Lake Progress...

As shared in a previous post, due to several issues with the lake liner, we had to have it removed, and the lake relined with a different product, one with a long life guarantee! The dimensions of the lake remain unchanged, but the liner is now made of a plastic product 5 times thicker than the previous liner, and there is special gas venting geo-textile underneath with 10 vent ducts around the perimeter to allow for escape of natural gasses which build up under usual conditions. Here are some pictures of the lake once the old liner had been removed...

Above: The jetty being deconstructed to allow the liner to be placed over the posts.

Below: Peter standing on the circumferential ledge upon which we will plant marginals in shallow baskets.

Above: The ledge and the hillock.

Below: A view towards the bridge.

Below: The jetty posts sans boardwalk.

Below: The re-lined lake, quickly filling with the aid of the wet weather. The white sand bags started off in the centre of the lake to hold the liner down until there was enough water, and have slowly been shifted towards the outside. It shouldn't be long until they can be removed altogether. They are currently on the marginal ledge. Just outside them is coconut matting which has been sown with grass seed so that once the lake has filled one will never see the liner.

 Above: The view from the balcony.

Below: Panorama from the hill, the view from the future folly.

Lake Overhaul (3rd Time Lucky) & Fountain...

At present we are having a major over haul of the lake.  The lake was one of the first attractions we created at Willowbrook, but has over the years caused us a number of problems, due to issues with the liner, trauma sustained to it, gas build up underneath it, and indeed, the difficultly of several times trying to set up the perfect micro-climate in the lake.

To start with our Indian Runner Ducks polluted the lake and ate the new shoots off the waterlilies before we could establish a nitrogen balance. Once we re-homed our ducks to the pond on the farm, they were no longer an issue, but then the wild Mallards found a new home and continued to graze on the flora in our lake, and added their own nitrogen to the water...

So at great expense we drained the lake, cleaned it out, replaced the lilies and other oxygen creating plants, and refilled the lake, but alas further accidents ensued, and the lake required draining again.
This time we are determined to get it right (especially with our opening this Spring!).

The lake liner has been completely removed, the edge of the lake reveled, the bridge started, and soon it will all be put back and planted straight away with approximately 25% surface area of plants (which will grow quickly to the required 33% which is generally considered to be the minimum amount of surface water coverage to keep a lake clean and clear and to deal with the nitrogen balance).

Warning to those considering clearing a green lake or pond by dropping bales of pea straw into it - it doesn't work!

At the same time as our great remediation we will install a proper water oxygenating fountain. There are several on the market, but for our little lake this 1/2 HP model with 5 different fountain heads seems to fit the bill, especially with 1 head specifically designed to oxygenate lakes of volumes up to 25000 cubic metres of water.

Above: The ornamental Tri-star head.

Below: The oxygenating / aerating head.

Oxygenation heads can look pretty...

Although the other heads could be used for special occasions, as they are more dramatic...

I have also found a series called "The Great British Garden Revival" (Following in the increasingly common trend of the Great British Bake Off, and The Great British Sewing Bee, etc.) But it does showcase some wonderful gardens and ideas. I think there are about 10 episodes in the seris. The episode on water gardens is posted below for your perusal. Enjoy...

I am currently back in NZ and should be able to share more progress photos soon. The project is getting a bit like the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - "Things will be alright in the end, if they are not alright it is not the end".

Almost There...

Followers of Willowbrook's progress will know that the completion of the lake has been a long drawn out affair. It was the first large project we undertook at the park. The lake, a quarter of an acre, was dug out in June 2009. This was just before winter and it then filled with water before we could line it. By the first summer the lining had not been fabricated (as we were a long time in deciding exact material and thickness and manufacturers (UV stabilised vs non-UV, 500 micron vs 1000 micron, prefabricated and welded vs spray on rubber... Who knew there were so many options!).

