Making My 100th Pond For Wildlife
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- Опубликовано: 12 фев 2022
- Join me as I make my 100th Pond for wildlife!
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Many thanks,
Joel Ashton
#Pond #GardenPond #WildlifePond #BackyardPond #wildlifegarden #Gardening # 
Хобби
Hello Joel. I did watch this last night/this morning. After midnight ! Too tired to post a comment then and was out this morning. I am so pleased with how the video and the pond have turned out. I can't thank you enough. The video makes my garden look lots better than it really was. (you can't see how much of the greenery is actually bind weed lol). 😁The first insect to arrive was great diving beetle and our resident frogs were making use of it very quickly. We also have pond snails which may of come from the pond weed. My daughter helped me do some videos on Friday so I will send them across to you. Let me know which is the best number to WhatsApp them to you. I had two Goldcrests in the garden of Friday. So lovely to see. They were in the privet tree above where I was working. The rowan tree I brought with me from my previous house nearly 26 years ago and was about 18 inches high when I planted it. If I was starting my working life now I would have gone into wildlife conservation/gardening but the opportunities were not there when I was young. Regards Karen
Hello! At last, huh? ;) Great Diving Beetle... wow! I cannot wait to see the videos, thank you - although they won't be an excuse not to return this year as soon as I get a chance! It was wonderful working with you and in your garden, the life already existing is proof that all efforts are rewarded when considering wildlife when gardening, and yours is testament to that :) Also, you *have* been working for wildlife conservation and gardening... just not being paid what you should be! Thanks ever so much for the update - catch up real soon - Joel
What a stunning garden you have and now you have the perfect pond to finish it off. It won’t be long till you have frogspawn too can’t wait for joel to make a return this year to see all the pond plants flowering 🐸💚🐸
Congratulations what a great wildlife garden and now pond you have. Wonderful to have a Great Diving beetle! Found one on my doorstep once released it in our local canal.
Just wow, absolutely amazing and so inspirational!
@@theurbanghost thank you. Really loved making this pond and video 😊👍
I like the timelapse👍 it holds everyone accountable for how much work they did 😂
😂😂 I never quite thought of that before! 😂
Your ‘how to’ pond videos inspired us to make a wildlife pond. We moved to a new house in the countryside around Evesham last year and the first thing we did, after unpacking, was to make the pond, the first creatures we had were water boatmen and a diving beetle, as the water cleared after a few days we had dragonflies laying! Of course it has also attracted many birds to come in for a drink and a bath. It’s given us hours of enjoyment watching the wildlife and we hope we will eventually attract frogs and newts in too! Thank you for your dedication to wildlife and your great videos! 😊
Oh wow Liz! That's so good to read, I really am pleased, if even 10% of the people that watched the videos make a pond or space for nature in their own greenspaces, that's a LOT of creatures so desperately in need that have been helped :) Thank you for your kind words and support, it really is appreciated! Best wishes to you and yours and I am sure come Spring you will find some tell-tale frogspawn, either way your efforts are already being rewarded - Joel
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You are a blessing Mr. Ashton. The extent of how conscious you are about wildlife even to the tiniest insect is awe-inspiring. Also an artist (You), landscaping for me, requires an eye for detail and a true creative mind, instead of going off plannings and throwing up an ugly mundane building. Please don’t stop making videos, your knowledge is a gift!
Thank you so much - your kind words and encouragement are really appreciated :) Nature is the most beautiful thing and is so easy on the eye, knowing that these habitats are being created is reward in itself, aside from the rewards that working with nature in mind can bring - people tend to believe that wild means messy but it's not the case - just in case you haven't seen it before, this short video shows a landscaping project (hard landscaping included) that shows exactly how formal can be just as good for wildlife if the thought process is behind it:
ruclips.net/video/2LJ66esN-SQ/видео.html
Best wishes - Joel
I like that wild garden!
