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Hand building a clay pond

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Suzy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Aug 2014 at 3:07pm
Absolutely best to get it sorted at the start. Ah a pump, makes it easy.
Funny isn't is that dragonflies like new ponds and then desert them as they get established.
Suz
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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Aug 2014 at 9:07am
Absolutely Suz, better fixed at the start, would hate to have to top it up all winter and let wildlife get established, only to have to drain it all next year. We are in good shape though as we still have a large spoil heap available to coat the new  bentonite blanket layer, so in all not too inconvenient. 

Yep it is interesting about dragonflies, when we first put in the pond 10 years ago the first and second year we had dozens of them, then it died down a lot as the plants got established. Seems counter intuitive as many species deposits their eggs on leaves. Confused




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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Sep 2014 at 3:59pm
Update pictures to follow soon!

There has been plenty of work going on to redo the pond. I'm much more confident about it all now after days of back breaking work. I had the feeling it was all too easy the fist time around. LOL

I've opted to fit a semi-liner of horticultural sheeting around the top edge of the pond. Two reasons, one earthworms which were breaking through the clay before and also capillary leaching into the top soil. I think both were factors in the pond level dropping all the time.

The semi-liner has been covered in a layer of reworked clay. I'm just waiting for it to dry out a bit for final shaping and compacting. Then I'll put in the bentonite blanket layer and top off with a final layer of clay. Easy to say, but it takes a bit longer to do!


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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 2014 at 9:27am
The clay pond version 2! There was a lot more of what seemed liked traditional clay pond building this time round, the bentonite being reserved as a back-up sandwich layer between compacted clay.

Started out putting in a semi-liner of horticultural sheeting, the main purpose was to stop worms, though it will help prevent any leaching of the water into the sub-soil via capillary action (one hopes!)

The sheet was then covered in an inch of clay:



The bentonite blanket layer went in next:



There was a 2 day delay during this process when one entire side collapsed when the liner got dragged down under the weight of the bentonite. I was putting in the last few spade fulls and admiring the moon rise, when huge cracks started to appear and the side of my construction slipped into the bottom of the pond. Not one of my finest moments LOL This picture is after the repair work and the final application of bentonite.

The bentonite layer was then covered with another inch of clay. I found the first time that the bentonite  had a habit of dissolving out and becoming sludge, so trapping it between two layers of clay seemed the way to go:



As can be seen above there were plenty of late nights! Here the inner clay layer is complete and the pond is finally being filled. I put my plants in as I worked on building the inner layer, this seemed the best option to avoid disturbing it too much.



Filled up again and the top edge of the clay covered in top soil to prevent cracking. Fingers crossed this time it will all be OK. It's held it's level well overnight with no significant drop, so I'm hoping this time it will work out.



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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 2014 at 9:30am
Plant list:

White water lily

Brook Lime

Water Violet

Yellow Flag Iris

Fringe Lilly

Marsh Marigold

Water Mint

Water For Get Me Not





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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PondDragon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 2014 at 4:08pm
The pond is looking pretty good - you seem to have put a huge amount of effort into this project. I'm puzzled though that you want to plant White Waterlily and Yellow Flag - both monstrous plants that are likely to take over. Potamogeton natans, Hippuris vulgaris and Eleocharis palustris would be good alternatives. The Potamogeton is quite vigorous, but there are lot of insects that eat their way through it. The other two are both quite 'open', so you can get a nice mix of shallow water vegetation with other species growing amongst them.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 2014 at 4:33pm
I chose yellow flag and white water lily because I like them! I had both in the previous incarnation of the pond built over a decade ago. Both have their roots contained, though I appreciate both can be problematic I'm hoping I can keep them under control! They also remind me of a favourite childhood place, so they  were a bit of a must have. 

I appreciate you taking the time to list some alternatives, I have plenty of room left for more plants so will give them consideration. 

Though have to own up to finding mare's tail an extremely odd looking plant which I can never decide if I actually like or not! Always like seeing it when out and about but not so sure I would want it in the garden pond.



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PondDragon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 2014 at 6:52pm
I agree that they're both attractive plants, and very good in the right place. But they do leave quite a bit to be desired in a wildlife-oriented garden pond. The larger waterlilies have a tendency to grow so densely that submerged plants are shaded out and a substantial % of the pond area ends up pretty lifeless. Looking at the Potamogeton natans in my own garden pond, it's spread vigorously in area this year but not to the total exclusion of everything else (the leaves are relatively thin, widely spaced, short-lived and liable to being eaten by e.g. Donacia versicolorea and China Mark Moth), so there are still submerged plants underneath it (mainly Bladderwort, Hornwort and Potamogeton berchtoldii/pusillus).

I don't know how well restricting the roots will work in practice - I suspect you may have to choose between a well-fed, vigorous, flowering plant, and a starved, small, poorly flowering one.

As an additional suggestion, one or two large, craggy pieces of semi-submerged deadwood can look good and are very popular with birds and dragonflies. Obviously that's getting ahead a bit - hopefully your clay liner works and it continues to hold water.
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Suzy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 2014 at 10:33pm
I have two types of pondweed and they don't take over, as you say they get eaten or decay. Attractive flowers too. I had starwort and loved it but it got smothered and killed by the dreaded duckweed. The latter appeared when brooklime completely carpeted the pond and somehow the duckweed snuck in underneath and thrived in the shade created. I've never been rid of it since!
I am surprised you suggest mare's tail. A very invasive hard to eradicate weed.
Frogbit is a nice plant with delicate flowers at times. Love the small round leaves.
I would have water lilies if I had a big pond.
I have water forget me not in both my ponds but it spends a lot of time looking fairly drab.
Pond is looking good Gemma - good luck!
Suz
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tom Omlette Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 2014 at 11:14pm
looking great gemma. i'm knackered just thinking about the hard work involved!!!

tom

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