Jose's Pond Memories

The first attempt

Many years ago, when I was in my late teens, I decided one Easter I would build a garden pond.

In those days I only had two days holiday at Easter, so an early start was called for.

It was a glorious Sunday morning, as I remember, but then all Easters used to be good weather. I first laid a length of string over the lawn, trying to achieve the desired shape .After several attempts, I finally decided the location and size. Roughly 7ft in length and 3ft in width, kidney shaped, near the house, just by a lilac tree, but far enough away to form a rockery between the pool and the tree. ( this I was to regret at a later date, LEAVES!)

I remember my father coming out trying to persuade me to abandon my idea, I didn’t really have much idea of how to go about this project, but having watched gardening programmes on television with Percy Thrower and Arthur Billitt I thought "Have a go!" so, undeterred, I ventured on.

First, I cut the shape out using my father’s lawn edger. Then removing the turf, keeping that to one side. The soil was then piled up in front of the lilac tree to form the rockery. After several breaks and discussions on the depth, I was at the stage of standing in the hole, throwing the soil out.

It was at this point that my mother came out, with a smile on her face. A neighbour, looking through his bedroom window had seen the soil being thrown out of the hole under the tree, but because I was very small in statue, (and still am,) they could not see anyone there. He had telephoned to find out who was digging to Australia, and being told it was me, and of my idea, laughed and wished me good luck.

I am afraid I carried on digging that hole, in fact too deep, being carried away, trying to remove every stone I found.

I eventually, again after discussion, decided the hole was too deep, so had to backfill. Then I started to form the shelves, of course cutting even more away from the edges. By this time the hole was looking rather larger than anticipated. Nevermind, I thought, carry on. The cat, ever curious of my escapade, watched from a distance.

An uncle always used to visit on a Sunday morning, and when he walked into the garden, just stood back and watched. "Oh Good idea!" was his reaction, watched a while, suggesting ideas, then left. Perhaps he was afraid he was going to be roped in if he stayed.

I used the turf, to line the base of the hole, pressing sand up the sides to stop stones from pushing through the liner I was about to use.

The plastic liner was laid over the hole, and I co-opted help at this point. Mom was on hand with the hose, ready to fill. The hole was filled slowly and Dad was persuaded to lay broken slabs around the edge. The water was allowed to settle over night. I can remember waking up, couldn’t move, "Oh my aching back!" Eventually, I must have become mobile and being eager to finish the task in hand, persuaded my dad to take me to the local garden centre to purchase waterplants, planting baskets, a pump, a length of hose and of course the fish. I was in business. The baskets were planted up and placed on the shelves. The pump had to be placed on a rock in the centre of the pool. The fish were then allowed into the pond. I did have to ask for the help of another person. An electrician was brought in to arrange an electric point for the pump.

At a later date, yet another visit to the garden centre, rocks and plants this time. It wasn’t long before it all began to take shape. Many a happy hour, we would all sit by the pool, my Mom always loved to have the fountain on as high as it would allow often cascading over the edge. Angus Macavaty, the cat, of course was fascinated by the movement in the water. He became a real pest in fact!

I mentioned the lilac tree earlier. This was quite magnificent when in full bloom, but come autumn, those leaves! I had to resort to netting placed across the pond. This, firstly helped to keep the leaves from fouling the water and secondly kept the cat from persecuting the fish. Looking back, I could have done with one of the cat scarers that are on the market nowadays.

The lilac tree had become quite a nuisance. Having been in that position, near the house for many years, it had become too tall and was blocking the light from the house. All the flowers were right on the top of the tree, so you only could appreciate their beauty from the bedroom window. It had to go! So, one week-end it was chopped down. No more leaves dropping into the pond, thank goodness, though the perfume from the flowers would be greatly missed. It was around that time that I decided perhaps it was time for pond version 2.

This was decided for me when the liner decided to leak. Perhaps a more adventurous job this time, perhaps even waterfalls. This was going to be a challenge. I decided on a pre-formed liner this time, The job, was difficult, firstly, catch the fish, secure in suitable containers, rescue the waterplants, remove the leaky plastic liner and start all over again. At least I didn’t have to do all that digging again. The hole was reshaped to accommodate the liner, making sure the bottom was level (dad’s spirit level came in handy there.)The liner was dropped into position. Again, Dad had to come to the rescue and re-lay the slabs around the edge. His building skills were very useful. The rockery was re-shaped, of course the plants had previously been be removed to another area for safety. The fibre-glass pools for the waterfalls were correctly positioned, the rocks returned to form the rockery

At last, the pool was ready to be refilled. The pump was returned to the centre. I remember this was quite a tricky situation as still being under 5ft and not blessed with long arms, I had to be held while lowering the pump into position. Hose was laid from the pump, up around the rockery to the top pool. When it was finally installed and filled with water, the waterplants were returned and the poor fish could return to their home.

Anyway, during the following years, the fish began to multiply, and so did the frogs. I left home to marry and the pond was left for mom and dad to manage. Of course, on more than one occasion, the whole family had to be drafted in to either clean out the pond, removing that dreaded blanket weed, or planting new marginal and oxygen plants It was hilarious at times. I can cope with netting fish, but frogs! that’s another matter. I would run a mile when a frog would jump out of the pond