History of Our Pond

What a labour of love, Dawn! With all that determination and hard work, you both deserve your beautiful pond. It certainly is a delight :)

Thanks Sheila :). It was proper hard work and it took a long time to get it sorted.

fascinated to see the progression. It looks as though it's always been there.

Aquatic pond plants establish really quickly but the banks were challenging

I'm in awe of that very hard work you both put in, having done the same but on a much smaller scale of 10 by 5m. I feel your pain revisiting these pictures and memories But what a result! And I certainly enjoyed the times you've posted about the pond and the life on it and in it with your beautiful photos. So thank you.

What a massive project in every way. But, oh my what a truly beautiful and tranquil place you have created. I bet that showing us all these photos brought it all back to you and thoughts of how tough it was at times.

I love the later photos and think it is really special place.

Resin/Wild, thank you for your lovely words. I think the worst part after the 2nd dig was if it would ever recover and the worry about if anything would grow in the heavy clay around the edge.

Oh my word! What a job! I am in awe of you both! You are like Angel and Dick Strawbridge (Escape to The Chateau) they never stop working either! Lol! I have questions! Firstly, what happened to the water when you started to redig it all out? And did you have to fill the pond, or did it happen naturally? I LOVE this blog. Its going into my faves! 50m!! Wow!

...and did John make the bridges...I love the bridges, its a great idea to make a cess to the Island. Makes it so much more enjoyable!

DA: That's not a pond: it's a PON, and it's a credit to you both.

How many bridges did John build?

What a job ! But worth all the work … Sorry to hear you had to dig it out twice but now it looks wonderful - a place you can enjoy and a haven for wild life :)

Wow Meadow, you doing the Center Parcs ponds is amazing and thank you.
Karen, we had to drain the pond then refill. Yes John built the bridges.
Eir, thank you, John built two bridges.
Thanks Hywel, yes it's good doing our bit for the wildlife, we've had quite a variety of water birds - including the darn heron.

Oh gosh. My mouth is till hanging open! Totally gobsmacked. Well you certainly deserve the beautiful tranquil place you have now. What a lovely display of loosetrife too, and your own kingfisher - a little bit of heaven.

I smashed all that clay to a finer tilthe lol with a shovel, we had a visitor and they said it looked like the lunar landscape haha I wouldn't like to do it again any time soon.

Oh how I love a pond... You and John can be very proud. I know the sheer to-the-bone exhaustion of digging clay. Makes my little mess look like a piffle. I remember all too well what a slog that was. Every spring I have watched my digging from the previous year disappear to a sluiceful of sand and detritus each spring... discouraging. I must study your example here and as strange as it sounds I envy you your clay! Your success is encouraging, too, with ducks on the water! a tour-de-force. Congratulations.

What a wonderful close-up of the kingfisher, Dawn. Does he visit often? A few weeks ago, I saw one flying up from a village pond (on my regular walk) and felt very lucky :)

Thanks Sheila, my daughter took that, I'm pleased you saw one, they are very shy, you were lucky, he's not been around for a few weeks but at times he's here every day, we hear him before we see him, he does a pipping sound, the day this was taken I said to Charlotte the kingfisher is about so she crept up, got down in the grass and crawled to be nearer the pond lol and got this great picture :-)

Thanks Lori, oh dear, poor you, I hate the clay at times but without the clay there would be no pond.

Oh my goodness me Dawn what a mammoth task, those photos were scary!! and just the two of you !! I really had no idea of the work involved!! as Karen said very Angel and Dick (Escape to the Chateau).....
You and John can be proud of what you have achieved, a marvellous haven for wildlife, and a beautiful natural lake!! you really should open this fabulous garden!!

You deserve a medal Dawn not only for your hard work on creating such a beautiful area but for taking into account the wonderful wild life which is so important in today's world ..It's interesting to see the project taking shape from the beginning , well done to both you and John you should be very proud of yourselves .. x

You're right Dawn - it's sheer luck for most of us to see these lovely birds. A friend says his son (who works on a country estate) swims where a Kingfisher is often seen, and can get quite close up when in the water because the bird doesn't see him as a threat.

Your daughter did brilliantly!

Your words are very kind Dotty, yep we gluttons for punishment, we did so much in a space of 10 years.
Awww Amy, you know what me and John are like, we like getting stuck into a good project but its John who always takes the next step on these projects, I would shy away but he always looks at the bigger picture.
That's interesting Sheila :-) The bright colour (like the blue in your avatar and the tiny size of the birds fascinates me.

. . . and that flash of blue, Dawn, is all that many people see of a kingfisher :) Such beautiful birds, it's a shame that they are so shy, but maybe they are safer that way.

Yes, safer for them, I heard ours in the pond area this morning, I didn't see him but just heard the high pitched pip pip pipping :-)

Wow Dawn, what a mammoth task, and it's so interesting to see how this beautiful lake developed.You seem to have such a good eye for shape, colour and movement. I love your lake and planting!!. Wish I had thought of an island to lose some of the clay!! Will be picking your brains for the best marginal plants and floating plants for my puddle!!

Hiiii Trudy, welcome to GOY! The island did take alot of clay which helped a little. is yours lined? I can't remember. Yes we'll discuss pond plants when you're ready :-)

Yes I did line it in the end Dawn.

OK Trudy