BOATS AND CANALS

September, last year the ground was ready to sow the grass seed, unfortunately the seed had to be left until early this year.

However following the winter delays, the sowing of the seed was put on hold for a short while, until Chris has laid the track for me, including some engineering and special electrical works to 'bridge' the gap with a removable bridge.

All was in hand until, yes you've guessed it, the virus, and me being self isolated, Chris doesn't live with me so everything is once again on hold.

The further delay in sowing the seed has meant that the weeds have been taking advantage, so it's off we go again. I have started to prepare the soil again and hope to have it sorted and seed planted in a week or two.

This is the garden just before I dug it over.

Dug over again, the bridge is just sitting there, it wanted to be in the photograph,

Hopefully one day, I will be able to post a photograph of the track etc. in place.

_________________
Maurice

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Seeded, hopefully I will have grass in a week or two.

As an aside:
While we are promised good weather for a while I hope to sort out the trough and overflow into the pond. What a mess, the black piping from the filter should feed into the trough, there are issues with the trough losing water at the moment so I have bypassed it.

Hopefully if I can get the work done, it will look a lot tidier and the water from the filter will feed into the trough again.

_________________
Maurice

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Monday 29th April 2020

Today I decided that I would make the changes to the pond trough/waterfall. I had plans to put a brick down each side to stop some of the water from being lost by going along the front of the trough on a small ledge and dropping into the garden. Whilst only a very small amount it made a difference over a couple of months.

Firstly I needed a platform to work from, the easy solution was to move the nets and use the bridge as shown in this picture.

Having sliced a brick in half along the edges and the length, I had the two that I needed. I mixed the cement and placed the bricks wedging them until the cement went off. I wasn't happy with one of the bricks and decided to do it again, and, Oh No, I dropped it in the pond. What shall I do? I took the other brick off and mixed more cement, and daubed it in place with my hands, I prefer the rough finish to the tidy sides of the bricks. I think it looks more natural and fits in better.

I can't use it at the moment, I have to wait 3 weeks and then seal it with G4 a special lime sealant.

Then 3 coats the same day,wait for another 72 hours and then hopefully all will be sorted.

_________________
Maurice

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Interesting, by through I guess you mean the canal. Is the canal a similar construction made for concrete and sealed with lime sealant? I have always meant to ask how the lock works?

Cheers Graham

'by through' are you referring to the pond trough/waterfall. The canal is made from bricks and concrete slabs. It is independent of the pond, to avoid contaminating the pond water, so there was need to seal the canal with G4, but we did to make it more waterproof.

This article might help answer some of your questions, it will take you to an old article on FGO .The Garden Canal HERE

When the canal and locks are finally repaired they will be filled but won't have running water.

_________________
Maurice

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Sunday 17th May 2020

After a miserable attempt to grow grass from seed I decided to turf it. We have no rain for weeks and the birds have been treating it as quick food takeaway.

I didn't intend to post any pictures specifically of the turf, that was laid this morning. However when I saw this disgruntled collared dove it prompted me to post this one. In the trees at the back of a neighbour's garden there are quite a few doves and nests, consequently babies have to fed as well as their parents. While my garden has been bald with the exception of the grass seed that I had sown the doves have constantly been visiting my garden for seed and insects, as with other birds.

I wonder what this dove is thinking,

I will give the grass a week or to to settle and then trim it properly and empty the canal of the loose soil I dragged in there. The grass looks pale but it's ok.

_________________
Maurice

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The grass is greener, this photo was taken when the clouds had hidden the sun, and with my camera, not the tablet as the previous one.

_________________
Maurice

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That is looking better. I think the Dove was wondering when 'they' are going to restore the canal.

Cheers Graham

That will be some time yet, unfortunately but it will be back.I am not sure if I can repair the lock gates, they are actually oak, made from old lock gates but the locks are definitely staying. When Chris started to build the 'wall' for the track I asked him shall I keep the canal and locks and he said yes I must keep them.

_________________
Maurice

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.... well that 72 hours has passed and I am now hoping that the problem has been solved, another wait for a day or two to be sure.

This picture was taken this afternoon (it is a very windy day), click on it for a 10 second video.

Like everything else in the garden the pond etc is work in progress.

_________________
Maurice

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Glad it's going well. Cheers Graham

Unfortunately another set back has reared its ugly head, on some of the track base boards the 'plies' have separated despite 'supposedly' being marine ply and treated with the recommended three coats of yacht varnish. All the boards will be replaced with new boards of a higher quality and guaranteed to be marine ply, from a reputable building supplies merchant and not from the do it yourself company I bought the initials panels off despite being the UK’s leading home improvement and garden living retailer.

I am not sure though when this will be done, another hold up.

_________________
Maurice

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Maurice, You could go down the same route as me and use recycled plastic. It is more expensive than ply (delivery is expensive too so make sure you only order once!) but rot proof and and can take wood screws. It comes in sheets or planks. You can cut it with a coarse jig saw blade but take it slow or it melts and re-welds behind you!

Have a look at https://www.kedel.co.uk/

Cheers Graham

Thanks Graham, but I think that is outside my budget.

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Maurice

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Chris likes the idea of using recycled plastic as you suggest, for many reasons, not least little or no ongoing maintenance costs. He is going to look into it further and so I have agreed to increase the budget, it possible won't work out much more expensive in the long run.

One of my maxims is that the first loss is always the best loss

Thanks for the link Graham, I can blame you for the increase in my costs.

_________________
Maurice

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