I get so jealous watching these videos! When we dug our pond, we had literally tonnes of rubble, brick, broken glass and chalk boulders and virtually no soil of any sort other than the top 3” of top soil. Worth it in the end though.
Haha, I know the feeling, really I do - they're not always like this I promise! But good for you for persevering and sticking with it, ponds are so rewarding for the effort put in, as you already know :) Best wishes, Joel
Òoooh this old flog flagged up, an absolutely fabulous watch. Joel you are THE Pond Man ! This is a stunning transformation, credit where credit is due. You and your team are the best . Ty for staring 🎉🐸🦎🐌🦋🐛🐜🐝🪲🐞🦗🕷🪳🕸🦟🪰🦋🦠
Thank you, so much. Hope you get to see this but was laughing so much just now - someone on FB (of course!) saw the no mow may video from a day ago now and actually said "I'm NOT not mowing my lawn in May! It just encourages thieves....". (Only thieves under 18 inches tall I guess - but I should have put some calming music throughout that video I think! haha)
Joel, I have seen many of your videos and you are such a lovely guy and an inspiration to all men. Thank you for your wonderful videos.
Congratulations 100 ponds what an achievement.🤗👍👏🏼
Thank you Helen :) 109 by the time this current job is finished in two weeks, they're certainly piling up - but knowing there's one more habitat for wildlife is reward in itself :) Thank you so much for your kind words and support - Joel
Hi Joel: This was wonderful! Thank you for posting. There are filters you can place on the garden hose to remove 99% of all chlorine from the water. I bought two online a year ago and they are terrific!
Hi Donald - thank you so much :) I did have a customer a few years ago that suggested I use this but on checking they were for lawns and plants and had added minerals and nitrates, which is good for plants and lawns of course but it wasn't good for the water for the ponds, as we need "low nutrients" to keep the water clear - I'll check into these again though and see if they do any suitable for ponds too - thanks for letting me know, appreciated :) Best wishes - Joel
Brilliant to see! It must be great to know that you have had such a positive impact on wildlife - not just by making the ponds, but you can take credit for inspiring many more hundreds of people to make their own ponds.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate this - comments like this can make such a difference to the end of a difficult week and I'm very grateful :) Enjoy the weekend - best wishes - Joel
My garden is only about 70 sqm and already does have some water. However after watching your videos I am planning a new, larger barrel that I can plant in. Can’t wait to get startet on my small project. Thanks again and regards from southern Germany! Karin
Hi Karin :) So good to know these videos are reaching Germany too, that's fantastic - a great idea re planting in the barrel, it will attract so many grateful pollinators, let me know what butterflies enjoy it too, you will be very rewarded for your efforts - thanks again for your kind words and support - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I will. I got the barrell today, same size as yours in the video on the barrell pond, and got some tips from the guy working at the shop. He advised to put in little fish, called "Moderlieschen" in German, Leucaspius delineatus according to Wikipedia. They would help to keep the mosquito population low. And to dig in the barrell a bit, to provide some insulation at the bottom for the winter. I liked these ideas. What do you think about that?
@@karinvanspaendonk9917 Hi Karin - that's great advice :) I have small "stickeback" fish in the barrel pond in the garden and the "Sunbleak" fish as we call them here will be great as they don't grow to more than about 10cm :) Keep me updated! Best wishes, Joel 😀
I absolutely love the process, great video. I can't believe you make it look so good so fast. Congratulations on 100 ponds!
Thank you! Let's see if we can make it look this fast in October huh? ;) I absolutely cannot wait! Best wishes - Joel
American here - I love the video. When we bought our house in Martinsburg West Virginia a decade ago we installed a pond in the back yard just beside the back porch to take all of the rainwater off of the roof, and it has been an amazing experience. All of the local animals - both wild and domesticated - show up at the pond to drink and sometimes hang out. It has been a great year-round resource for the birds, as well as the local cats, skunks, possums, and insects, as well as providing free water for the vegetable garden.
just down the road from me !
