My pond is totally shut down for winter. My lines to the waterfall are sloped back to the pump box. After the ball valves on each line they are wyed together then another wye (I think that's what it's called) that is 2" on one side and 1" on the other side. In the 1" line I have a garden hose tap fitting so when I shut down the pond I attach the hose to this fitting to drain the lines. I only use the hose at shut down. When I start up the pond I use the tap fitting to bleed out any air that might be in the lines when the pump starts up. At shut down once I get most of the water out of the line I disconnect the pump (there's a fernco after this fitting before my check valve and pump) and bring check valve, pump, leaf basket indoors for winter. As the lines are now open I just use the shop vac to suck out any remaining water. I also drain both waterfall containers so they don't freeze. I always leave my valves open for the winter and so far (after 5 years) have never had a valve or line freeze up. Well that's not exactly true--my through the liner bd did freeze up even though had blown air down it...long story now have retrofit drain and it works great.

Thanks, Aimee for great pics of Jude. Your bush is perfect. I had a chance to get Jude for $10 own-root, but I didn't, since he's better grafted on Dr. Huey. I'll add Jude to the list for GRAFTED roses from Regan nursery next year. I should had done that a long time ago, rather than buying fussy own-roots. I have William Shakespeare 2000 as own-root, no regrets since it's so cute like a mini-rose & bloom lots.

I'm not from the windy states, but in my area we get really strong winds during Fall. I put large sized peony-rings on my younger/flimsy roses, and tie their canes on the ring supports. The peony rings don't work as well on my bigger whipping roses, however, my roses don't usually get monstrously big in my climate (zone 7b), and you are in zone 5 ....so I think the peony rings should be a good size for them. I find them at local plant stores, but my Home Depot sells them too at a cheaper price. http://www.lusterleaf.com/Product%20Images/Link-Up%20Plant%20Supports/992DH.jpg

Vee, one of my English landladies in the 1970s was quite proud of the courgettes (zucchini) she grew in her back garden in London! The '70s must have been unusually warm and dry (I seem to remember they were but I can't swear to it), because I had to warn her to watch out or the little devils would take over. She didn't believe me, but sure enough I came home after a few weeks in France to find baskets of zucchini all over the house and my landlady miffed that she couldn't give them away to anyone and everyone she accosted. She grew larger marrows too, and treated me with a gigantic one with bread and mushroom farci). I was the only one of her tenants who appreciated her effort, I think. Whoa, that's a shame about the salmon. They used to have lots in the rivers of Brittany, too; but the last I heard they were sparse, although the Department powers were trying to reestablish them. Somebody got the idea to ship salmon to the Kerguelen Archipelago, just about the most isolated islands in the Indian Ocean. That was in the early 1980s, but the salmon introduced there actually started coming 'home' to Kerguelen. I haven't kept up with the experiment so don't know if the antipodean salmon are still doing it. Anyway, I wonder why the Severn/Wye salmon haven't been reestablished...must not be a priority. I had eel pie, not knowing what it was, and thought it was quite tasty. I don't mind the elvers but the adults are rather scary. I can just imagine you with your net and creel. :-) We in the US are quite spoilt with good citrus, with three prime citrus-growing locales (California, south Texas, Florida). We won't put up with lousy fruit unless there's been a horribly devastating freeze (thankfully rare). I'm especially fond of Texas Ruby Red grapefruits from 'the Valley' of the Rio Grande. The season for them runs from October through March. I got to Texas at the tail end, but my ever thoughtful brother got a twenty-pound bag for me so I've had a grapefruit for breakfast everyday for the past week. Where is the citrus you get in England grown? I've had Spanish oranges and can't say I've been impressed, but Spanish lemons seemed all right. You should know better, Vee, than get me started on food and food production.