9 & 10. THE POND, TALL PERENNIALS AND THE AMPHITHEATRE

The pond and the stream with its waterfall are artificial, the water retained by solid pond liners.

Siberian iris (Iris sibirica ‘Grand Junction’)

The pond and the stream with its waterfall are artificial, the water retained by solid pond liners. The pond is heart-shaped like in classical gardens, and has since the late 90s supported a population of Crucian carp. They produce antifreeze alcohol and survive being completely surrounded by ice during the winter. Water lilies (Nymphaea), greater reedmace (Typha latifolia) and the similar, although sterile medicinal herb calamus (Acorus calamus) grow in the pond. The invasive water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) has arrived here entirely by its own force. 

Tall perennials such as leopard plants (Ligularia), irises (Iris) and rodgersias (Rodgersia) are cultivated around the pond.

Dwarf conifers are grown behind the Amphitheatre. These are slow-growing mutants which are propagated vegetatively. They do well in many gardens because they do not grow too large.