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Ponds

Hi all

I really would like a pond in my garden.  I am looking to have a relatively small pond, enough for pond life to survive and a few goldfish but would like it to be inexpensive, has anyone ideas of how I can do this for a relatively small amount of money.  I have a     south south east facing garden, with clay soil

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,277
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • I developed a pond about a year ago. It was with the intention of being a wildlife pond only. Within a year I've had frogs and toads in the pond along with many invertebrates such as pond skaters and water boatmen. I also had a dragonfly visit recently. The soil type can be immaterial as you can line throughout and place different soil on top, even creating a part bog garden as I have with pitcher plants being evident. My pond is nearly fully south facing but has some shade at certain times in the day.

    I would recommend you go ahead as it will enrich your garden no end.

  • marshmellomarshmello Posts: 683

    How much is a small amount of money ? 50, 200, 1000

    A few things to bear in mind when locating your pond.

    NEVER locate it under trees, total shade or total sun ;-

    • Under trees - falling leaves
    • Total shade - plants can't photosynthesis
    • Total sun - problems with green water

    Lets face it, building ponds is expense, I know because I've spent thousands of pounds building them. If your into recycling, I have made a pond at my allotment from an old bath, dig a hole, drop it in, put the plug in lol and plant around the sides.

    If a bath is not to your liking, do what my neighbour done. Lined it with black pond lining probably bought from argos to disguise the fact it's a bath - it works !! I've checked on the Argos site and there is 2 sizes to choose from.

    If your thinking about keeping fish, a pond this size would house 2 pond fish nicely - do keep in mind that pond fish and aquatic plants grow bigger then indoors. Oh, and remember to put in steps, should any wildlife wish to visit your pond they'll be able to climb out, you'll be surprised how many people overlook this very important detail.

  • You can make a small pond out of anything watertight.  A friend of mine used one of those kiddies shell-shaped sand-pits and it worked well.  If it's for wildlife, leave out the fish as you'll need a pump, which will hoick the price up, and generally fancy fish and wildlife don't mix.  Ideally it should be a metre deep at it's deepest to prevent it freezing totally, otherwise you'll be out with pans of hot water thawing the ice!  One side at least should be gradually sloping as hedgehogs and baby birds like to make a habit of falling in and need some way of getting out again.  You can do this by adding stones if you have a high, smooth sided pond (like a bath-tub) but the easiest method is to dig out the shape you want and use pond liner.  Alternatively you can have an above ground pond (better if you have children and/or pets) made out of something like a half-barrel.  Again, make sure that you include a way for wildlife to get in and out image

  • marshmellomarshmello Posts: 683

    Following Botticelliwoman suggestion, I thought I'd take a pic of the pond I'm creating in my yard - wildlife only. Exposed to full sun from 1-5pm approx a day in summer, non in winter.

    image

     Looks a bit messy at mo, but what the photo doesn't show is all the plants ready to go in those pots on the left handside, which will hide the edges making the pool look more natural. They are 2 trays inside one another for strength, as the pool had to be lifted off the ground.

  • mdw84mdw84 Posts: 105

    THANKS ALL

  • Looking good Marshmello!  It really doesn't matter what form you have water in the garden, as long as you have it! It is probably the single most important thing for wildlife image

  • BenDoverBenDover Posts: 488
    I put in a pond last year - its small - 1.6m x 1.8m, and for ease of installation I used a preformed pond. I put in small pump to help the water circulate. I stocked it up with plants and within a very short space of time, it was looking very established, and filling up with wildlife. Heaven knows where it comes from because I am in the middle of a modern housing development, surrounded on all sides by houses and by gardens covered in grass. The birds love it - using it for bathing and drinking, the hedgehogs that frequent the garden (another surprise in my urban environment) use it for drinking, and this year I have tadpoles. I sit it the garden and see damselflies darting around the pond, and around my garden. It is bliss.
  • marshmellomarshmello Posts: 683

    Very true Botticelliwoman, and thanks. image

  • WintersongWintersong Posts: 2,436
    Tim Burr wrote (see)
    ...within a very short space of time, it was looking very established, and filling up with wildlife. Heaven knows where it comes from because I am in the middle of a modern housing development, surrounded on all sides by houses and by gardens covered in grass.

    Its remarkable to think that concrete spaces would grow over in just ten years whilst 100 yrs would see a wood! Nature is supreme.image


     

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