The Rockery
The rockery, of course is high maintenance, with a succession of flowers to delight the visitors and the pollinating insects alike. Apart from weeding, dead heading and keeping established shrubs in check, there are extra duties in times of drought. A standpipe ensures existing planting survives.
The Stumpery
The Stumpery was the first of the features around the pond itself. An information board explains, in terms accessible to children, how the Victorians loved ferns, and used tree stumps to display them. Trees and large shrubs removed from the rockery formed the basis of stumps to display our selection of ferns.
Named Gardens
Named Gardens around the pond, in areas of less tree cover, add interest, and a haven for wildlife, particularly insects. The first of these was ‘The Tropical Garden’. A steeply sloping site down to the pond itself. This was landscaped, using two and a half tons of Eco compost, delivered for us by the council, whose support we value. Planted with exotic-looking but hardy plants (‘elephants ears’ and zebra grass) and a banana (hardy with winter protection). A winter and spring garden, with the appropriate planting. ‘The Flowery Dell’ takes shrubs which would ultimately be too large for the rockery. Opposite, ‘The Stairway to Heaven’ takes its name from the log ‘steps’ we used to terrace the steeply sloping site. This has been largely stocked by donations from the council. When their Kings Park nurseries closed, we were asked to help ourselves to remaining stock, taking plants suitable for that shady site.
Japanese Bridge
We took up the offer of council funding for a suitable project, by proposing a bridge near the Branksome Wood Road end of the Coy Pond area. This gives level access to the rockery from that road, avoiding the steps. A boon for pushchair and wheelchair uses alike. Subsequently, we put in suitable planting, azaleas and cherry trees, around the bridge.
Bug Hotels
Nominally to provide shelter for insects, they probably are less attracted than any of the children visiting. An object lesson to help them to realise that we share our environment with beneficial insects, and we could not survive without them. The long season of flowers for the pollinators, log edging to the paths in varying degrees of decay as habitat, and a recent ‘hedge’ of alder buckthorn as fodder for brimstone butterflies; probably do more for insect life than the ‘bug hotels’. However the original by the pond gave rise to subsequent scaled down versions on the rockery. An Alpine Hotel (amongst the ‘mountains’ of the rockery, obviously), and later a beach huts hotel (once a level rock could be found for the beach).