Sooo much pooping

[patsylabrador]

Wasn't sure what part of the forum to put this question. Last year along with DD I made a pond and although we got frogs and a newt very quickly, in truth we made a right mess of it and we knew we had to try again. We pierced the lining to drain it carefully so we could start again. Trouble is, with all this rain the pond has completely filled again which got me thinking. We are on solid London clay and I wondered if it's possible to make a more natural pond without linings.

I guess in dry times it would be like streams that dry out and we'd have to think about that, I really don't know. I like the idea but have no knowledge. Does anyone know if this is possible on a small garden scale?

[freddie]

We had (inheritred) a really pants pond, with an old bath under the lining here, so we took it apart in November, and resited it about six foot to the left. We have used a second hand pre formed pond, and we know there are 13 toads/frogs in it, because it heaved and we had to re dig the hole, and resit it in..! We have no spawn at all yet:(, but.. I would def use a lining, and if you want a wildlife pond, google wildlfe pond for small gardens, lots comes up, I did!! We learnt to make a shallow one leading to the deeper one, as they like to bask in shallow warmer water, and to let the grass grow into it, allowing easy access and exit. I've put some stones around, some old tree trunck thick bits of wood and some foliage plants to make "corridors for them to come and go. It looks a right mess at the mo, as I only sorted the edges out last week, but it'll come. Any pond is better than no pond!

Good luck , and we'll have to do photo's in the proper spring!

[Charlottechicken]

We are also on solid clay and I did wonder about doing this whenever I have unearthed large amounts of clay from the garden! I suppose the best way to find out is to do it! I wouldn't bother landscaping or introducing any flora or fauna until you know it works though. I imagine you would need quite a thickness of clay too. Mum has a pond in her garden but it has a liner and still loses a fair bit of water to evaporation.

[RyanR]

Look up, Puddled Clay Ponds.

[newcountrygirl]

we have two small fishing lakes and they are both unlined and clay - we have water voles, loads of different fish too so I would think it could be done.

[Lavenders_Blue]

We have heavy clay soil round here. My mum and dad made a pond in their garden quite a few years ago and used a liner. At some point over the years it has developed a leak and during the summer the pond needs topping up frequently (last year was an exception ) as the water does seep into the clay. Their pond is very established and it would be a mammoth task to replace the liner so they have to live with topping it up. So yes, I would definitely say that you need a (leak proof!) liner.

[patsylabrador]

I love the idea of puddled clay ponds but figured that in the end it would be cheaper and easier

to buy a lining. I spent more than I would normally because looking at puddled clay ponds led me to the 'ingredients' in pond liners. It's a lot more technical than I realised.

We've come to bit of a standstill with our pond. We dragged the old lining out, pierced the ground and waited for it to drain away.

It's now almost completely full, the water table in our garden is so high it seems to have seeped into the new space we created. Apparently the River Pinn flows under the gardens here and floods in very wet times. I think this might actually be true, I've been telling people about this for years but wasn't quite sure - I'm sure now.

Just going to be patient and se

e what happens and I have a lining ready for when I can use it.

Generally speaking the pond looks manky, a brown hole in the ground. I'm loooking out for a shopping trolley and a dead rat to complete the picture.

Eventually I'd like to see a pond with plants and a little solar powered fountain and a couple of dragonflies.

[freddie]

We have tons of spawn.. !! So much, we are struggling with it all!! they like shallow to spawn in, totally ignoring the deeper pond (bigger) next to it. Every night, we go out and cover the spawn, to stop it freezing, and next day, pull the cover away.. This is provoing entertainment to all who know me

keep persevering with the pond, they are so needed, and so lovely !! Wildlife doesn't like stones all round the edge either, as it gets too hot for them, they like grass falling in, to climb up and down.. I read heaps, and am still reading!

[chickencam]

We have heavy clay soil at home and have a pond in the garden that we dug when the children's goldfish out grew their tank about 10 or 11 years ago, we have had to replace the liner once, we think that the roots of a eucalyptus tree close by had punctured it. The clay didn't retain the water then although we did dig a lot out when we made it.

 

Our fish thrived and bred, but over the years they have dwindled back down to 2, we suspect that we may have lost some to a heron even thougth the pond is only a few feet away from our patio doors and close to a busy road. We have a few plants in ours and the area around it is planted with ground cover plants like phlox and perennial geraniums, so it looks lovely throughout most of the year.

 

We also have a pond at our allotment which we lined with the good part of the old liner from home, we have loads of frog spawn in that and see loads of baby frogs n the summer amongst the veg.