Other than a small fish pond we built about 20 years ago, this is the first pond we’ve had the pleasure of owning. Ponds hold a high spot in our shared family memories. This one isn’t so suitable for swimming, but is of aesthetic value to Coppertop gardens.

A willow tree helps make this a serene setting, and we’ll soon add a bench to allow for nice breaks from gardening.  In the summer and fall we’ll hopefully enjoy water lilies, since I remember pink blooms when we first visited last October. Here’s a photo I snapped back then:

Other than maintaining the grasses and lilies, I don’t intend to put much effort into the pond, which makes it a simple garden element. The pond is sustained and fed by a stream that runs through the property, and water exits the pond through a couple of large tubes I’m pretty sure we call a spillway.

A pair of mallard ducks visits the pond daily, and after they dive for goodies in the water, they sometimes waddle uphill to eat birdseed that has fallen below the deck. This mated pair is elusive and departs with a loud quack and beating of wings when disturbed by humans. The beagle doesn’t bother them though, and when the dog is out and about, the ducks quickly swim to the middle of the pond then ignore him. This morning I caught an image from my bedroom deck of the pair’s early swim — but he’s just a flash of green as he hurries off, and she’s paddling as fast as she can behind  him on the left.

Ponds encourage deep reflection; just think of Thoreau’s Walden. On the hottest days of summer, which we have few of up in the northwest, perhaps we’ll get IN the pond and find out just how deep it actually is.