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 Goldfish in the backyard pond |
 The backyard pond |
 The fountain on the street side of the front yard pond |
 The front yard pond |
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Atikokan has some hidden gems in its backyard (and sometimes, front yard) gardens. This past week, I was fortunate enough to visit two gardens that featured waterworks: pools, fountains surrounded by flowers in full bloom, thankfully on the mend from the ravages of army worms.
The first garden, visited on a changeable evening alternately threatening rain and then bright sunshine, was on Hawthorne, at the house of Paul and Heather Hosick. Paul is the gardener in the family and has had the backyard pool going for about six years, putting it in just after the sunroom renovation to the house. It contains water hyacinths, lilies and numerous goldfish. Constructed on two levels, the water, about 500 gallons of it, circulates and meanders elegantly and picturesquely down the layered rocks. The backyard, being such a dynamic environment provides much interest to birds, butterflies and bees. The plantings evolve based on how well they are doing where they are placed, the colours and heights of the blossoms. Planting primarily perennials, Paul will however, plant annuals to fill in sparse areas and give an immediate palette of colour where needed. Just this spring, Paul expanded the waterworks to the front yard. A large pile of dirt was delivered, and by the time I visited, it too hosted goldfish, water plants and was augmented with annuals to give a bit of colour. The pond faces the house, invisible from the street side but providing an attractive view from the kitchen window. A bubbling fountain now stands on the street side, allowing the walkers on Hawthorne their own water experience. There is a certain amount of drama involved with keeping fish in the ponds as well. If Paul did not move the babies out of the pool quickly after birth, they would be eaten by the adult fish. The barrel at the side of the house acts as a temporary nursery sometimes. Like all gardeners, Paul is always experimenting and planning, and making use of plants and flowers much as an artist would. The garden is never completely done, always a "work in progress". Certainly, the same can be said about the garden that used to be on Willow Avenue and that now resides at 308 Main Street, behind the new location for The Aquarium and Pet Store, owned by Simon Payne. Simon and Janette moved from Willow in March, and were faced with moving the garden as well, on top of also moving the business from the back of Wildwood Country to the new location. The garden and its pool were moved in one day. Plants were dug up (Janette wishes to express her deep thanks to the ladies of the Horticultural Club for their assistance) and moved, the pool relocated. A front end loader dug the hole behind the building before the new fence was put up. On the evening that I visited, in early July, it was impossible to tell that the garden had been there mere weeks. The pool has about a dozen fish in it, both goldfish and koi, one of which is over three pounds. One particular flower, in a hanging basket, was brought to my attention by Janette, the mandevilla Alice Dupont, an import from a nursery in Red Lake. The flower was a sweet, light pink the evening I visited. Janette tells me it will change to a deeper, almost salmon colour over the course of its flowering. A particularly intriguing corner of the backyard has a remarkable piece of driftwood, a set of oriental bells and a fountain. This is to be an oriental garden says Janette, who dreams of the day when the garden has no grass to mow. Knowing that I would be visiting the garden of the man who owned the local pet store, I wondered what wild and wooly wildlife I would find there. Not counting the pelican and alligator (garden statues), there was nothing too exotic, a couple of lop eared, and supremely soft bunnies (Pansy and Buster), and Cromwell, a huge short-haired, Saint Bernard, who obviously enjoys the magnificent backyard. Being a newcomer to the community, I might not normally get to tramp around peoples' backyards, nosing about their gardens, taking pictures. Being a gardener of more enthusiasm than skill, I have great appreciation for the work that gardeners do and their willingness to share their passion with me. They bring their imagination and creativity together with their love of colour and design to produce wond'rous landscapes. Thank you to Paul and Heather and Janette and Simon for a delightful experience of the treasures in their yards. |
 The backyard pool |
 A Pelican perches and an alligator lurks |
 The Oriental corner garden |
 The Mandevilla, Alice Dupont |
 Cromwell, one lucky dog. |