Hi there Jane! I have newspaper under the new dirt, it creates a barrier for a while and also kills the grass so if you don't need to dig too deep it makes things easier! I also like how it eventually composts itself so i am adding to the earth at the same time! I used fabric weed barrier near the back of the falls because i have been fighting a thistle infestation for a few years now, my previous neighbour just let them grow and seed and they are so hard to get rid of!! Good luck with your pond! :) I hope you get some good rainfall soon! Violet

Some dragonflies can be found quite a distance from water, especially on cloudy days - it sounds as if you are already attracting them to your property. I'm not aware of any particular type of plant that they prefer. I get the most in the un-mown areas of my yard, I would think that it probably provides the most insects. And they do like to perch on the tall stems. I also get cruisers that cruise back and forth across the hill where the grass is mown. They tend to perch high in the trees. The eastern amberwings seem to prefer shorter vegetation that is a little sparser. Dragonflies are like so many other species in nature, there is a niche for them all! So I'm not sure there is any one plant that is good, I think a variety of vegatation is probably the best.

Yes, I know how the dragonflies and their larvae like to eat mosquitoes and am glad she laid her eggs. I figured with about 13 goldfish and the moving water, I wouldn't be likely to have mosquitoes in the pond. I have not seen them anymore now that we have our pond than before we we installed it. I'm generally careful about emptying my birdbath to keep that from becoming a breeding ground too. I really did enjoy watching her lay her eggs. That was a first for me to see this. She was flicking drops of water at least 12 inches across the surface. The whole time she was doing this, another dragonfly - assuming this was the male sat on one of my plants and watched. This one was bright blue - just beautiful! I have also seen a vibrant red dragonfly buzzing around too, but the blue one has claimed his territory.

Hmmm... this one has me pretty much stumped. Every time I think I have a clue, either none of the pics I Google come anywhere near close enough to a match or it doesn't live in your area. Am I gonna feel doofy when its ID is revealed? 8-Ã ICA, Sophie ^i^