@emma lou What size pond are you digging? A digger isn't always necessary. Until recently I designed and built wildlife ponds for a living and I'd only use a digger for large ponds or if I had a tight time frame. People's opinions varied on pond depths but speaking personally I'd dig 3ft at the deepest end and around 6 inches in shallow sections.
The most important advice I'd give you though is to make sure you get a good quality epdm liner it's more than worth it in the long run.
You can dig it as shallow as a puddle or as deep as about 3 -4 feet as long as you put a shallow end for creatures to get in and out . Like I said in a former post reply,I just used an old garden pot ( without a drain hole of course) it’s about 70 cm deep and 60 cm wide . Plenty of rocks and big stones for stuff to climb in and out and hide under and * bobs your uncle* .No need to spend heaps of cash ,just use your imagination. You’ll be good .
I have used a small metal dustbin (about 30cm deep) to make one mini pond and a window box (30/20/70cm) for another. Window boxes can be good options as they will have UV protection. You can also use anti UV paint to beef up containers against sun damage.
I have used hornwort, frogbit, watercress (not good to eat it from a pond), small cannas and small irises.
I now have three mini ponds instead of one large one, but I am still pondering putting in a bigger area - taking out a flower bed.
I always like to dig out a small area of a pond to at least 4ft. deep in the centre, to give critters who need it, enough depth to hibernate during very cold spells.
@Redwing do you know if it is too late in the year to purchase oxygenating plants for a wildlife pond? I neglected my pond this summer and my previous oxygenators died. I think it was hornwort was the main plant that died, but I cannot find my notes. Would it be better to leave the pond to its own sludgy devices until spring do you know? Thankyou!
Sorry to witness the demise of the forum. 😥😥😥😡😡😡I am Spartacus
@Redwing do you know if it is too late in the year to purchase oxygenating plants for a wildlife pond? I neglected my pond this summer and my previous oxygenators died. I think it was hornwort was the main plant that died, but I cannot find my notes. Would it be better to leave the pond to its own sludgy devices until spring do you know? Thankyou!
They will not grow over the winter. As it's so warm now I can see how you are tempted to buy them now but I think I'd wait until next April when they will really take off. Hornwort and one of the native milfoils are my recommendations.
Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
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The most important advice I'd give you though is to make sure you get a good quality epdm liner it's more than worth it in the long run.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...