Well I managed to finish a couple of wooden benches on Saturday and before the rain came down on Sunday we were able to tidy up around the pond. I removed the pea shingle from the stream, I wasn't happy with it, and replaced it with large stones. This creates a little more continuity as the stones from the 'beach' were used.
Sue was able to divide some primroses and plant them around the top of the stream, while we were both working we could hear the very vocal frogs that were around in abundance. Still not a lot of spawn though.
I prepared a small bed near to one end of the pond and this was seeded with Corncockle, Cornflower and Poppy. This should add a bit of Summer colour and height.
As you can see some Primroses around the top and a couple of frogs in the stream header.
A soon as I had finished the new style stream I sat down to get a better perspective and saw some movement, It was a newt (common, female) walking across the stones.
Sorry, yet another picture of the pond
This was after we had clear up the garden, the rain was getting heavier but it seemed so tranquil that I stayed out for about half a hour.
The area around the stream will be covered with ground cover and, as it is in full sun all day, we will plant nectar rich flowers specifically to attract butterflies.
Birds of interest this week were the Blue Tits that were hanging around the hedge (where the birdboxes are), there seemed to be mating calls eminating from there tiny beaks.