The Claudia de Yong Blog

'Romance in the Ruins' A garden for Wyevale Garden Centre

'Romance in the Ruins' : A garden designed by Claudia de Yong for Wyevale Garden Centre
At BBC Gardeners’ World Live 2017

Above: 13th Century fortification at Beeston

Over the coming months, I will be writing a number of small articles on the different places I’m currently visiting – from nurseries to historic buildings – all of which will feature in some way, or have helped inspire, the ‘Wyevale Show Garden’ at this year’s BBC Gardener’s World Live in June.

Today, despite the gloomy weather after some amazing April warmth, I have been winding my way through the Cheshire and Shropshire countryside to take a look at various castles. One of these magnificent imposing landmarks is the early 13^th Century fortification, built high on a sandstone crag at Beeston, boasting spectacular views across the Cheshire countryside and beyond. 

   

Above: Entrance to the castle at Bestow; and Top: Seen from above

Beeston was a former Royal castle built by Ranulf de Blondville, the 6^th Earl of Chester on his return from the Crusades. In 1237 it was taken over by King Henry III. The castle is now in ruins, although some of the walls and towers still stand so you can imagine how the whole castle would have looked in it’s ‘hey day’. The castle is now owned and managed by English Heritage.

Just a stones throw away is a very different castle, a mid 1800’s ‘Medieval style’ fortified family home. Built at Peckforton by a wealthy landowner John Tollemanche, the castle towers up out of its heavily wooded surroundings. It is now a popular hotel and wedding venue. Although a ‘folly’ and of no real age, the castle still retains an air of grandeur and history.

Above: Peckforton Castle

 

Above and below: Whittington Castle 

The 12^th Century Whittington Castle in Shropshire, is a picturesque romantic ruin originally a motte-and-bailey castle. Originally its wooden or stone keep, the motte, would have been built high on the earthworks and would have overlooked the enclosed courtyard below known as the ‘bailey’. Both would have been surrounded by a protective ditch or palisade. The castle in Shropshire is now managed by a small rural community, the Whittington Castle Preservation Fund.

This ancient monument at Whittington springs-to-life when one of the many re-enactments and ‘living history weekends’ takes place in the grounds.

 

Above: Design for the 'Romance in the Ruins' show garden inspired by castles and forts around the UK

The show garden I’ve designed for Wyevale is entitled, ‘Romance in the Ruins’. The design encompasses a partially, tumbled down walled garden within the ruins of a castle style folly. After a period of neglect, this garden is now being slowly nurtured back to life...

During the visits to these beautiful ‘monsters’ that tower over our countryside, my eyes have been widened. Whether it was the size, location or simply the reasons for which they exist, each one has inspired my design to some degree and means I can, in some small way, pay homage to these formidable parts of our national history.

FOR TICKET INFORMATION TO THE SHOW

Link: https://www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com/visit/ticket-information

NEC Birmingham, 15-17 June 2017. I look forward to seeing you there!

 

Latest project: Walled and terraced town garden in historic Petworth

My latest project in the historic town of Petworth in West Sussex has had a couple of weeks to settle and I revisited it to take a few shots in the Autumn sunshine. The Claudia de Yong Designs team worked hard over several months to affect a complete transformation of this large town house garden. Because it was in the middle of the town, off a narrow street, we couldn't use any large machinery so much of the earth and old walls and paving had to be removed by hand before we started – backbreaking work and labour intensive.

Extensive drainage needed to be installed below the new paving we eventually laid down over three levels. This had to be waterproofed and vented to prevent moisture seeping below ground, into the basement area of the house.

See more at: Walled and Terraced Town Garden in Petworth

I sourced and hand-picked all the trees and plants to ensure they suited the sunny, warm and enclosed space. The team also installed new lighting throughout the garden, including up-lighters to the four, pleached umbrella plum trees (these covered the outdoor dining table and chairs). We also installed a small water fountain and included a 'tumble-down wall' to imitate the remains of an ancient ruin. Paving was chosen from a National Trust range – modelled on natural stone found locally at Petworth House. The slabs were made from precast-concrete (the first time it has been used in Petworth town). New dry-stone walls were built and a local craftsman made a lovely new oak gate (with a privacy grille); and old-style black brick edgings were sourced to frame the lower flower beds.

   

Above: The garden before we started! Below: After we'd finished...

 

 

         

See more images and planting on the Claudia de Yong website: Walled and Terraced Town Garden in Petworth

 

New Wildlife Pond in West Sussex

One of the best ways to encourage wildlife into your garden is to build a pond – which is exactly what we did for our clients in West Sussex. They are a professional couple who had recently moved into a new house with a very long back garden and large expanse of lawn. 

