Planning Your Garden: The Bad Boyfriend Pond

This week I've come across several newspaper articles that reads something like "Now is the time to plan your garden". Really? I thought I was supposed to be planning my garden in the fall as I cut back plants, put up patio furniture, unhooked the hose, and generally prepared for winter.

I have garden plans and I dream of heirloom tomatoes, pesticide free zucchini, yellow squash and other goodies. But, the looming obstacle is a man made pond that is in need of repair. Like a bad boyfriend, I have given it more attention than it deserves. This past summer the pump. Not good. And if one thing needs fixing, other things need to be fixed also. And they did. The man made pond - that I did not make - became my failure, of sorts. As everything from supports not supporting, electrical outlets not having electricity and pond water leaking from an unseen hole (or holes) it was apparent that an overhaul was needed. Like all bad boyfriends, the pond became an object of hope.

Well, I hope that works. I hope the water comes out. I hope I can find the hole(s). I hope...

This spring, the pond can no longer be the sole object of affection in the yard. There are plants, compost piles and mulch screaming for attention and they, yes, they have been with me through thick and thin. My garden is planned for the most part and I, like others cannot wait to get out and separate plants and dig into a ground that winter has finally relaxed its grip on. The pond in the back will get its due. A new pump and a reconfiguration that will use less water and be easier to keep up. It will not be the bad boyfriend any more and I will no longer run home hoping that it will change.