Brilliant! It's a small world etc. I'm hoping to revisit in late Spring/early summer for a catch-up :)
I've watched all of your pond creation videos, ordered the liner and underlay from your website, and built it this weekend. Can't wait until pond plants are in season so that I can start planting it up. Thanks so much for all the advice and great content! Minor tips I would give to others: I overestimated how much I could dig out by hand, and didn't account for the fact that adding some subsoil would reduce the size. So I had too much liner/underlay and the final result is smaller than I planned - but I'm still confident it will attract visitors. Might reuse some of the liner to put a green roof on the bike shed so it won't go to waste. Lessons learnt for next time.
Awesome, thank you so much :) I am so thrilled to know that there's another habitat being created for creatures desperately in need - as I often say, your efforts will be rewarded in no time! Thanks so much for your encouragement and support, it really does make a difference to me - best wishes and keep me updated on the visitors :) Best wishes - Joel
I made my pond two summers ago iv learnt so much now wish I had made it better. Hope I get frog spawn this spring.
Hi Heather, any water source is good for wildlife and I bet you get some amphibian visitors this Spring - I've seen them lay spawn in an old icecream container in a garden I once visited, so it goes to show how desperate these creatures are for water sources :) Best wishes, Joel
What an incredible pond to hit 100 with. Love the garden beforehand and the gardener being out with you all at times. A team effort. 👏
Beautiful setting, wonderful clients :) Thank you LJ - best wishes, Joel
One of the most rewarding projects for a garden is to put in a pond. They attract so much wildlife. Hoping for spawn in mine this year. I put it in last April so missed the spawning. Fingers crossed.
Couldn't agree more and I'm sure you'll be rewarded this year :) Let me know what turns up! Best wishes, Joel
Ahhh fantastic! Happy hundredth pond! Keep up the great work 👏👏👏👏
Thank you Lynn! Really appreciate your kind words :) Think I'm on pond 108, soon to be 109 in 2 weeks but this really was a milestone and I cannot wait to go back and visit and see it in late Spring, I'll be sure to do an update video and include the fantastic garden again too :) Best wishes - Joel
The size of this pond is just about perfect, large enough for the water temperature to remain safe, but small enough to fit in this ideal area of the garden without being too dominant, I did laugh when I saw that large hole without a single stone in sight, and the lovely top soil, I have not seen that for a while, it was good you did not plant any Yellow Flag Iris, the whole pond would be choked with rhizomes in 3 years, it will be nice to re visit this gem in a few month time, many thanks for posting this inspirational video! Chris B.
Hi Chris - it's a wonderful garden :) Yep, no Yellow Flag unless the pond can take it, it can be easily removed to be fair but I only ever plant this on the margins of the larger acre site ponds. The topsoil was wonderful, as was the subsoil to be honest, I cannot wait to return and do an update video, I've got so many to return to this year, it's just the logistics and workload at the moment, but I'll get there :) Thanks for your support, so glad you enjoyed this video - best wishes, Joel
Excellent, beautiful wildlife garden, the perfect place for your 100th pond. It would be really nice to get an update on this one, I bet it’s already full of all sorts of wildlife 🐝
Hi Mark - I hope that the client, Karen will see this video soon - she has waited so long for me to edit, process and upload it ;) This was July last year and I know that they have been rewarded with many visitors, and which visitor could resist that garden anyway :) Thanks again for your support - best wishes, Joel
I'm currently in the process of completely redoing my cottage garden. The first thing I've started is my wildlife pond! Only partially dug, but I've been watching a load of your pond videos to give me tips and inspiration for the wildlife pond ❤ thank you!
Hi Keyly - thanks so much for this, it's exactly why I started the channel and so good to know that another vital habitat is being made! If you need any help or advice re the pond then do drop me a line at enquiries@hazelwoodlandscapes.com and if you need any of the products I use in my own projects then you can find them all at www.wildyourgarden.com :) Keep me updated on how you get on! Best wishes, Joel
Congratulations on your 100th wildlife pond, Joel, and thanks for being such an incredible inspiration.