The shape of the garden meant that there was very limited side access, except for a micro digger. However we were able to build a pond, within viewing distance of their conservatory, so that they could enjoy watching the wildlife attracted from both inside their home or sitting outside on their patio.

Although the clients didn’t want fish in the pond, they wanted to encourage more birds, newts, frogs and dragon flies into the garden. This happened the very moment we had finished the pond, as dragon flies began darting around the water almost immediately and birds swooped down to drink and bathe. It never fails to make us smile despite the back breaking work that goes into the construction.

After looking at the various shapes of two large, existing borders, it was agreed that the pond should be nestled into the back end of one of the flower beds and the edges should mirror the shape of the lawn with all of it's existing flowing curves.

We used 9–10 tonnes of hand picked, local stone and built a raised waterfall at one end of the pond, surrounded by a small rockery. Along the two lengths we planted a combination of shrubs for evergreen structure and perennials which blended in with existing planting in the garden.

Getting the planting right along the edges of the pond is just as important as selecting the correct plants for inside the pond itself. In this case, the soil was very dry and sandy and therefore we chose plants to suit the local conditions – which were exacerbated by large pine and sweet chestnut trees.

The pond was planted with a mixture of deep water aquatics, marginal and oxygenating plants.

 

 

The pump was set in a chamber (out of the pond) which not only aids any maintenance and makes any necessary adjustments to the water flow easier, but more importantly it prevents the pump cabling and hoses from being visible in the water.

Finally, we installed lighting in the plant beds to highlight the waterfall at night and with a remote control unit, these can be turned on and off from the house.

The clients were delighted with the finished pond and said we had "exceeded their expectations!"

 

Garden design and build for a new home in Sussex – now completed

 

After some back breaking work by the team, we have now completed the garden of the new-build house in Sussex. I'm looking forward to coming back in a few weeks to check the planting and see how the garden settles down. When the oak ages to a soft grey it will tone in with the Millboard grey decking which matches the weatherboarding on the house.

We received this lovely testimonial from the clients:

"We felt from the start that you were on the same wavelength to us and what we wanted from a garden. It's a small space but you have used it so well that it feels and looks bigger. To have such large planted areas is a joy and I can keep collecting plants I love. The water feature is just lovely... with the large boulders round the base. I've had the lounge doors open today and was listening to trickling water and birds singing.  

There was a great deal of hard labour put into the garden (dam that clay soil) and it shows. It's quite simply the best investment we have ever made. It's going to give us pleasure every single day for years to come. Many thanks to you and the team."  Lucinda & Michael Hines 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work in progress... preparing the area and putting down the decking:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Challenges of a new-build garden in Sussex

Above: Top dressing with compost on flower beds

The team have been working hard over the last couple of months. One of several jobs we are currently working on in Sussex is the garden of a new-build house in a brand new development where the garden had just been left to lawn and was otherwise bare except for a strip of paving. The new owners had brought a great many potted plants with them from their old house, which they'd had to leave in their pots because they couldn't dig into the soil of the new property – it was solid clay! When we first looked at the garden it was mid December last year and at the start of one of the wettest UK winters we've had in recent years. As a result the garden was at one point almost knee-deep in water. The clay had prevented any kind of drainage – and this despite the fact that the garden was on a steep slope. There wasn't even a fence, just a simple chain link at the rear. 

 

 

Above: Clay piling up during initial work on the garden

 

The biggest challenge we've faced has been working in a small space full of heavy clay. Our first step was to prepare the garden so we could make it more suitable for planting and long-term use. The house builders had'nt installed any kind of drainage to the back of the house so water sat on the paving and kept the garden water-logged – which was particularly challenging after months of virtually non-stop rain.

 

 

Above: New oak sleepers have been bevelled on the edges and sanded ready for the lights at the front which will eventually illuminate the new decking area

 

We've designed a split-level garden using hand-made, thick oak sleepers; a curved 'fake lawn' path to a raised storage area; and a large decked area which will lead-out from the French doors of the sitting room. The owners have a large dog so the fake grass is a sensible option to cut-down on muddy paws in the future. We are also installing garden lighting and a water feature as a focal point.

 

 

Above: The garden is beginning to take shape

 

We have just put in 3 tonnes of organic compost to improve the soil and have recently finished the oak sleeper beds, and are now working on the lawn area and the decking... more photos at the job's end!

