The Pond – August

The fish are sunning themselves. I’ll get the hose and oxygenate the water. They love that. All rush to the jet of bubbly water and compete for the space around it.

The large carp lie basking on the surface of the still deeper water, further out. They look like dark torpedoes.

Below the pond the Alder circle appreciates the extra moisture from the pond overflow. Alders create a lovely shade, though the grass is long and lush beneath them and snakes hide in the cool dampness.

Rowan trees I planted as bare rooted slips, on either side of the garden are now mature trees. They are heavy with scarlet berries this year, which hang down in great fist sized bunches.

How different our garden is from next door – beyond the wild hedge. They are two worlds; ours abundant with plants and wildlife, their’s paving, more paving, swimming pool and manicured grass – that’s it. I guess our garden would be as alien to them as vice versa. Everyone is entitled to their own idea of a dream garden.

Today we caught sight of the kingfisher sitting on the edge of the deck by the pond. We crept round, as close as we dare, but out of sight to watch it. It sat very still for ages. A beautiful experience. Such an amazing electric blue and shining gold, with white flashes on its head. I am always astonished at how bright, how full of intense colour they are. Its vividness, a depth of colour like the sea in Greece. You see it, photograph it, and when you get home you can’t believe it. Surely it couldn’t have been that blue?

When we see kingfishers in Greece, even with the benefit of the blue sea and sky and sunshine, they appear less dramatic than they do here, because of the contrast of seeing them against the flat dull greenish tinge of the pond water.