Thank you Keith - this was actually July 2021, I forgot to put that in the title! It was a pretty long video to edit and create, I think I'm probably on 108 now but that "100 feeling" was so good and what a garden to install it in :) Best wishes, Joel
excelent job:D
Thank you, I really appreciate you taking the time to leave such a nice comment :) Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thanks:D
Another fantastic pond Joel! Kudos to the garden owners on such a wonderful and inviting space for our wildlife friends.
Thank you Jerry - a garden and clients that so deserved this fantastic addition and I know they are being rewarded with visitors already :) Best wishes - Joel
What a fantastic garden now complete with the addition of your 100th pond. Well done Joel and team. I imagine it's already developing well and wildlife are using it.
Thank you Tracey :) I've had good reports and the client has sent a few videos today to show it, I just can't wait to see it nearer the summer months when everything has come to life again - best wishes, Joel
Amazing work Joel,you present the vids really well and catch you from the off,those little diggers are a blessing eh,it wouldnt be so enjoyable hand digging all your pondsmgreat result,cheers
What a great garden and pond. Brilliant to see the step by step process from start to finish, not that I haven't watched all the others too. Look forward to seeing how it develops over time.
Thank you Claire - glad you enjoyed this :) Many more to come and I'll be sure to visit this again in late Spring/early Summer and give an update :) Best wishes - Joel
Your 100th pond Joel over 17 years. This is a colossal achievement. Also there will be countless others that you have inspired that are now supporting and sustaining wildlife worldwide. You truly are a force for nature my friend. Yet another marvelously put together video Joel from start to finish. No better way to start the week. "Pretty, flippin', stunning"....You described this wonderful garden perfectly 😊 and now with the added icing on the cake. Your clients are my sort of people. You are rightly proud to have reached this landmark. I am running out of superlatives to describe what you do Joel, how you do it, and the positive impact that it has for wildlife and on us as viewers. Your enthusiasm for and love of nature is Infectious and always shines through and I can't thank you enough for that. Paul 👍👌😊#natureistheantidote
Thank you Paul :) It's now 108 I think as this was July last year, I just knew this longer video would take extra editing, upload time etc so I was determined to do it this weekend, think it finally processed and uploaded to YT at midnight :-0 - I cannot wait to go back and see what it looks like now, as soon as I'm in the area again I'll be sure to drop in and do an update video - of the wonderful garden too! Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton An update video sometime Joel would be great when time allows.... of all 108 😉. Joking, honest 😊
@@PaulOutdoors 🤣😅 Excellent. Seriously though, I do intend to re-visit all of them, I have a list of clients by area so that when I'm back that way their details pop up - it's time though, just time - I'll do my best though :)
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton
It is fantastic to hear Joel that you endeavour to return to each of your projects when time allows and geography is in your favour 👍😊
This video is the best so far Joel. Absolutely loved seeing the beautiful garden with wildflowers, and all the trees and shrubs. Then on to building that great looking pond with all the details of how to go about making it 👏🏻
Keep up the good work Joel
Thanks George, very much! I hope to do more of these, there's circa 55 more videos to upload and contain a lot of garden projects, not just ponds, so hopefully I can keep you guys entertained/amused/educated :) I just asked Nikki to send an email to you... do look out for it from Hazelwood - many thanks - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Just replied Joel 😊
Well done,congratulations❤❤❤
What a perfect addition to an already magical garden!
Absolutely it is Liz :) Can't wait to return and give you all an update on what it looks like a year later - best wishes, Joel
Wow what a wildlife pond for your 100th joel What an amazing build 🐸💚🐸
Thank you! It certainly was a good feeling, it was July last year of course but to re-live it during all the editing (!) was a reward all over again :) Best wishes - Joel
Thank you so much, very special man
Thanks Phil - this was a very special pond - July 2021 in fact, I forgot to put that it in the title, I think I'm on pond 108 now but it was a great feeling - best wishes, Joel
Hi joel, pond is look very beautiful and wild.