 

 

Above: The garden before work started 

 

 

 

Above: Wet, 'boggy' clay sat immediately below the lawn. Here we're half way through stripping the turf so we could tackle the clay and put in drainage

 

 

 

Above: Mick using a mini digger to move the clay soil – back braking work. But yes, the sun is shining, yey!

 

 

 

Above: It was hefty work digging out all the clay 

 

And finally, below illustrates the challenge that too-often faces landscapers working on new-build or extension sites... builders far-too-frequently leave discarded bits of guttering, pipes and rubble as well as pieces of paving slabs and brick buried under the garden. All of which need to be pulled out and cleared!

 

 

 

Garden Design Interview

Kate Southgate of Notcutts has just interviewed me about garden design and I thought I'd share some of it here. Thank you Kate!

"Claudia de Yong is an exciting and accomplished garden designer with many awards to her name including eight medals from the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show. Along with running her company, Claudia also finds time to offer her pearls of wisdom on her blog http://www.thegardenspot.co.uk/ where you can find great advice, top tips and catch up with her latest projects. We at Notcutts were lucky enough to catch up with the garden designer to find out what her plans for the future are.

You’re known for creating ‘romantic’ landscapes. How would you describe these gardens?
To me a romantic garden is one that touches your heart and of course includes water! There is nothing more lovely then hearing the sound of a gently flowing stream on a summer’s evening or seeing the magical reflective qualities light plays across a pond or lake. A garden that can make you sigh with pleasure and escape the pressures of the outside world is a romantic garden.

You specialise in water features, what is your favourite so far? Is there anything you’d like to experiment with in the future?
My favourite type of water feature is creating a natural wildlife pond. I am constantly amazed how quickly wildlife finds the water and I love making the pond look as if it has always been part of the landscape. Sometimes I use a wildflower mix around the ponds and this attracts even more beautiful insects to the garden. I have built concrete koi ponds and small water features as well as large ponds but would love to build a moat!

What are the first steps to consider if you’re planning to introduce water into the garden?
The most important thing is position. Not under trees and preferably in a flat area. With the recent floods a lot of pond liners have lifted due to ground water and doing a simple test with the depth of a spade at different times of the year to establish the water table can help. You may need to consider a French drain under a lined pond so think where the lowest point is for any run off. Don’t hide your pond miles away from view of the house, it’s lovely to look out onto water and see the wildlife being attracted to it.

You’ve won a few awards to say the least, what do you believe is your greatest accomplishment and what are you striving for next?
I think my greatest accomplishment is not so much the awards but having found a profession I love and helping people. Many of my clients become friends and I enjoy being able to transform an ugly space into something more magical. I work all over England and would love to work in Europe. Maybe one day do a Chelsea garden too just to say I have done one!

What do you predict the biggest trends to be in garden design for 2014?
This is always a difficult question. You will find many designers at shows using the same plants in their gardens so people ultimately say it’s a trend for that year but it maybe because they have had to substitute due to poor weather! It also depends what part of the country you are in. London will still see the more minimalist look whilst in the countryside there will be more meadows and edibles. I haven’t really answered the question have I ?!

Growing meadows for wildlife seems to be a popular trend at the moment; do you have any advice for our readers who are thinking of creating a wildlife haven in their garden?
Yes meadows are not the same for everybody and the wonderful ones you see at say Great Dixter are well managed. A lot of people add bulbs to their meadow mixes but essentially don’t over sow with seed and after the first wonderful exuberance of flowers don’t worry the following year as less come up. Make sure you include some grass suppressants in your mixes and don’t be afraid to experiment. You can even sow seeds in a window box as an annual display. There are now mixes for shady areas and under trees and also already sown wildlife turf which you can put down instead of grass.

How would you describe your garden and do you have a favourite area?
My garden doesn’t get the attention it needs and I often get so disheartened at times as I am not in it enough. I come back from doing other people’s gardens and I am exhausted! However, I would have to say sitting on the deck by my pond is my favourite place. I have ducks nesting, a king fisher that flies in now and again, water that is alive with frogspawn at the moment and dragonflies. Another area I love is in the more formal vegetable garden, cutting sweet peas in the summer under a pergola of apples over a meandering brick path.

What does the magic of gardening mean to you?
It means I never stop learning and I am part of this earth-literally at times! Gardening comes to most people later in life when they have more time and has great health benefits lifting the spirit as well as keeping you physically healthy.

