The best thing I've done in my garden - John Day

John Day's pond

For the past few years, I’ve been eyeing a patch of bramble in my garden thinking I should really invest time in creating a pond there. The patch itself was in need of management by severely cutting back and allowing it to regenerate.

Garden crazy!

Few occupants in the row of cottages where I live have until recently bothered with their gardens. Everyone has now gone garden crazy and it’s eating away the scrub that has been so good for all the wildlife, from house sparrows to lizards and crickets. Therefore, it was a major wrench to decide whether to keep the brambles or sacrifice them for a pond.

In terms of the variety of wildlife supported by a pond versus that of a bramble patch there was no comparison. I also felt confident about being able to accommodate the interests of other wildlife by my HFW actions in the remainder of the garden.

Work started on clearing the area late last summer after the fruits had finished. First, the patch was cut down and brash burned. Bramble being what it is, several efforts were required over the autumn and again in early spring to dig out the roots of the plant as it constantly re-sprouted.

Getting down to it

'I’ve even had swallows fly past me, low over the pond to catch insects and am also the proud father to lots of baby pond skaters and whirligig beetles!'

Excavation commenced in the middle of March. I had already calculated where I was going to dispose of the soil. The topsoil was used to make up levels in the garden. The sandy subsoil was spread over an area where I intend attempting to create an area of acidic grassland.

The pond measured around 5 x 3 metres. At it’s deepest the pond is about 90 cm with shelves at varying depths and included a bog garden. The hole dug and stone picked, underlay and liner fitted, the immense task began of filling it from my series of water butts. Due to the low spring rainfall, this took several sessions, having to wait between each for the butts to fill again. Over two months, it took around 3.5 cubic metres (3500 litres) before the pond was properly full!

During this time, at one end of the pond I installed some decking which partially overhangs the deepest part of the pond. Beneath the decking I placed brick rubble, small logs, and wood chips to provide somewhere for amphibians to shelter.

Enjoying the fruits

Colonisation of the pond was rapid and even before half full, pond skaters had moved in, quickly followed by whirligig beetles and by late May several large red damselflies. What’s made it all the more enjoyable is being able to sit or lay on the decking and watch it all happen. I’ve even had swallows fly past me, low over the pond to catch insects and am also the proud father to lots of baby pond skaters and whirligig beetles!

Ponds are a great home to a vast amount of wildlife. The satisfaction I’ve had has been enormous, and I’d recommend it to anyone. It’s become a wonderful source of relaxation and probably the best thing since ever taking over the garden.

Last modified: 16 July 2009