     |
|
|
|||||||||||
 |
|
Digging the Hole for Your PondThis section has a few different sub-sections. Click on one of the links below to skip to the part you are interested in:
Digging the hole for your pondMark the site out for digging by putting some dry sand in a plastic bag and cutting off the corner. This can then be poured onto the grass or soil in the shape of the pond. Before you start to dig your hole think carefully about where you will put the soil that you remove. You might be planning a rockery or raised area near the pond so you can have a waterfall; some of the soil can be used to create this. It is a good idea to separate the top layer of soil that you dig out from the lower layers as when you use it you’ll want to put the top layer back last. If you don’t build a mound or rockery a lot of soil will probably need to be disposed of and you might want to use a skip or a trailer. Think about protecting your lawn or patio from damage by using boards or a tarpaulin. Bradshaws stock a wide range of tarpaulins that are suitable, check out our other website. For a small pond, digging by hand is usually the most effective way but if your pond is going to be large then you might want to consider hiring a digger. When you start digging look out for tree roots and stones. It is a good idea to get all of these out of the hole as they may damage the liner either immediately or in the future.
ShelvesPutting shelves around the pond is a matter of personal choice. If you want to soften your pond edge with marginal plants then it is almost essential to have a shelf. If you don’t want plants or just want to go with deep water or floating plants (like lilies and water hyacinths) you can do without shelves. We’d always recommend putting a shelf around the pond, or at least half of it; you don’t need to fill it with plants but you will at least have the option of changing your mind in the future. The depth of the pond shelves isn’t subject to a hard and fast rule and neither is the depth at which you should plant your marginal plants. Most plants will specify a range of depths but if your shelf is too deep you can put the plant in a bigger pot to raise the growing parts nearer to the surface. For this reason we’d recommend making a marginal shelf around 12” deep but they are equally common at 9” or even 6”. It’s possible to put in another shelf at about 18” to 2’ deep but the number of plants that like this depth is quite small and so we’d only advise it if the bottom of the pond is going to be at least 4’ deep all over. If the bottom is only 3’ or so then plants like lilies will thrive straight on the bottom anyway (although you should adjust them to this depth gradually).
SandWhen you have finished digging the hole (and you’ve had a cup of tea!) it’s a good idea to put an inch of soft sand in the bottom and on any shelves. This will act to cushion the liner from any stones that you might have missed.
Now that you know
how to dig the hole for your pond, why not take a look at one of
our other guides: |
 |
| e-commerce by screen pages | |
