Fish

On Tuesday, I weeded and mulched the garden around the concrete tub pond.  Great dereliction of duty has occurred with regard to the pond - I gazed into the murky depths as I weeded and counted two million mosquito larvae swimming around.

So yesterday, I went to the local pet and aquarium shop and bought four plump comets, two gold and two black.  I didn't think at the time that, having painted black waterproofing goo on the inside of the pond, black fish would be hard to see, I just realised that when I tipped them out of the plastic bag and the black ones disappeared!  Completely!

The water iris has been out of the pond and when I put it back in yesterday, the water immediately went a bad brown colour.  However, the fish are certainly doing a great job - the mosquito larvae have completely disappeared (along with the black fish).  How do I know this?  Because it is only the middle of the day and I have already been out there three times, sitting on the end of the verandah, watching the fish!  Surely something so enjoyably mesmerizing can't be called a waste of time.  I took out the camera in the vain hope of catching them - no, nothing, can't see them, no, wait, yes! definitely a quick flash of gold in the corner!

Leander on the verandah has streaked for the sky!  And had a second flush of blooms as well!  Must have heard me grumbling about the lack of flowers.

Look at that stormy sky!

I wish you could smell this rose!  It is the most luscious, intoxicating perfume, not complex like some of the David Austins, but just old-fashioned rose perfume, like you remember your grandma wearing.

Echinacea in the birdbath garden, with DA Graham Thomas behind going crazy and completely blocking the garden path!

DA Summer Song, with DA Crown Princess Margareta behind on the fence.