hello great as i say you dont realy need any plants in a natural pond though obviously people like yourself like the asthetics of the pond etc . the odd iris will grow in just damp soil but most marginals need there roots in water period even if theres soil round them to.realy one plant could completly take over your pond let alone 15 . the thing is if they have similer requirements ie depth of water etc the strongest will win.id be inclined to get 2-3 marginals and put them away from each other .then a lilly in the middle but a shade loving one or it will overtake the pond and then a couple of oxygenaters and that should be plenty . its not a stupid question and the shop would sell you a 100 if you ask them.

Marginal means round the margins of the pond, so shallow areas. One of the problems you've got with yours is there's no soil in your pond, and probably no shallow areas either, as its an old bath, so think I'd be inclined to stick to those plants which like a depth of water, rather than just six inches or less with soil at the bottom.

you could always put a stone barrier up in the pond and put some soil in up to 6 inches maybe both ends with 2 marginals.you dont have to worry about special soil as its a wildlife pond.

Aw Great what you doing on other sites when you get such good advice here ..
no one tries to sell you anything and most of us with established ponds end up thinning them out.So sure between several members you d get a good selection of pond plants and marginals .

Great I would be extremely careful of the amount of plant matter you introduce to your pond or you will end up with a bog. Your pond is very small and, as Bamboo says, has no margins so plant very few plants to start with and see how things go. There is always another year.

Thank you all so much for the advise.
Nosey thats why I checked with you guys; not spending my hard earned dosh on things I don't need! However, I will be honest and say I would like my pond to look nice as well as be functional to the visting wildlife. I would really like a lily.
BB Ive just seen your pond and it looks so natural. I love the chunky logs and the boulders!! I have one of the same grasses to by the side of my pond, which adds to the effect
Yes MG sound advise I dont want a bog at the mo lol
I know, I know Im impatient I can't help it. Just want it all to happen now lol
You know its really strange up and till now I have never been an impatient person, perhaps its old age catching up with me ha ha

ooops silly me it wasen't your pond I saw BB it was Oddbillies, sorry am a bit preoccupied this evening going to the hospital tomorrow got to have a 24 hr E.C.G again groan. im taking so much time off work its rediculious. Night night everyone

One of the things that worry me about your pond in a bath is that creatures like hedgehogs can fall into it and be unable to get out because of the steep sides and if not rescued will probably drown. You really ought to try to provide some sort of gentle slope at one end to form a route from water level to the gound surface at the edge of the bath.

there is a gentle slope of stone bernard

your getting into gardening is whats happening great lol.

im glad you ask these questions as i havnt even started my pond yet and im just going to watch what you do great and do that,and you dont get anywhere without asking questions,chris

well anything you mite want to know that i mite know dont hesitate to ask ladybug and im sure everyone else is the same on here xx.

Great unless you have a lot of money to spend gardens take years to create... ours will be finished when we are both dead.

Oh dear, bit harsh on yourselves there, MG! I'd argue gardens are never finished anyway - after some years, they always want their "furniture" changing or moving around...

I agree Bamboo one of the things we did at the weekend was take out a couple of thugs that had got far to big for their boots... We are now sitting with the new space waiting to see what feels right to plant there.

I do feel that gardening programmes and the likes of Chelsea give the impression you can create a garden from scratch in a very short time. You can if you throw enough money at it but a garden that evolves organically over the years has far more memories and joy in it.

I concur wholeheartedly, Moongrower - most of the joy is in the actual creation rather than just admiring the finished product.

even the mistakes youve now put right .

Ladybug I will probably pm you later. Bernard I have thought about wildlife falling into my pond they have a beach to climb out as Nosey says. MG no I havent got a lot of money to spend I just want to do my very best with what ive got!!
Bamboo I thought that was a lovely way of putting it "furniture changing or moving around"
NOsey your right I have never ever thought about my garden and my impact on it so much in my life.

Creating a garden's like playing with Lego - if you watch a child build something, painstakingly for some considerable time, from Lego, what happens when they've made it? They play with it for five minutes and then decide to build or do something else... so it's not the end product, it's the doing of it that we like. And when a garden is "finished" it isn't really - there's always something you wish you'd put somewhere else, or its got too big, or the colour and form aren't quite right, or you want this new plant in somewhere....

the fact of the matter is the only finished garden is one that isnt finished lol .

I agree Nosey!

what would ya do if ya finished it lol i could do with another garden . i mite try and buy my neighbers lol .

i wish i could have my neighbours garden they have never been init in 19 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what a terrible waste. they have 4 kids as well disgraceful!! its 6ft high weeds & brambles and ivy etc

i wish i could have your neighbers garden lol

that would be nice nosey we chould chat over the fence about my pond lol

that would be nice wouldnt it.

it would!

we can but dream great lol xx