Part of the creation looks good and part of it looks like left over rubble dumped from a construction job. The good part is where you've used larger stones and fit their shapes tightly together. The small rocks that are not carefully fit look like gravel. The concrete block showing doesn't fit at all with the "look" you're trying to create. It probably won't work out to have running water trickle down the larger stones because for this to happen, the stonework must be built so that it is leak proof. Otherwise, the ground will become a soggy mess and there will be a huge water loss. I think you could pull this together from where you are in the project by getting rid of all the small rock and blocks. (Let the good portion remain.) Then, using the largest, flattest stones, build an apron that is like stepping stone paving in front of the pond in order to give it a nice border. Make this as flush with the surrounding grade as possible (which means that you'll need to feather/blend the grade to meet the surface of the stones. And make sure that the plastic edge of the pond is covered/hidden completely with rock. Work out the exact layout before you begin and try to fit the stones together as tightly and carefully as possible so that it looks good. Avoid using any small rock except where they are necessary to make the larger rock fit well. Use a couple of mounding plants to hide the back side of the works and provide a backdrop to the water.

Connie, you can buy pink insulation in rolls that are about 10" wide and just unwind it as you roll it around the pipes. This method takes longer then... Also there is insulation that comes in a long black tube with a slit up one side. Just open the tube and slip it over your heat tape and water pipe. Cut the tube in the lengths you need. You do have to make sure that all the water pipe is totally closed in or the slightest wind at an exposed area will freeze your pipe. Canadian Tire heat tapes can last as little as a few days to 10 years. Some people put two tapes on at the beginning and then when one goes they just plug the other one in. Some trailer courts used to require this to be done when the trailer moved in. Brenda

I grew 3 kinds of greasy cutshorts and even the ones I got planted late still produced. But there are heirloom pole beans that will produce much earlier up here, like Grandma Robert's Purple, Jeminez, and Uncle Steve's pole beans. However, there are some kinds of beans like lima beans that do well in the South where they get a lot of heat that will not do well here. But it's not over here with the bean vines until frost. My pole beans are starting to hit the top of the trellis and only beginning to bloom, but it won't be long until the beans form, I can't wait. There are some cold-tolerant bush beans that can be planted around April 15-30 that can extend the bean season. Pole beans usually have to wait until May 15-June 15 to be planted. If you want a really early bean you should try growing Fava beans. They are very cold tolerant and can be planted as early as Feb. 15. They taste quite a lot like a nice fat mealy lima bean, especially if you pop the skins off before eating.

I enjoyed reading the replies and updates. I loved your report gldno1. My cucumbers are doing great for a change. I switched to "Little Leaf". I'm harvesting daily right now and throwing them in a 10% brine. This allows me to collect for a couple of weeks. My Shallots and Garlic did OK but, like yours, not as good as last year. My pole beans are on my hoop house, runners are up to the shed roof, bush beans are in raised beds. They ALL suck this year. NO BEANS! I even made a second planting. The little buggers are stuck about 3" high. Been that way for a couple of weeks. Broccoli is kind of funny. I'm growing purple sprouting for the first time. I started it in February. By mid June I'm wondering what's wrong. No heads. Hmmmmm. The broccoli is now as tall as me. No exaggeration! I did some research via Google. One site, out of a hundred different sites that sell what I have, mentions this broccoli takes all year to develop. We'll see....... Three plantings of Zucchini have all failed. I just planted again with house started plants. Sunny mentions lettuce. I got so frustrated I replanted all my lettuce in giant flower pots. It worked. I was able to keep it in the shade under the oak trees. My melons are about like yours Christie. But unlike you, and unlike any other garden in human history, I can't grow any dill this year. How weird is that? I'm usually pulling it like weeds. I planted my bulb fennel in giant pots this year so I could drag it around to cooler spots when necessary. Right now it has baby Swallowtail butterflies (caterpillars) keeping the tops trimmed. The numbers are dwindling so I think the birds like them too. Unlike other years, I've only seen and murdered one Japanese beetle. Sounds like they are all visiting Missouri! I don't have gaggles of Harlequin bugs this year either. I did have to pick off Asparagus beetles daily for a few weeks. They seem to be gone now. I used some of that nematode stuff for slugs late Spring. I don't know if it's a coincidence or if the stuff really works. I haven't seen a single slug since a few days after I drenched with the nematodes. They usually line up to eat all my seedlings. This is a bad year for flea beetles. I haven't found a way to deal with them except to plant eggplant for them to destroy. I'd love ideas on dealing with these little nasties. Here's hoping the rest of summer is kind to all our flowers and veggies! Robin