h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's starting to look nice I haven't see the cowslip yet, but the bulbs have been coming up a treat. Bit worried about the pond though , it might have another leak

I'm working from the flat at the moment, hence the slow response!

Oh no! Not another leak Do you think it could just be evaporation? I know the level in my pond has dropped a couple of inches in the last week or so.

It could be, but 3-4 inches is a hell of a lot of water from my pond! I'm monitoring it very closely

Hhmmm..you're right, that is alot considering the size of yours
I'm watching the newts closely in mine, hoping that they breed again this year. It's looking good so far, the big male is chasing the ladies round the pond trying to catch them.

The lucky beggar! No sign of much life in mine yet, but it's going to take quite a while for it to get established, I think. There's so much filling out for the vegetation to do, at the moment there isn't much cover for any aquatic life.

It was a year before the newts established themselves in the pond. Before that all i had was some mosquito larvae, the odd diving beetle and some pond skaters.
In that time i've learnt alot about wildlife ponds. You've already had some dragonfly larvae and i daresay there are some other aquatic life forms lurking in the depths, so your pond is already doing it's job.

Yes, this year I'm pretty much leaving things be in the garden, to see what happens. The really hard work is more or less done, and I don't want to get into any hardcore weeding or anything, as I'll almost certainly be pulling things up that I actually want!

Good job you have your flower-key book, then you will be able to identify your weeds from your plants You might as well get some use out of it

It is a good job, isn't it? Except I'll be convinced all my plants are saxifrages!

Well they are are'nt they?!

They will be this summer

I saw my first swallow for this year today I always think of summer when the swallows come back

Fantastic! You know what I'm going to say in response to that though, don't you?

Don't tell me....you've had Swallows around for weeks down there?

First report was on the heath three weeks ago

Back in a bit - I have to go and do some post-party recycling!

I knew it!

Maybe i can impress you with the number of different butterflies i've seen in the last few days?

You had a party? What were you celebrating?

It was our engagement party, family and friends came from all over! We've still got loads of bottles of champagne left

Ah, so it's official now eh! Congratulations M'dear How many days did the hangover last?

Well, the party was on Friday, and I've just done the recycling. That should give you a vague sort of idea

Oooh, that long huh!

Do you remember me telling you about that shrub i was trying to dig up? Well, it's still there Back in January i covered it with weed supressing fabric, in the hope that staved of light it would pop it's clogs. Last weekend i had a look under the fabric to see if it was dead...tha damn thing had grown new shoots and was covered in leaves! So now i've covered it with the fabric, black plastic and a bucket. If that does'nt kill it, nothing will.