Above: The field before

Below: The Lake and Bluebell walk after

By the time we had the liner by the lake ready to go, we had come to the following autumn, and due to intermittent rainy days falling on the only days the installer could come down from Auckland, we were then into Spring of last year. In the interim we pumped out the water, enough to build the jetty. As you can see, soon after the jetty was finished it flooded again. It looked lovely over winter, but the problem is that it dries out over summer. An unseasonally wet spring prevented us once again from completing the project. Now, finally, the stars have aligned, and the lining company was able to make it down, and the weather held out, and now we have a 1/4 acre of strong butyl rubber liner installed, and the edges ready for planting next month with irises, lillies, pickerel, and narcissi. The water is on, and we shall wait patiently for it to fill (as will our ducks). Given that we will not be shooting any wild ducks on our property this season, we guess that it will become a safehaven for the local mallards come May.

Above: The small hill destined to be the site of a small neoclassical folly...

Below: Delusions of grandeur????

The Jetty...

The jetty has been complete for a few weeks now. Having decided where it was going and how big it was going to be, we had to decide how we were going to construct it. Our friend Richard helped us with the build. He did some recognisance work during his holidays at the lake, kayaking under the many private jetties on the lake and discovering how they were put together. After this we set about the construction...

It started off as posts in the ground. We cemented them in with quick drying wet condition concrete mix (it doesn't get much wetter than this)....

We then affixed 6" x 2" H4 treated timber to the marine grade strainer posts,
all the way around the jetty with 6" lag screws, ensuring that it was level...

After that we braced the framing internally with further lengths of 6" x 2" timber and
lag screws, pre-drilling all the holes with a brace and bit...

Finally, we placed the top boards on and nailed them in with 4" nails, then trimmed the edges with a circular saw...

Above and Below: Almost finished. I was waiting till the lake was lined before I took the final shots. Now there is a finished jetty, with an empty lake!

We then promptly ended up draining the lake in vain. We managed to get the water down to a few inches in the bottom, but when the company turned up to install the liner, they said that they couldn't install it if there was any water in the lake at all, because they could not weld the liner to the rubber boots they had made for around the jetty posts. Frustrating! (You'd think that a company that specialised in lining ponds and lakes would have equipment that could cope with surface water!).

So we now have to wait until it dries out completely, which will be about December. In the meantime we have planted all the bulbs that were to go around the lake, elsewhere, and have post-poned the order for all the water lilies and lotuses. Still, it will give me time to restore the boat.

Progress Report....

Dear All,

Sorry we have been incommunicado for the past month almost, but things have become very hectic, what with juggling work and Willowbrook. Over the past month we have been working hard to fence the farm properly. All the temporary fencing has been removed, and the 10 acre farm block has been divided into 7 paddocks, all fully fenced, with lovely 12 foot wooden gates; and a post and rail cattle yard for rounding up the stock and inspecting them / drenching, etc. We have done all the work ourselves, which although time-consuming, and physically draining, has given us a great sense of pride and satisfaction.

Then in the middle of that [fencing] mission, one of our Dorset Horned Ewes got a facial wound (however, following minor surgery and some tender ministrations twice daily, she is now bleating and leaping like before). Then our prize Suffolk Ram, Mr Darcy, came down with an infection in his stifle. I had to carry him over my shoulders the full length of the farm in the pelting rain to the barn, where he too, after a week of TLC, made a full recovery and has been released into the rest of the flock for the first time to 'do his thing'.

I mentioned the rain. My Word, it has not rained as hard or as long as it has for the past 2 weeks for years. Never mind, it has been great for the plants.

Meanwhile Peter, along with our friends Darin and Richard, has been making all the raised potager beds (36 beds, all 1 foot high, 10 feet long and 5 feet wide). He is due to finish those next week, so we can get them filled with the top soil and compost. Some of our plants for the potager have already arrived. They include medicinal herbs for our natural remedy range, and herbs for making natural cosmetics and hand and body creams. There are also many culinary herbs and seeds, including 10 Camelia sinensis trees (used to make Chinese black tea). Others include:

