A Guide To The Pond.

As most of my gardening this week has been around the pond I thought I would set the scene and motivate myself by showing some pictures from last year. The pond was initially a rectangular hole dug into the clay that makes up 90% of my garden. Part of the challenge of this garden and one of the reasons I have given up trying to grow vegetables is that when we first moved here the garden had no top soil but was a series of terraces cut into the clay subsoil. I'm not too sure what happened to the top soil but I think it got buried under the large swimming pool on the highest terrace. I love garden design and it has been interesting creating a garden in these difficult circumstances. (Add in little funds, dodgy back and a family completely uninterested in gardening.)

May - The pond is a perfect circle with concentric rings of planting border, stone edging and gravel path. It sits about a foot below the level of the lawn and the wooden 'cushions' can be moved to take advantage of the sun/shade/views. The pond is filled naturally by water which flows out of the hill behind and enters through 2 stone lined rills. There is an overflow land-drain which takes water from the pond and down under the lower lawn into the stream which runs behind the house.

May, 3 weeks later - The plants are mainly white, yellow, orange or red (there is a blue iris which was too beautiful not to buy,) and attract all manner of darters, dragonflies and beetles. The water teems with life as well, toads, frogs, newts and many other mini-beasts. It is very easy to while away the hours on a 'tea-break' watching the wild-life.

Sept - The pond is almost hidden by the marginal plants.

So now I have given myself a reminder of the how the pond will look later in the year I'll be pushing ahead with clearing the weeds so that I can enjoy watching each variety of plant appear and flower. Gardening is very much my passion but there is also a purpose behind the work. We'll be selling this place one day and the state of the garden will be important especially as you drive through the garden to reach the house. So not only am I nourishing my soul by working outside but I am making a real contribution to our future.

Pond Plant List - white water lilies,

king-cups,

double marsh marigolds,

white skunk cabbage,

wild yellow flag iris,

white water iris,

white edged blue iris,

alchemilla,

yellow lychnis,

cowslips,

creeping jenny,

day lillies,

montbretia,

rannunculus,

typha minima,

and other pondy things.