Thank you so much for creating that!!🌼✨
Thank you so much :) It is looking even better now, I just have to try to find time to visit the garden again and make an update video for you guys - thanks again for all your support, best wishes - Joel
I cannot wait to build mine. Actually going to make one about this size and another one a lot smaller. I understand that the water is cloudy etc right after you build it, but would love to see an after picture in the video as well. I guess that would be hard because you are not close to it to go and take a picture. Just saying. 😊
Thank goodness someone out there still treasures the aesthetics of nature! Your pond is just perfection. I would love to do the same but HOA will ruin my life
Thank you Violet, so very much - I really appreciate your support and encouragement. If you wanted to see some of the ponds after they have established over a few weeks you can see them here:
ruclips.net/video/jG1w7MUhhXs/видео.html
Sorry to hear about the HOA, hopefully they will realise the benefits of these ponds for both wildlife and people soon - best wishes, Joel
Can't wait to begin creating our pond this spring! These videos you make are so inspiring ❤
Excellent!! I really want to see some update photos on this Deborah, you will be rewarded for your efforts, I promise :) Best wishes and so glad you enjoyed this - Joel
Pond looks great Joel. That garden is amazing isn't it. 👍
It really is Mick, so much wildlife too and a real haven for both humans and nature of course :) About to start pond 109 this next week! Best wishes, Joel
Hi joel, yet another milestone. Pond looks fab, clients must be well happy. Can you imagine if all our back garden's resembled this one, the wildlife would be thriving. Keep the enthusiasm going, you're doing a great job.👍🙂
Hi Dean :) Thanks so very much - your kind words and optimism really make a difference, and you're right, with the amount of gardens and private greenspaces available in the UK we could make a lot more impact than many nature reserves that are sometimes isolated - the rewards for gardening in this way are so many and can provide perfect stepping stones so nature can thrive and creatures travel to further places than they can now :) I really appreciate your support - best wishes, Joel
Congratulations Joel! You’re an absolute inspiration… so much so that I’m seriously thinking of a barrel pond… in addition to the wildlife pond I’ve already got! Take care and stay safe 🤗😊
Thank you Suzi, so much :) It's encouragement and kind words like yours that keep me going - great to hear about the barrel pond too - all your efforts will be rewarded, I promise :) Best wishes - Joel
Wish I knew a part of what you do 30 years ago when I built our pond. I was 16 dug about 12” buy 8” at its widest took me 2 weeks by hand it was very stonie . It’s long since been filled in mother was worried the grand kids would fall in.
Just watched this video. Fascinating process and inspiring to see someone so passionate about creating habits for our native wildlife. It would be a nice added benefit to see the pond after it settles in a few months later with wildlife. 🐝🦔🐌
Hi Micheál - thank you so much. I am determined to get back to more client's gardens and pond works this year, as I work all over the country it is difficult to return to specific sites, but now all my previous clients are marked on a map so that when I'm within a few hours of them I can return and do lots of update videos. I am not sure if you have seen this short video, but it shows just a few of the many ponds created previously - I hope this gives an idea in the meantime of how wonderful they look in a short time:
ruclips.net/video/jG1w7MUhhXs/видео.html
Best wishes, Joel
An amazing job 💯. Thanks 👍
Wow beautiful Joel... I can imagine this when fully grown in ....another happy customer ... Quality Joel keep up the good work 👌
Hello you :) Can't wait to see all that seed coming to fruition and of course the planted specimens bulking out around the edge, it will certainly look a picture - so much wonderful wildlife in the client's garden already, but this will bring even more - best wishes, Joel
Looks fantastic Joel, well done to you and your team, and congrats on hitting 100 !! Definitely something to be proud of 👏👍
Thank you :) In two weeks it will be 109 already as this was July last year (just forgot to put that in the title, was editing and uploading until midnight and forgot!) - I really appreciate your support, best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Well I’m hoping to be in your future stats at some point, so don’t be going anywhere !! 😁
@@englishtommy3039 Haha - I won't :) When you're ready you can email me at hazelwoodlandscapes@hotmail.com - no obligation at any stage of course - cheers, Joel
Cracking job Joel 👏
Thank you Peter - this was in July 2021 but it's just taken me a while to find the time to edit and upload, think I'm on pond 108 now but it was such a good feeling reaching that milestone, and what a fabulous garden to install it in :) Best wishes - Joel
Love you Joel!❤️❤️❤️❤️
Lovely pond 😊
Hi Erik :) Thank you so much - appreciated - best wishes, Joel
❤️ this , Joel. Perfect for all the wildlife you spoke about it. What a huge transformation. 👍🏻 😊
It really is! Glad you enjoyed this Janie - thank you :)
I love ❤ wildlife ponds
Great video! 😊
Great videos! I am making a wildlife pond in my garden too, in Nijmegen The Netherlands. You inspired me with tips, like using soil and boulders in a well-shape, which is a brilliant idea.
