Siting a pond on a sloping garden

I can see that a lot of effort has gone into this build in a difficult situation.

As some may be interested in pond building, one of the hardest jobs is getting the pond level and where a shelf for plants is required, getting it all at a consistent height.
A good idea is to make a former out of plywood cut to the shape and depth of the pool like this I made.



Together with a spirit level and a long straight bit of wood greater than the diameter of the pond you can get close to a professional finish.




It works well for both formal and natural pools.

 

I am still in shock, to be honest, @luciusmaximus . I thought I would still be working on the digging stage! All I can say is - all power and elbow-grease to Moni, my wonderful helper! She just threw herself at the task, so we had the hole pretty much dug out in a morning, before she cycled (yes, cycled!)the 45 mins home!! I spent the afternoon working out the shelves, and the pebble beach/escape ramp. Then another few hours to get the butyl tucked away....

Oh, let the fiddling commence! I put three planting baskets in yesterday. Today, they are going to come out, be fiddled with, and go back in again! Izzy (my dog) is busy "fiddling" with the edges - fortunately, so far the clumps of moss have stopped on the shelves, and been easy to fish out. You may remember that our barrel pond had to have fencing mesh across it, as I kept finding her standing with her front paws fully in the pond, her back paws out, "going fishing". I dread to think what she'll be like when the wildlife moves in - she is mesmerised by things in water!
Talking of edges, I plan to slowly replace the turf with creeping thymes, especially the bank above the pond, so they have their roots in the sandy soil, and creep towards the water for, well, water!!

 

Well, that was a frustrating trip. I went to the koi specialist - he's not getting the plants until next week/month. For oxygenating plants, he will then be able to offer milefoil or elodea canandensis. When I said, no, I want E crispa, as canandesis is too invasive, and I live in a sensitive nature area, he agreed with me, and became much more helpful! Being able to quote the Latin names is really useful when you are discussing plants in "foreign"! He has directed me to an aquarium specialist in the next town....
Anyway, I went on to the local basic garden centre - still no stones/pebbles/gravel of any kind. But I got a water forget me not, and marestail - Hippuris vulgaris. I was right to react with fear from the "marestail" that was being offered in the main part of the shop, as it was actually marsh horsetail!! (Equisetum palustris). Fortunately I'd spotted some blue (aquatic) labels in the holding area, when I was leaving the store yesterday, so today I went on a forage, and found a whole recently unloaded trolley, with a tray of marestail on it.

All are now in the pond, repotted into aquatic baskets.

 

You might be better off going to a builders merchants for pebbles etc., pebbles are now popular with landscape gardeners. it'll be a lot cheaper anything with the word "koi" somewhere in the description will be expensive.

 

Hello Sian, you've done great work there mate...it looks besides your beauty over looking it ...when you've totally finished you'll have a lovely feature in your garden

 

I agree, @Doghouse Riley - I went to the koi specialist for the water plants, especially oxygenators....

There is a builders merchant (I think) over towards Braine, so I will head over on Monday.

 

The milfoils are good.

I bought various plants from this ebay seller. They were very good well grown plants that were quickly dispatched. You could message him to see if he will send to Belgium.
Various POND MARGINAL PLANTS water bog aquatic SALE 40+ Plant Varieties | eBay

 

Thank you! I will certainly look at their eBay page in some detail. However, on a brief glance, it looks like the prices I paid in Waterloo were very reasonable, which is reassuring in itself!
I will be back in the UK for a week or so mid-May, so I can always get the plants delivered to that UK address... always good to have a Plan B, so thanks again!

 

I was thinking about how to create a "waterfall" effect, whilst listening to the much-needed rain early this morning. I remembered that I had some black mondo grass, recently evicted from a planter....

Not sure how it will do in there, but it's been neglected and abused for so many years, it shouldn't be too shocked! Amazing how the moss has "opened up" with the rain we've had today...
In the baskets, clockwise:
1 o'clock - a corkscrew juncus that I had in the waterbarrel. It was being smothered by the watermint, so should be happier now
2 o'clock - a few hunks of yellow flag, again from the barrel. Lots more where that came from!
3 o'clock - water forget me not
6 o'clock - marestail already standing up and looking happier than in the shop!
8 o'clock - watermint


Hmmm, might just work, you know!

 

Around the edges, is that turf or moss? We edged our pond with turf but haven’t quite worked out how to keep the grass short. Don’t want to use a strimmer anywhere near the pond liner!

 

ARMANDII my one neighbour two doors away as been seen doing is lawn with scissors

 

I've tried to use the moss turfs right next to the edge. When I cleaned off the "turf" some slabs were grass, some half-n-half, and some I managed to be pure moss. So hopefully nothing to mow, once they get established, and bound together...
(In the earlier photos, it's hard to tell what's what. But we've had rain after weeks of drought, and the moss whirls have opened out, and are easier to identify)

 

I dont know if youve done this already but a tip i got and used was to get a bucket of pondwater from a local healthy pond and add it to yours.
It vastly increases the time it takes for your pond to become natural and balanced. Just dont get any duckweed in there because it will be a mare to get rid of it if you dont like the stuff.