Pond Shelves - 2nd Question

[Davy]

As mentioned in my previous post I am constructing a 16 sq m butyl-lined
wildlife pond in Wiltshire, England. I intend having a shallow shelf all
round the edge for marginal plants. The pond will be surrounded by a
sloping pebble beach.

My problem now is in deciding what depth the shelf(s) should be. The books
I have list marginal plants which seem to require just 2-3" of water. But
irises, and similar large marginal plants, I understand, require a large
basket - perhaps at least 8" high? A basket that high would protrude from
the water. But if I make the shelves deep enough to cover 8" baskets then
the water would be too deep for smaller marginals.

Anyone able to offer any experience?

thanks

Davy

[Köi-Lö]

"Davy" > wrote in message
om...
> As mentioned in my previous post I am constructing a 16 sq m butyl-lined
> wildlife pond in Wiltshire, England. I intend having a shallow shelf all
> round the edge for marginal plants. The pond will be surrounded by a
> sloping pebble beach.

I hope you have some way to keep run-off from entering the pond with this
sloping pebble beach. If not the extra nutrients from your lawn (including
anything toxic you treat it with) will enter the water causing serious algae
blooms.

> My problem now is in deciding what depth the shelf(s) should be. The
> books
> I have list marginal plants which seem to require just 2-3" of water. But
> irises, and similar large marginal plants, I understand, require a large
> basket - perhaps at least 8" high?

Use your tallest post to judge. Our shelves are at a level to hide the pots
underwater. You can always set smaller pots in bricks.

A basket that high would protrude from
> the water. But if I make the shelves deep enough to cover 8" baskets then
> the water would be too deep for smaller marginals.

Use a brick or two to raise them up.

> Anyone able to offer any experience?
>
> thanks
>
> Davy
--
KL....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }<((((*> ~~~ }<{{{{(ö> ~~~~ }<((((({*>

[sean mckinney]

I am not sure that a pebble beach is the best idea for a wildlife pond,
froglets and presumably other young amphibians stick, very quickly, to
hot dry concrete, they then dehydrate and die, I would be concerned
that they would sure the same fate when clmbering over hot dry pebbles.
I turfed around my wildlife pond. Where I put my wildlife pond there is
a slight slope and I had to raise 3 sides of the pond via a soil levee
on those sides. The turf covered the levees and the levees prevent run
off from any significant area of ground entering the pond. Along the
4th side of the pond there is no signifcant area of ground level with
of above the pond so there is no run off into the pond.
My plant pond is also raised via levees and these too have been turfed
over and the arrangement doent look odd to my eye. Its also a good way
of using up the digging spoil




--
sean mckinney

[Köi-Lö]

"sean mckinney" > wrote in message
...
>
> I am not sure that a pebble beach is the best idea for a wildlife pond,
> froglets and presumably other young amphibians stick, very quickly, to
> hot dry concrete, they then dehydrate and die, I would be concerned
> that they would sure the same fate when clmbering over hot dry pebbles.
=============================
In my experience here in the mid-south of the USA these little critters
don't leave the pond on hot sunny days. They wait for a rainy day or leave
at night. On some dark rainy days there are little toadlets and froglets
all over the lawn as they spread out from the ponds and propagation tanks.
--
KL....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }<((((*> ~~~ }<{{{{(ö> ~~~~ }<((((({*>

[Davy]

Sean,

thanks for the concern regarding froglets clambering up a hot beach - I am
quite a wimp myself on pebble beaches. Should be OK here in Wiltshire,
England cos it doesn't get too hot, the pond is shaded for much of the day
and the water level will come half way up the beach.
We used to have a fountain in the middle of a paved patio. Every year frogs
and newts breed in the fountain and froglets would hop out on hot sunny days
and cross the hot stone patio (too hot for bare human feet) without any
apparent harm.

thanks

Davy

"sean mckinney" > wrote in message
...
>
> I am not sure that a pebble beach is the best idea for a wildlife pond,
> froglets and presumably other young amphibians stick, very quickly, to
> hot dry concrete, they then dehydrate and die, I would be concerned
> that they would sure the same fate when clmbering over hot dry pebbles.
> I turfed around my wildlife pond. Where I put my wildlife pond there is
> a slight slope and I had to raise 3 sides of the pond via a soil levee
> on those sides. The turf covered the levees and the levees prevent run
> off from any significant area of ground entering the pond. Along the
> 4th side of the pond there is no signifcant area of ground level with
> of above the pond so there is no run off into the pond.
> My plant pond is also raised via levees and these too have been turfed
> over and the arrangement doent look odd to my eye. Its also a good way
> of using up the digging spoil
>
>
>
>
> --
> sean mckinney

[sean mckinney]

Belfast must be hotter than Wiltshire then because I have found 1 or 2
cooked froglets on the concrete flagstone stepping stones in the turf
around the pond and I have seen one stick on its 2nd landling on a
stone. Admitedly if not spooked they seem to avoid the hot surfaces and
use the turf as paths so there may be something in what Koi-lo says but
when spooked they jump anywhere




--
sean mckinney