So glad you're enjoying these Jeroen :) I've just uploaded a video on a bog garden that you might find helpful too - I really appreciate your support and kind words - thanks so much - best wishes to you and yours in the Netherlands - Joel
Lovely job Joel and crew it looks fantastic, I bet In a year or two this one will really come into its own. I know its a sensitive subject but would love to know how you price something like this. Can not wait for the next video thanks Joel!
Hi Steve :) Thanks so much, this was actually July last year and I think I'm on 108 now, but this was pretty special to do and of course knowing how many other ponds have been installed due to the videos is reward in itself :) It is difficult re costing ponds as it depends on location, size, soil type and what machinery is required, man hours - if you ever want one then please drop me an email at hazelwoodlandscapes@hotmail.com :) - thanks so much again for all your support - best wishes, Joel
looks great how about an update video this spring :)
Nice video. Wouldn't it be cool if you went back to the pond you make after some time, so we could see how it looked with clear water and plants? Too much work, maybe.
beautiful pond! great job
Thank you for your kind words and support :) Hope you received and are enjoying the book - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Yes I love it, it's going to be a lot of help to us. I was looking at your website too, I wish I could order plants and seeds from you too :(
@@geeker211 I wish we were able to ship worldwide! It’s incredible how much global interest there now is. Maybe I could team up with a few companies abroad….🤔
My dream garden. Thank you so much for your videos, Joel. They inspire me to do so much with our property here in the country. We live in the states but have visited your area many times and love it. I have always had water gardens and enjoy them so much, but now I want to do a wildlife pond like the ones you have made. We all need to take part in Conservation to protect our planet, and your videos encourage that. I am 70 years young and am limited in what I can do now, but where there is a will, there is a way, the old saying goes. I just have one question. Will a wildlife pond invite mosquitos to breed because it is still water, and if so, what can one do to deter that? Looking forward to ordering your book, and watching more of your videos.
Hi there Mary, how lovely to read your comment, thank you so much, I'm really glad it's reaching you in the States. Don't forget me when you visit again, and I'll do the same when I get to the States! The ponds will attract mosquitoes, HOWEVER, the bats, amphibians, birds and larger insects (damsel and dragonflies etc) that are attracted to these natural ponds will soon make a huge impact in numbers, it's their staple food for a lot of creatures so they will be grateful for them :) Do ensure that you have sufficient oxygenating plants to ensure the water stays clear and also 60-70% surface coverage with lilies (native if possible) to keep the water cool. Let me know if you need any help or advice Mary, and I'll be happy to help you out - best wishes to you and yours, Joel
Another great video to watch going to have a pond installed soon 👍
Hi David - thank you so much :) That's great, another brilliant habitat for nature - let me know how you get on, best wishes - Joel
Hi Joel you spoke to me about 2/3 weeks ago about my urban garden in South East London 😀
@@davidcobb8422 Haha! Ooops! I thought the name was familiar! I will be coming to see you soon rest assured - best wishes, and apologies... Joel :)
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton 👍
I have seen it said the top 'felt' should be overlaid at the edges with the pond liner to prevent 'wicking' the pond water out. You seem not to do that. Perhaps it is an overstated issue?
