Hi @SeahorseFriend After reading your post I thought I’d share my experience …. I finished my pond on 14th September and from your photos it’s a very similar shape, mine is 3.2 m by 2.3 m. I’ve built it purely for wildlife, the numerous birds and hedgehogs that we get in the garden. I managed to get some plants and got them from Waterside Nursery (online) and would definitely recommend them. Their website has so much information about the type of plants that are needed for ponds of various sizes and the plants arrived very well packaged. I can’t wait for spring now to see all the plants grow and mature. I planted plants around the edge of the pond and tried to pick plants to encourage bees and pollinators. On my final day of planting and tidying up I was so amazed and pleased as a Southern Hawker dragonfly landed on the pond and then a rock next to it so wildlife definitely finds what it needs. Within a day the birds were using it to bathe in and drink from and my wildlife cam filmed hedgehogs drinking from it on the first night! I hope yours will give you as much pleasure as mine has already given me. Here’s a photo taken today, it still looks a bit ‘tidy’ but by next spring I know it will look more natural.
A good weekend's work on the pond! I've started edging with stones and digging a bog garden (to go at the foot of the bird feeder).
Then I added some children's play sand to the surface of the liner. I wanted to make it look more natural, but I'm regretting it a bit now because the sand is quite orange in colour and it seems to make the pond look shallower. I suppose it'll tone down in time; what do people think?
There's going to be more planting round the furthest edge, and I'll let the grass grow long back there. I've made some habitat log piles under the hedge - also hoping wildlife will make use of the nooks and crannies of the rock pile
Once you have your planting in place, you'll hardly notice that. I don't think it looks too bright anyway. You end up with bits of soil and debris anyway, and that happens quite rapidly, so I don't think you need to worry. You could always add a thin layer of a darker pea gravel if you were concerned. All sorts of wildlife will enjoy the logs and branches. The birds love perching on mine while they debate taking a dip or not.
The only thing I'd perhaps change is the location of the bird feeder, especially if you're going to have a boggy area there. It would be better a bit further away, and make it easier for access to fill up feeders too
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks everyone for the advice! Well, I think I've nearly finished work on the wildlife pond now - for this year! I'm really pleased that the sand has toned down now and looks much more natural. I've added a sloping pebble beach and planted hardy plants for cover - ferns, creeping jenny and alpine strawberries.
I was lucky enough to find a garden centre selling rushy grasses for the edges - juncus spiralis, imperata cylindrica and luzula sylvatica.
In the pond (though not very visible in the photo) I've planted equisetum, water forget-me-not, and watercress which came from a supermarket and has rooted nicely! Also there's a basket of water hawthorn which I bought online, as I've heard it's a good alternative to lilies in a smallish pond.
Below is a close-up of the bog garden, where I've planted brooklime, pennyroyal, navelwort, hostas and a pitcher plant that was struggling indoors - let's see if it likes its new home better!
@Fairygirl, I did think about moving the bird feeder but it's really in the best spot for the birds to reach it with cover from the hedge. I did reduce the spoil heap so I could move it back and there's plenty of clearance between it and the back wall of the bog garden.
The sparrows love the beach, they take turns perching on a half-submerged branch to drink and splash!
I'm not expecting the pond to attract much in the way of larger wildlife until next year. Just a little concern though, I haven't seen any insects in it yet (as in water skaters / beetles), and wondered if it's too cold for them now?
Looking great @SeahorseFriend. Water hawthorn is great for shady spots too, and it'll self seed as well. The Equisetum and corkscrew rush are also great for height, and behave well. The rush will also self seed, but isn't a nuisance IME. Water forget me nots are also quite quick growing, but easy to control. Luzulas make very good pondside plants, so you've got some great choices there, and it should all fill out quite quickly. Glad the bird feeder is ok. I was just concerned about your access for it.
The branches are well used here too. Hope you get lots of enjoyment from it.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The sparrows love the beach, they take turns perching on a half-submerged branch to drink and splash!
I'm not expecting the pond to attract much in the way of larger wildlife until next year. Just a little concern though, I haven't seen any insects in it yet (as in water skaters / beetles), and wondered if it's too cold for them now?
It's all looking good @Se@SeahorseFriend. Not much will happen now until spring. Did you get some oxygenators in? If not I would make that a priority next spring. Probably not available to buy now. There is insect life still visible in my pond now but it's winding down but there is still some activity. Pond beetles are still active but not water skaters. Much of the larval life goes dormant for the winter so not surprised you're not seeing much. Ruddy Darter dragonflies are still lying around here in Sussex so you could get some egg laying still on mild sunny days.
Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
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You end up with bits of soil and debris anyway, and that happens quite rapidly, so I don't think you need to worry. You could always add a thin layer of a darker pea gravel if you were concerned. All sorts of wildlife will enjoy the logs and branches. The birds love perching on mine while they debate taking a dip or not.
The only thing I'd perhaps change is the location of the bird feeder, especially if you're going to have a boggy area there. It would be better a bit further away, and make it easier for access to fill up feeders too
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
It's a good idea to have an area with rocks edging the pond, just gravel or grass for the amphibians to crawl in and out.
The Equisetum and corkscrew rush are also great for height, and behave well. The rush will also self seed, but isn't a nuisance IME. Water forget me nots are also quite quick growing, but easy to control. Luzulas make very good pondside plants, so you've got some great choices there, and it should all fill out quite quickly.
Glad the bird feeder is ok. I was just concerned about your access for it.
The branches are well used here too. Hope you get lots of enjoyment from it.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...