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During last year's end of April holiday, we hired a mini digger to build a pond and dug a rough hole.
We weren't expecting the next step to take over a year to get around to! Having decided that our rough hole in the ground wouldn't really cut it, we bit the bullet and hired 2 men who knew what they were doing with a digger, and who turned the rough hole into this:
They added a shelf along one side and a shallow area at one end which will become a bog garden. We covered the excavation with a layer of sand:
We created a wall to separate the pond from the bog garden:
My parents came over for a pond-lining party:
During the course of last Sunday we got the underlay and liner in place and began to fill the pond.
The bog garden got a filling with water to flatten the liner. This will be pumped out when we create the bog:
The other half and I still have to conclude our argument about where to build up a rockery for a waterfall that will go around/down the middle of/next to the bog garden and I think we need to increase the height of the wall and shore up a low point in the banking, but it's already been idyllic to sit on the edge of the pond in the sunshine, dangling our feet in the water and watching the sky reflected in the water's ripples, and the water reflected on the branches of the willows at the edge of the pond.
It's now payday and my fingers are itching to get out my bank card and splurge on plants! I can't wait to see it planted up and see what moves in!
A closed mouth gathers no foot.
That's brilliant, Maisie, it took us ages to find frogspawn when we put the pond in! Looking forward to more photos through the summer!
Thank goodness for bank holiday weekends! This weekend had been pond planting time at last. Yesterday we visited Aqualife in Stockport which is a large aquatics nursery run by a dedicated bird- and wildlife-enthusiastic man. We've been before in the early pond stages and were advised to build a bricked-in soil/clay bed on the marginal shelf. We spent a long time chatting with the owner last time and he remembered us when we arrived yesterday. He took us on a tour of the nursery and gave a lot of valuable advice on the best native plants for wildlife for the pond and bog area. We ended up coming home with a very reasonably-priced estate car full of plants!
So, we now have my bog garden filled
We've also added a couple more floating planters, some submerged water lilies, and a fully-planted marginal shelf
I don't think our spawn is going to amount to anything. It doesn't seem to have developed and appears to have started breaking up. Maybe the water quality isn't good enough. Hopefully today's additions will improve it.
Maisie it's going to look so fabulous when everything takes off - more updates please!
After a hard day's planting on the Sunday, on Monday Chris and I set up the garden hose pointed up to make a makeshift fountain into the pond to fill the last couple of inches up. It was glorious sitting on the bench in the baking sunshine, watching the birds overhead and admiring our handiwork. Neither of us wanted to get up and go and do something more productive.
With the extra water, the beach has filled up, and today's rain has really brought out the colours in the pebbles.
My favourite view with the reeds against the pebbles. Can't wait until the slates are all the way over the liner and the surrounding area is covered in grass :)
Yesterday I could see the water moving from the house, so I grabbed my camera and snuck round to spy from behind the willow trees. I got my first photos of beach party customers :)
First Mr Sparrow arrived
Then joined for a pool party by another male
... and another...
... and a Mrs...
Private Mr and Mrs outdoor spa...
And finally, one collared dove
I've seen starlings, blackbirds and woodpigeons on the beach too, but haven't yet managed to sneak up on them. I'm hoping they'll get used to us being outside and will use the pond while we're in the garden.
Trust the sparrows to be the first in with a dip. What a job you and your hubby have done Maisie, it's a pleasure to see all your hard work being rewarded, I just love the marginal shelf you have created, it is going to be fantastic when fully grown.
Lot to learn
Thanks, Alan :)
Gaynor, the shelf was suggested by the owner of the aquatic nursery. Using baskets would mean less support for the plants, especially taller ones, and that the planting would look less natural. Having a full shelf full of clay means the plants can spread out as they wish.
I have only a tiny pond so don't have that problem, but can understand where your coming from with that huge expanse to fill, but when they are all in full flower or leaf, what a sight it will be. Also will attract so many birds etc, look forward to seeing many more photos.
WOW! Maisie. What a lot of hard work you've put in since you started! It look fabulous and will only get better as you finish it off and the plants start to grow.
I'm jealous too. But looking forward to future photos.
Thanks for the update, Maisie, it's terrific! The photos are so natural with the Sparrows bathing amongst the pebbles. It will be great to watch everything mature and more species arrive.... if you'll kindly continue to post pics! (And thanks to Chris as well!)
We've had some more takers for the bath.
The snails are settling in well
Ramshorn snail
Water snail
The water lily leaves have reached the surface. I'm stupidly excited about the lilies! Every day I go and peer into the pond to see if any more leaves have appeared :)
I think the other 2 have nearly reached the surface, but it's bucketing down outside too much to go and look :(