.  Yes, we did.

What you see here was once nothing but a large dirt city lot. There was not a single green thing on it.

Our landscapers built the ponds and creek and brought in the large boulders and trees.

I planted every thing else, countless trees, shrubs, ferns, hostas and all sorts of perennials.

My husband does a lot of the grunt work.  He is also the pond cleaner!

I guess I should have kept a journal of all that I've planted but I didn't. This year I have finally started a cottage garden in the raised bed area.  It will take a few years before it fills in.

The creek runs from the top of the property all the way down the mountainside to the guest house.

It pours in and out of 3 ponds.  You have to walk on stepping stones to cross the creek on the way down.

For years we had large fish in the ponds but a blue heron found us a few years ago and ate every one of them. I saw him circling the other day checking things out to see if we restocked.

Every chow chow we have had has loved the creek and ponds and though they never go into them, they use them like a very elaborate drinking bowl. One thing for sure is that I never run out of things to do! This is truly the endless project.