 Yes I broke the rule and put the first pond under the tree, but this has
made a very natural pond which the local wild life seems to enjoy. This
was dug into the bank and lined with a plastic liner. The surrounding garden is
then allowed to hug to the waters edge.
With the liner under the soil on the
waters edge marginal plants grow. Under the tree a large Gunnera (prickly
rhubarb) offers dark shading with its large four to five feet leaves. On the far
side of the pond is a clump of Acorus (Sweet Flag) its green leaves boldly
stripped with cream. Just to the left of the Gunnera water in trickles ,
on the opposite side the water begins its downward
decent over a small waterfall in to the middle pond. This pond is stocked with
some goldfish and shubunkins but it is a favoured by the local toad and frog
community which provide the entertainment of frog and toad tadpoles in the
spring. My brother decided on the location of the middle pond for this has
gone in to the hole left by the stump of the cut down tree. The pond is lined
with a plastic liner
and edged with aged concrete blocks. on the fare side the
blocks are inside the pond sloping down and away as if stratified. The blocks in
the pond are dry laid with the gaps providing nooks and crannies for
plants and wild life above and below the waterline. The pond is stocked with
goldfish and shubunkins and frequented by the frogs and toads. The
water genially cascades in to the left of the pond over the small waterfall and
then exits to the right down between the rocks in to the stream. To ensure the
stream does not dry up when there is no flow the stream has been constructed as
three long thin pools each overflowing in to the next over a small rock outcrop.
The
firs stream pool has been broaden to include a bog garden, planted
with Iris, Astilbe and lilies. The other two stream ponds and rocky with a
light planting on the edges. two flat stone bridges cross the stream. There
are no stock fish in the stream but the stream is a main event for the birds
with its shallow edges ideal for the wash and brush up. At the bottom is
the more
formal pentagonal pond by the patio, edged with a 'tight' formed blocks. On the
patio side a wooden seat is set in to the edge. The pod is planted with water lilies
and rushes. Here the larger fish swim including goldfish golden orfes,
shubunkins and a couple of koi. The wild life keep clear of this pool The
water from the bottom pond overflows into a submerged storage tank from were it
is pumped back to the top pond. |