Victoria - I wouldn't turn down another marsh marigold. It might force me to extend the boggy area, oh dear I could easily accommodate it along with the planned cuckoo flower/lady's smock/cuckoo smock - plus the ragged robin,water avens and devil's-bit scabious
Gemma - I like that philosophy, trial and error (mostly error with me)
Philippa - that's what I thought but thank you all the same
I remember when I was younger having a natural pond ( no pump or linning), we put a a fish in and liteally never saw it again, because it was always a bit mruky due to having no pump.
Natural ponds don't need pumps! However they will often go through the process of 'algal bloom' our newly built clay pond is currently like that and it is difficult to see anything at all. In time it will clear, but a balance of bacteria has to form and vegetation has to grow to remove nutrients from the water first.
My ponds are just holes in the ground. They are clear, green, brown or choked with algae according to season and water level. The inhabitants don't seem to mind so I don't either.
Nutcut, just how I always describe a pond, an 'ole in t'ground wi' warra init. Innit !
At present, wor pond is crystal clear, some natural weed clinging on to life aroond the sides, and I dare say, in a couple of months, there'll be some spawn from the local frogs filling it oop. I cannot say I am overly enamoured with that slimy green stuff that comes and goes over the year, but, it is the natural way of things. I simply remove a bucket full of it, and dig it into some trench somewhere on the lotty, and off we go for another round. Ding bloody ding ! As we have a sort of N facing slope, growing season is somewhat curtailed by cooler days, poor drainage, and a shorter growing season, but we manage.
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Victoria - I wouldn't turn down another marsh marigold. It might force me to extend the boggy area, oh dear
I could easily accommodate it along with the planned cuckoo flower/lady's smock/cuckoo smock - plus the ragged robin,water avens and devil's-bit scabious 
Gemma - I like that philosophy, trial and error (mostly error with me)
Philippa - that's what I thought but thank you all the same
Fairygirl
I remember when I was younger having a natural pond ( no pump or linning), we put a a fish in and liteally never saw it again, because it was always a bit mruky due to having no pump.
It probably got eaten Richard,
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Did you see any chip paper lying about ?
Natural ponds don't need pumps! However they will often go through the process of 'algal bloom' our newly built clay pond is currently like that and it is difficult to see anything at all. In time it will clear, but a balance of bacteria has to form and vegetation has to grow to remove nutrients from the water first.
My ponds are just holes in the ground. They are clear, green, brown or choked with algae according to season and water level. The inhabitants don't seem to mind so I don't either.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Nutcut, just how I always describe a pond, an 'ole in t'ground wi' warra init. Innit !
At present, wor pond is crystal clear, some natural weed clinging on to life aroond the sides, and I dare say, in a couple of months, there'll be some spawn from the local frogs filling it oop. I cannot say I am overly enamoured with that slimy green stuff that comes and goes over the year, but, it is the natural way of things. I simply remove a bucket full of it, and dig it into some trench somewhere on the lotty, and off we go for another round. Ding bloody ding ! As we have a sort of N facing slope, growing season is somewhat curtailed by cooler days, poor drainage, and a shorter growing season, but we manage.
one of mine is very muddy, someone's been in there having a party
In the sticks near Peterborough