See the interview in full >>

Interview by: Kate Southgate
Notcutts.co.uk 

The Garden Press Event 2014

 

The Garden Press Event 2014, at The Barbican Exhibition centre in London, brings together leading manufacturers who take the opportunity to launch, to the press, new products for the coming season. The Greenfingers charity started by Richard Jackson, is closely associated with the event which will have it’s tenth birthday next year. 

One of the many new products that caught my eye yesterday was the British-made, compact Hozelock Pico Reel (see below, photo courtesy Hozelock). It’s been designed especially for small gardens, balconies and roof terraces and, although it appears to closely resemble a toy, it’s as robust as a normal, full size hose reel would be.

 

‘Hozelock’ have also introduced a ‘wonder weeder’, which eliminates the need to bend down and spray weeds with a weed gun. You just pour the weed killer into the top of the long-handled wand, place the end over the weed and press. No mess and the spray is aimed directly at the weed – very effective. www.hozelock.co.uk

Above: Meadow pattern Backdoor Shoes
 

‘Backdoor Shoes’ who I've written about before and love, have collaborated with 'Meadow in my Garden’s seed mixes to produce a lovely, meadow patterned and lightweight garden shoe. Their range of shoes continues to expand and this year also sees them collaborating with the RHS. www.backdoorshoes.co.uk

Above: Wearing my new Backdoor Shoes!

 

Above: Floral seeds by A Meadow in my Garden

 

‘Meadow in my Garden’ have introduced a new seed mix especially for floral planters such as tubs and window boxes so that anyone can encourage pollinating insects and enjoy their own mini meadow. Their range of mixes also includes a meadow seed mix for shady areas and under trees. I am looking forward to sowing my own meadow seeds under my favourite tree this year to see how they fare while wearing my meadow patterned backdoor shoes! www.meadowinmygarden.co.uk

There are a few companies that have been around a long time in this industry and there is none more familiar than the Finnish company Fiskars. ‘Fiskars’ was established in c.1649, and this year is celebrating 365 years of continous production. We all recognize the orange handled scissors and the company were the first to introduce plastic scissor handles in c.1967 and they have sold to date, over one billion pairs of these iconic implements.

Above: Fiskar's 'Cuts+More' scissors

I was very impressed with their new, multi-purpose gadget ‘Cuts+More’. A ‘multi’ versatile tool in one – as well as functioning as a normal pair of scissors it cuts twine, wire and rope on different parts of the blade. It can also prune, pierce holes in cardboard, has a bottle opener and has a take-apart knife for cutting cardboard, polythene or sheeting. The equivalent of a Swiss army knife for gardeners!

Fiskars extendable range of tools now also includes a lopper and hedge shear (below) that is both lightweight and easy to use. Clever extension buttons mean incremental extensions are available from 665mm to 915mm on the loppers and 675mm to 925mm on the hedge shears, for great flexibility. www.fiskars.co.uk 

Now, we all need to look after ourselves when outside and one of the many problems of working in the winter – sometimes even with gloves on is – is the issue of cracked fingers. I tried a sample of ‘O’Keefe’s Working Hands Cream’ and it immediately improved the sore areas at the end of my fingers. I am keeping a pot in my pocket at all times from now on.

Well known for it’s Horticultural products, ‘Harrod Horticultural’ were showcasing  – amongst other things – their new range of netting clips and frame saver clips which help to both keep the netting on and prevent storm-force winds blowing it off (very topical). There are lockable pegs to secure netting at the base and I thought the best feature of all was a zip that you can add to a cage if you decide to cut the netting. www.harrodhorticultural.com

The HTA stand was focusing on the association’s ‘It starts with a pot’ campaign. Garden Centres around the UK will have display areas throughout the year to highlight how easy it is for beginner gardeners to start-out by planting-up a single pot either for outdoors or indoors. www.the-hta.org

QVC is one of the biggest retailers of gardening products, particularly well known for the familiar face of Richard Jackson, who this coming April will be celebrating 16 years of offering gardening advice on the channel. QVC aims to bring customers the best selection of branded goods as well as plants and sundries.

Last year QVC sold, in just 10 minutes alone, over 400 Dicksonia Tree Logs retailing at £90 each as well as over 17,000 packs of ten geraniums in a single day! Impressive statistics.