Aloysia triphylla (Lemon Verbena)
Anethum graveolens (Dill)
Apium celeriac (Celeriac)
Arnica mantana (Arnica - good as a natural bruise remedy)
Asparagus officinalis (Asparagus)
Chamaemelum nobile (Roman Chamomile - a relaxing infusion)
Crocus sativus (Saffron)
Echinacea purpurea (Echinacea - a natural immune booster)
Foeniculum vulgare dulce (Florence Fennel)
Helianthus tuberosus (Jerusalem Artichoke)
Juniperus comunis (Juniper for the berries - for making our own Gin!)
Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree - for medicinal oil, and the wood shavings are great for smoking trout and salmon)
Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm - for teas and ointments)
Mentha citrata (Eau de Cologne Mint - for tea)
Mentha x pip. citrata basil (Basil flavoured Mint)
Mentha x piperita (Peppermint - for tea and ointments)
Manarda Cambridge scarlet (Bergamot, hot pink)
Manarda didyma (Bergamot - red)
Manarda didyma fistulosa (Wild Bergamot - Purple)
Nicotiana tabacum (Tobacco - useful as a natural insecticide)
Ocimum basililcum (Sweet Basil)
Ocimum tenuiflorum (Sacred Basil - perfumes)
Oenothera biennis (Evening Primrose - medicinal oil)
Origanum vulgare (Marjoram)
Pelargonium capitatum (Rose scented Geranium)
Pelargonium chocolate (Cocoa scented Geranium)
Pelargonium nervosum (Lime scented Geranium)
Pelargonium Rober's rose (The finest Rose scented Geranium)
Physalis alkekengi (Chinese Lanterns - ornamental pods for arrangements)
Physalis peruviana (Cape Gooseberry)
Polianthes tuberosa (Tuberose - used in perfumes)
Rosmarinus off Blue Lagoon (Blue Rosemary)
Rosmarinus off Remembrance (Pink Rosemary)
Rosmarinus off Tuscan Blue (Light Blue Rosemary)
Salvia off Pink form (Pink Sage)
Salvia off. Purpurascens (Purple Sage)
Salvia officinalis. (Sage - for culinary use)
Satureja montana (Winter Savoury)
Tanacetum parthenium (Feverfew - natural migraine remedy)
Thymus 'lemonspreader' (Lemon Thyme)
Thymus vulgaris (Common Thyme - for culinary use)
Thymus Westmoreland (Turkish Thyme - strongly flavoured)
Valeriana officinalis (Valerian - used as a relaxant)

We have also planted up our citrus grove, in the middle of the orchard, leaving enough room in the middle of it for the Orangery.

This coming week I am placing all the water troughs in the paddocks and finishing the stock yard. I am then moving on to making the jetty for the lake. The lake liner was finally finished last week and shipped down from Auckland. I have to get the jetty built in the next fortnight so that the liner can be installed around it (with large rubber 'boots' welded around each of the jetty posts, into one continuous form with the rest of the liner).

Last week I also drove to Wellington and back (a 16 hour trip!) to collect a boat which we had bought for the lake. It is a traditional styled row boat, which I am going to restore with lovely brass fittings, and varnished wooden seats. We are going to call her "The Lady of The Lake".

That should take us up to the great planting weekend of July 10-11, when a group of friends are gathering for the weekend to help us plant nearly 3000 trees around the park. I need to start putting in markers and border-lines, so that everything is ready to go on the big day.

So, there will be lots of before and after photos and progress pictures to share in the coming weeks. Once all that is done, order and sanity may once again prevail, and I may be able to return to the gentile art of blogging more regularly.

Till next time,

Dx

A little jetty and a rowboat for the lake...

Once the lake has been all planted up, we are going to install a small jetty for a little boat, so that we can go for a row on a summer's evening on the lake. We are looking for something small and old, probably varnished wood, not painted. I found a few photos of some little dingies, and a couple of jetties too.

The idea of getting a boat reminds me of going punting on the Cherwell in Oxford with our friend Hugh. Hugh, who has lived in Oxford for decades, is an expert punter, and he took us out last summer. I had a go at punting, and it was quite hard work. You soon learn not to hold on to a muddy pole for too long. I much prefered lying back in the punt, a la Sebastian...

Here are some photos, including one of a swan, of which I am very proud...

We won't be trying to recreate the French Swan-boats at Versailles (somethings are a little too much even for us!)