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Building a wildlife pond

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  • JellyfireJellyfire Posts: 1,139
    edited April 2018
    Thanks pauper, it’s only a couple of years since I did that but but it’s already my favourite spot in the garden, partly because it’s night scented, mainly because wine is consumed there

    Hosta, I haven’t had a chance to look at the site yet but took a trip to the GC to pick up a couple of odds and soda and came home with 3 little ‘june’. Impulse buy, I blame you entirely!

    thanks dove, that looks lovely. This spot was very shady but should get a decent bit of sun now the tree is down so will see how they go, they are probably mainly in shade still where I’ve put them though, it’s  hard to tell as haven’t seen the sun since beginning the pond!. Will just have to add more if they lose their colour  :)
  • JellyfireJellyfire Posts: 1,139
    Well finished the pond yesterday, (Just got to make the bridge when the sleepers arrive next week), plants in, and a few around it (including the three little hostas). Then it’s just a case of tidying and landscaping the surrounds a bit, adding more plants as and when, and waiting to see what turns up!

    Lessons learned:

    Spend more time with the spirit level and less with the imagination 

    However big you make it you’ll always think you could have made it bigger 

    Making a pond in the rain makes for a muddy Armageddon of a garden 

    Make sure you can reach all the edges before you fill it with water 

    Dont believe children when they say they won’t go near it whilst you nip to the GC (trampled edges, sticks thrown in, slug races across the piece of wood that marks the length of the bridge)

    Its really not much harder than digging a hole, so if you want one just go for it 

    (These lessons will doubtless be added to/amended over the coming weeks and months)
  • My tiddly little puddle in comparison to every one else's "lakes" is only 6ft in diameter and 4ft deep but it is a hive of activity already. My fish are surfacing and feeding and there are zillions of lively "taddies" feeding voraciously. I have newts, frogs, toads and a variety of flying visitors later in the year but I am very envious of the larger versions.   
  • JellyfireJellyfire Posts: 1,139
    The beauty is that even a half barrell is great for wildlife Joyce (thats all I had before), it sounds like the animals dont seem to mind the size in the slightest
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    @Lee17, beware, this collection started with an impulse buy of "June"
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMiVUWUktRk
    They now have over 1,500 different varieties.
    Devon.
  • JellyfireJellyfire Posts: 1,139
    Oh wow! Now that is amazing! I figured you liked Hostas, but never imagined that! It is absolutley stunning.
    Oh no, what have I done. Im already trying to track down Poseidon after looking at that link you sent...
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    This is one I'm trying to justify ordering ... I need a bigger garden ... https://www.woottensplants.com/plant-shop/hardy-perennials/hosta-great-expectations/ 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • JellyfireJellyfire Posts: 1,139
    would be a shame not to now youve gone to the trouble of finding it  :)
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I know ... I really don't need any encouragement ... 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    @Dovefromabove, I had my daughter at a nursery one and she spotted a variety which is a "sport" of Great Expectations:
    "Dad, this one's got your name written all over it" 
    "What's it called?"
    "Great Queen"
    SOLD.
    Devon.
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