 

In association with the channel, Richard was promoting his professional formula range. And it seems anything with his picture on seems to do very well indeed… www.qvcuk.com

I was also very excited to be given, to try at home, the new ‘Brother’ Handheld labeller GLH 105 which is aimed specifically at the home gardening market. It is very easy to use and you can even tap in names and print labels holding the device with one hand. Brother, who are well known for their quality printers, have been making these label printers for many years and this updated version produces clear, printed, fade-resistant, chemical and scuff-resistant labels. www.brother.co.uk

In total there were over 88 stands at the one day Garden & Home Press Event and other exhibitors included ‘i-fix’ a patio and driveway repair kit for the consumer, produced by the leading brand Instarmac.  www.instarmac.co.uk and the Posh Shed Company, with it’s new bin store www.poshshedcomany.co.uk

Thomson and Morgan, Town and Country, Spear and Jackson, Guardman, Bosch Lawn and Garden, Bradstone, Griffin Greenhouses, Briars Jeyes, to name but a few were all exhibiting at what is proving to be a worth while event for the gardening industry – giving the media a taste of new, innovative products for the year ahead. It would be good to see a few more plant introductions at this event in the future and please, can it be hosted at another venue next year… but overall a very enjoyable day.

 

Variety is the spice of life

Above: 'Base Camp', otherwise known as the office where all my paper work gets done, in the early morning Sussex frost.

They say "variety is the spice of life" and there is nothing more true about being a garden designer and landscaper rolled into one.

Apart from my deep love of working with water in the garden, one thing I really enjoy about designing and building gardens, is that my 'office' changes from project to project. The variety is wonderful and often inspires ideas for future gardens.

Above: Just one of my other 'offices', a pond in need of dredging and clearance. Getting stuck in... again!

 

Each new project requires a completely new design and every work-site is different. One week, I can be up to my neck – literally in deep water – and building a dry stone wall the next; one week we can be in deepest Sussex, the next in London or the next it could be the Cotswolds. And as some jobs take longer than a week, it means the team needs to stay locally, which means I may have the opportunity to explore an area of the country I have never been to before. This presents a new set of challenges due to topography and which materials are available but I also get to sample some great local produce!

 

 

Above: Dry stone walling, Claudia de Yong

 

The new challenges that come with each new project may involve drainage issues from new housing estates where they have built on clay but 'forgotten' to add sufficient drainage to the outside of the property or issues of privacy where the garden needs to be completely screened. New materials may need to be used and sourced, depending on the design and the clients' specifications.

 

Above: A skip-loading dumper can be a very versatile tool!

 

Above: Variety is the spice of life, designing one minute and using a skip-loading dumper to lay a path the next!

 

 

Above: Claudia de Yong learning wood craft and new techniques

 

 

And with each new material comes a different application method, which means learning new techniques. A challenge for sure, but definitely a part of why this profession is such a joy. I love nothing more than discovering how different materials – from stone to concrete and wood, to new composites – work in various applications. I could be deep in a quarry choosing the perfect pieces of rock for a waterfall or trudging up and down miles of hedging plants, ensuring that each one is nearly identical – to make the 'perfect' hedge. However, all this sourcing also introduces me to some fascinating people, from clients who have become friends over the years, to new 'friends' in wonderful nurseries.  

 

Above: Traditional garden wicker work in Kent

There are so many variables in this line of work, different hats worn and new discoveries every day. There are traditions too and wonderful people who still use 'old-fashioned' craft skills. Which means I love learning and discovering new methods as well as old ones. With gardening, both as an amateur and a professional, you are on a journey of discovery that never ends and gives countless hours of enjoyment (and a bad back, painful knees, cold hands, sore feet..!)

 

 

Above: Back where I love to be – knee deep in water!

Pond clearing in West Sussex

Above: This is me wading into the murky water to check depth, base and general condition before work can begin (while I'm generally very happy working with water, this was not my favourite moment!)

Over the last few years, we've been very fortunate to have designed and built a variety of lovely ponds, working in some of the most beautiful parts of the country. Working with (and in) water is something I love doing – I get very excited about the wildlife that immediately seem to know that a new body of water has been created and they appear as if by magic. However, there are times when the work is, let's say, less than desirable but altogether necessary...

Many ponds and lakes – and even moats – need clearing at certain points in their life-time. After years of being left to look after itself, a pond, lake or moat can gradually fill with sediment and debris. The sludge could have built up so much that hardly any water is left, leading to insufficient oxygen to support plant and fish life – not to mention the odour from any rotting vegetation.

The following images show a project we completed a couple of months ago, where a farmyard pond was in desperate need of rescue. So that we could clear the enormous amount of sludge that had built up over the previous 15 years, we dug out our waders and fishing nets and located the necessary heavy-weight machinery needed to tackle this (rather mucky) work. 

