Revamping garden, pond questions , goji berries and kiwi plants..................

[nymphadora]

Thought I would post this altogether!

question number one-
We are revamping the garden and atm have a small quite ugly pond. I was adament we would get rid of it but have actually grown to like having the tadpoles and even now like the water lily. If we build a new/nicer pond whats the best way to make it safe for kids. Mine are 7&8 atm and fairly safe around it but am hoping for more and want to be prepared.Is it safer to put it in the back of teh garden which will be separated from 'lawn/patio' area and/or just have a grid over it and or fenced off???

number 2- Can you separate water lilies? Our plant is quite a big clump now (1ft square ish) and how?

number 3- Have just got some goji berry plants and have read about using them as a hedge, has anyone tried this? and how long does it take?

number 4- When & how do I cut my kiwi back? It has lost its leaves for winter now.

Thank you in advance for any answers

Can't answer all of them but number 2 - yes and use a spade.

We tackled the pond issue with a raised deck. Grids don't work very well, they sink and actually create a little island for all the leaves to land on.

I found a grid encouraged my nephews to try to walk on it!! for my 2 connected ponds I have a raised deck with roof at the back with fencing, along the longest side is a shingle path edged with limestine rocks to the pond side and a box hedge, a sliver birch and some rosemary bushes the other side of the path, this stops the kids running toward the pond. another part has a rockery type area and the last edge has a mass of iris outside the pond and water iris in the pond that form an impenatrable mass in summer.

I only know goji berries in the health way, the best ones grow at colder higher altitudes, not sure what they would be like in england.

second whomovedmychocolate with the spade for lillies.

no idea about the kiwi, grown 3 but never got past a few feet growth

Thanks. I was thinking of putting it behind the hedge/fence but then was worried about it being out of sight.

My kiwi is brill its about 9ft high then goes across another couple. I am sure someone told me (on here?) that you cut it right back (like raspberries?) but can't find it now.

do you just hack at the water lily then? don't need to separate roots or anything?

personally I divided my lillies last year by taking the clumps out and placing on the grass and then using 2 garden forks back to back. I pushed the forks into the clumps and then used the curvature of the tines to gently lever the lillies apart if that makes sense? I have used just a spade before but found that the lillies take longer to recover the following year as they had some roots severed, but it takes a bit more time and can be difficult so can be easier if 2 of you do it when using forks.

my box hedge is only 18'' tall and one of the ponds is raised around 12'' so it is not overly hidden. the height of the first pond enables a good even if not very high, waterfall and by dividing my original large single pond into these 2, one low one high, I get 2 distinct habitats, one more ornamental the other more wildlifey!! the top pond has the lillies as the water does not splash there as the water from the bottom pond comes up like a spring through a rock so water movement is minimal, the bottom pond had the rushes and reeds that are a haven for the many newts etc that breed there and help to filter the water too. the height of the reeds in summer are a great sight over the top of the hedge and through the leaves of the sliver birch especially when there is a bit of a breeze, as long as you plan your planting to take advantage of sight lines say from your window or seating outside seating area, then you should do ok.

I am envious of your kiwi!! I just cannot get mine to grow, but then I struggle to grow grape vines too but not my bourganvilla (sp?) that is running rampant and I am told that is very difficult to grow