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Finish the pond now or in the spring?

Go ahead Sara, algae growth won't be much of a problem in the winter if you don't get te oxygenating plants in. If the pond is dug, lined, filled and  edged it won't take long to plant up in spring.

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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    I'd agree with Verd, Sara although I'd look at what you want for round the pond edges and the surrounding area and get a few things in there if you can - especially the early flowering ones like Caltha. They'll get going before the winter and give things a lift in the late winter/early spring . It gives you time over winter to browse pond plant catalogues and buy far more than you'll need as well...image 

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • sara do you have any photos yet?

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Whatever you decide to do Sara it'll be great. A pond of any size or type is such an asset. The blanket weed thing is always a bit of an issue but as long as you have some oxygenators, some floating plants (water lilies etc)  and prevent as much debris as possible from getting into it the balance will come. Straw is a good help in a big pond. If you intend having fish- overfeeding creates a lot of gunk for algae to feed on- so my one bit of advice if you want them would be- less is more! Pix of your progress would be lovely.

    PS: only ten grand Sara? image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Sara-don't worry about the trees. At my last house we had a huge pond which had a conifer hedge running along one edge and quite a few trees along another. They provided a bit of shade from sun at the hottest part of the day. They provide lots of cover for animals and birds too. You'll have loads of scope there for a beautiful feature. image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    If you can get a net in place to catch leaves it'll help but frankly - in a big pond it's not feasible anyway.  As you say- a bit of debris isn't the end of the world. We removed a fair bit of waste that had built up as the previous owners overfed the fish but it would have been impossible to clear it  and keep it that way. There was a huge amount of resident wildlife in the pond and we improved it a good bit by making a beached edge etc and renovating the banks. It was very rewarding. In the smaller pond it fed into,  we used watercress for the blanket weed which cleared it beautifully. It's hard work creating a pond Sara but I'm sure you won't be disappointed when it's completed. image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • addictaddict Posts: 659

    Sara if you want to stop it becoming stagnant dig a bog garden out for excess rainwater to run in to.

    I did this on mine and it worked brilliantly. I had no filters, pumps or anything. I just dug a shallow basin like hole about 3/4 ft in diameter put pond liner in the bottom with a few holes, planted it with marginal plants and topped it with gravel. I made sure my pond dipped slightly in that direction and did a sort of pebbly beech effect. Made steps there into the pond to put some big stones on and plants could sit on the ledges too. Worked out great for frogs etc. as the could easily get in and out and they also used that area to spawn as the fish didn't like to go into the shallows around there.

    Hope that makes senseimage 

  • addictaddict Posts: 659

    Oh ok image I'll shut up then lol. Would love to show you pics but they are all on hard drive that son took to uni. He has promised me he will put on cd for me but still waiting!!!! image My camera broke this year so til I get new one can't take any either image

  • addictaddict Posts: 659

    The reason they were put on an external hard drive is because my old but faithful computer could'nt handle them all! Its not just my garden on there its all the gardens i work in and have ever worked in....not sure how many days it would take to email them all and computer would probably explode lol.

    You sound as if you you have planned it quite well which is more than I did I just made it up as I went along! image

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