First of all we carried out a few exploratory tests (which mainly entailed me wading chest-deep into the murkey water (above: see how happy I look!) to establish the depth and base of the pond. We needed to know if the area was generally accessible and suitable for the heavy machinery we would need to (more easily) remove the sludge and debris.

Our initial tests revealed that the base was predominatly sand, not only that – it was a hard sand because the pond had originally been cut into a natural slope and was two to three metres below the original ground level and was probably also below the water table.

As the pond was also fed by natural springs we used two different pumps. An electric one to draw water out on a daily basis, and a diesel-powered pump because it was more powerful and could shift a greater volume of water. 

The diesel pump at work (see below).

 

 

As both pumps began working, the fish began to congregate in small pockets of water. We managed to save almost 270 fish, losing only four. (I was very excited when, among what were mostly gold fish, I caught a 14-inch long carp.)

 

  

The fish were carefully placed into a holding tank. We used an air pump for the duration of their stay because the volume of fish, in such a small area, would have meant they'd have had little to no oxygen and would not otherwise have survived.

 

 

Moving fish out in small buckets (see below). 

 

  

 

With the confidence of knowing that we could drive machinery into the pond, we removed the fencing at the side and created a small ramp so we could drive the digger and dumper down to the edge to begin three days of back-breaking clearing (below).

 

 

Using a digger to gently lift muck out into a dumper we then used to take the sediment and silt to the tip area – which was a 1,000 metres round trip each time.

 

 

Mucky sludge at the bottom of the pond with the digger hard at work (above and below). 

 

 

 

After clearing all the muck and vegetation that had caused the pond to become so clogged-up, we divided a few of the existing lilies and pontederia to enhance the general area as we cleaned up the surrounding area. While we were busy doing this, we also began to slowly refill the pond with fresh water although we waited a few days before putting the fish back into the pond to allow everything to settle. 

The following images show the pond refilled and cleared of sludge and sediment. It should not need to be re-cleared again for many years to come.

 

 

Wildlife Pond in Esher, Surrey

We recently completed the design and build of a wildlife pond for clients in Esher near Sandown (above), in an under-used area of their garden that lacked inspiration (below). 

Looking at the area, we decided on complementing the shape of the space with a pleasing, curved pond which would be shallow at one end so that wildlife could get in and out of it easily, adding a raised area on one side so that a small trickling stream could fall gently into the main body of water. At the far end of the pond, we also created a small herbaceous bed to help the pond nestle into the surrounding greenery.

The combination of scented shrubs and insect loving perennials will all eventually help the wildlife nature of the pond.

 

Unused area of the garden before we started

 

Marking out the shape with the garden hose!

Access to the back garden was limited and we had to negotiate a side passage with a narrow door and a walk of about 150 metres each time we wanted to fill the skip with the spoil from the dig of the pond (which meant a lot of hard labour). The soil was also full of roots from two trees which had previously been felled and ground down – we first carefully removed all traces of the root and used a one-ton digger (ie. one that could fit through the doorway) and a skip-loader to take the soil to the skip outside of the garden.

 

Side access

   

Narrow access meant using a one-ton digger

Excavating and digging-out the basic shape

 

We decided to locate the pump outside of the pond and give it its own, small chamber. This means it will be easier to maintain and save the client from trying to locate it at the bottom of the pond if it ever needs attending to. (This is an effective method and also prevents the filter from getting clogged up with debris.)

Excavating and digging-out the basic shape (with Claudia taking the controls)

We used a heavy underlay before placing a very thick liner over the whole dig and created a raised area for the small stream. Hand chosen rocks – which we had selected from a quarry in Sussex – were positioned to form an edge and were used as naturally as possible so that in time, when the plants grow over them and are well established, they will look as if they have always been there.

 

The whole pond was covered in different size shingle and pebbles, with small bits of quarried stone placed sympathetically around the edges. Plants were sourced from a specialist water plants supplier in Dorset – by next Spring the pond will be looking very colourful. And by the time it's had a season behind it the pond and surrounding planting will be starting to settle nicely. We raked and seeded the soil around the edges so that the grass from the existing lawn will grow back evenly and knit against the sides of the liner. 

The newly finished pond in the Autumn sunshine

The clients are overjoyed with their new pond and say how seamlessly it blends into their garden. The tiny frogs that keep rustling below the leaves in other parts of the garden are steadily making their way to the pond within no time at all – and although the owners didn't want any fish in the pond – the water will before long be a hive of wildlife activity!

 

 

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