Just on time for Spring………..if of course we ever get one this year in Portland. This picture overlooks the prior 3 posts on the Still Pond in the Forest theme and is noteworthy for not a whole lot, really, save for the nice cherry blooms from this “Shirotae”. Rhododendrons, azaleas, cheery blossoms, Spring perennials have historically all meant the most riveting Springtimes for me, in the past. I remember discovering Rhododendrons while mowing grass in Vancouver, B.C. and attending school there. It was my first true brush with what became a passion and a career later and was the most noteworthy moment, quiet as it was, of almost any living there.

I was struck by their huge blooms, just mesmerized that day. I can remember everything about that small epiphany, gazing at the intricate beauty of a Rhodie bloom and amazed at its sheer size. That moment propelled this beer-drinking baseball-playing young waif into a most satisfying and rewarding career and pastime.

Anyway, I love Spring. I just wish I had more of it, dangit.

I discovered a most unique blog directory the other day in my constant search for other garden and landscaping work online: http://www.Blotanical.com . What a delightful resource it is. It honestly opens up the entire blogosphere in a way I only suspected existed.

I can whip over there to find what I now consider a source for the finest garden and landscaping blogs on the entire web. It could be too good, actually, lol. From appearances, it seem they get about 10 blogs a day joining as well in this crush of discoveries from others like myself.

Believe me when I say it is an uncommonly rich and diverse directory, guaranteed to provide eye candy galore and some extremely noteworthy ideas in general for whatever gardening purposes imaginable. For pure and amazing garden art, try out these bizarre and amazing avant garde shots from an very young blog, full of promise: http://artfulgardener.blogspot.com/ Scroll down and look at the sculpture of the reclining woman, made entirely from mirrored mosaics and sod. Wow!

Anyway, this highly-addictive spot on the internet dial will be getting some traffic from me and I hope you as well. Thanks, Blotanical.

Continuing on our theme garden of the moment the still pond’s “source” is shown here, originating out of the woods and providing a modicum of circulation with this babbling brook and small waterfall. Arranged to appear hidden, it provides a pretty cool sound and some movement in an otherwise absolutely silent environment. We laid a pipe underneath the water surface, spewing a good current below the surface in order to keep the lake at least somewhat freshly circulated.

The climatic circumstances in Portland are such that algae problems are not really an issue in such a shady spot as this. It is typically rather cool generally, but the deep shade provided by the forest certainly don’t lead to the algae problems that a place like Reno with all of its utterly consistent sun. (I miss it!) It must be rainin’, all over the world.

This was also taken the day of completion, by the way. The moss-covered wood and all those antique-looking aspect were carefully created to give an appearance of some permanence and “place”. I think we really nailed this gig.

Still Pond

Looking back at the house, the most recent post’s 180 degree angle to this shows the island and the deck’s proximity to the water itself, extended out over it a mere inch above the water. Once again, the sheer peacefulness is overwhelming with a man made creek, not visible in this frame, feeding and recirculating the water, yet still making an undercurrent of the sound of a gurgling creek.

The island was quite the chore to construct even if it did follow some rules of general common sense.  The liner itself required 8 guys to flap and disperse along the 70 foot by 60 foot square area,  It had been glued together owing to the fact that there were no liners then available at that size. Punching a hole in that bad boy would have been an unmitigated disaster.  Thankfully, no humans died during the course of this project!

Anyway, it was and still is a pleasure to look at.