This one's for Wendy ! (pond construction)

Here ya go Wendy,  sry the other link was defunct so I've scrambled together  a record of the pond/waterfall/reedbed/bog pond construction for you to have a scan through ..................

Basically, there were 4 layers for the pond:    1) layer of sand to about 3 or 4 inches     2) fleece lining   3)  thick heavy duty rubber pond liner 4) sea pebbles, sandstone slabs.     The sides of pond/bog garden/reed bed/waterfall areas all had breeze block construction for support. 

First, find yourself a space in the garden  !!  chalk out the area for your pond and dig a very large hole, stepping it down so you can have a ledge for marginal plants.....   and depending on size you may need to hire a digger  lol

Here is the general start of construction with the breeze blocks in place and the two pits you can see which took the pumps:  3 pumps in total (two in one pit which are operational constantly for water circulation and trickle flow) one larger pump for high waterfall flow

another angle from t'other end        The top ledge of the pond is concreted to give it firm base for final edging slabs

Waterfall also has to have it's own solid base ...   (2 tiers and final run off)

You can see the amount of concrete/cement for the walls and also a brick support for the final drop off point into the pond

next the pond area has it's first layer which is sand;   this prevents roots, stone, puncturing liner and gives a protection to the subsequent layers.

Fleece layer on top of sand and then thick heavy duty rubber pond liner (preferably one piece so no leaks  ! )

construction of waterfall area ....

you'll tons of topsoil as deep as the whole waterfall level is reached with soil  !     We had it as a rockery area with stones placed within the topsoil

Sandstone from Yorkshire was used for waterfall construction (aesthetics) giving natural look and it was crazy-paved on run off with large sea pebbles and rocks placed to make it more natural looking;   each stone was cemented into place

Reed bed was 3 - 4ft deep filled with washed gravel       fleece liner to reed bed;  there is another mini waterfall step run off to reed bed at the end which empties back into the pond;    the water circulates constantly through a large filter via pumps.    

bog garden is to the right of the gravel reed bed

top sandstone slabs on edges along with fill in boulders, sea pebbles, etc., 

testing the waterfall flow and pumps  !!     the green tube you can see at bottom of photo is what takes water from pump to filter (16,000 Aquamax pump and 30,000 Oase UV filtoclear which is hidden on rockery to side of waterfall)

the other pumps are an 8,000 Aquamax   (this and the 16,000 pumps are running all the time)  and there is a larger 40,000 high volume pump which boosts the waterfall onto max flow  but at £5 a day to run we don't use it very often  - only when visitors arrive  lol 

Constructed during one of the coldest winters on record, starting on 17th October 2011 and finally finished on 3rd February 2012  ----- in the fog    lol  !!!

Our thanks to Harry Levy from The Pond Company (Aughton, Lancashire) and the lads,  Gary, Dan and Tom for all their hard work in freezing miserable conditions.      I have never seen such quality work done through one of the coldest winters ever.

 This was originally the show garden from Tatton RHS show 2011 rebuilt into our garden but with added bog garden and reed bed

and today,  this is the area now planted .......................

will add the water lilies and crocosmia which brighten up the bog garden lol