Hi Nicholas, thank you for this - yes, there is a multitude of advice out there, but I have been creating these successfully and without failure for circa 20 years now 😃 If you're in the UK and looking for any help or advice in creating one of these ponds I'm happy to not only offer free advice to our customers, but we provide everything you need at www.wildyourgarden.com - best wishes, Joel
Brilliant video, nice to see things in a bit more detail. How do you decide how many plants to put in, is there a rule of thumb or after a 100 ponds do you just have a feel for what you need? How many were in this pond for example?
Hi Stuart - so sorry for the delay in responding, it's been a hectic few weeks, working 6 days and having to stay til 11pm some nights to complete the latest pond, before we move on to 3 others! I have kind of worked out how many plants per size of pond and it does come as second nature now - but if you needed any advice if you were building one we're happy to give it - just drop me a line at enquiries@wildyourgarden.com where we also sell all the liners, fleece, subsoil and plants - for working out the plants for ponds, I roughly work to 5 to 7 per linear metre. But happy to advise further if you need :) Hope you're having a good weekend, and thank you for the kind words and support, they do make a difference - best wishes, Joel
Hi Joel, another lovely pond. I'd like some advice if that's OK, I will shortly be digging out a largish pond to your design. The area the pond is to be located, use to have a large raised decking area and dilapidated shed, the posts for the decking had lots of concrete around their footings, which I've removed and is in a huge pile waiting to go in the skip...my question...could I use these large bits of concrete as the retaining wall section in the pond ? I'd obviously have to watch for sharp sections but would the lime in the concrete had a detrimental effect on the pond and/or wildlife within ?
Hi there - sorry for the delay - do send some photos to me at hazelwoodlandscapes@hotmail.com of what you're faced with and I'll see if I can help :) Best wishes - Joel
This, and your other, videos are very inspirational! Have made me think about supporting the local wildlife where I live with a pond. Red squirrels, roe deer, badgers, and of course birds and insects. Bit hard with safety regulations really requiring a fence with anything beyond 20 cm depth, but am looking for a way to get a deeper part without the fence (which defies some of the purposes). Live in South Norway. Colder here, so ice and winter will have to be part of the plan. One question, see many here recommend circulation pumps and filters and see that you don't put such in. Could you comment on that, please?
Hi there :) I'm so glad that this has inspired you to make another vital habitat for nature. It's probably best to have a deeper pond for when it is winter, but a lot of amphibians leave a pond after breeding and go into surrounding habitat, ponds are mainly for making more of themselves ;) As long as you have 60-70% floating leaf plants to keep the water cool in summer and of course native oxygenating plants this will remove the need for anything artificial, the subsoil used on the top layer not only allows you to plant directly into the soil but the low-nutrients of this soil also keeps the water clear - it's fish and a build up of nutrients that usually require a pond filter, hence seeing them as vital in koi ornamental ponds. I hope this is helpful to you, but I'm here if you need anything else :) Thank you for your encouragement and support, it means a lot - best wishes, to you in Norway - Joel
Can you please tell me what you use as an overlay? I am trying to stop the mammals digging through the liner in dry weather at my allotment communal wildlife pond. Love your work!
Well a perfect Valentine's gift to wildlife ponds, and yes your 3 part guide to "how to make a wildlife pond" - is very good. Just a bit late for me. as I have built the pond, although have tried retrofitting some of it recently and we'll see how that goes.
On another note - what about bog gardens? Have you got any insights on them? - I am currently pondering, making another one but want to avoid - "well if I had known about subsoils and putting a fleece on top of the pondliner - (which I don't think I have come across in any other books on ponds)- then I would have done that "
"Ah go on" etc
Thank you :) Am glad it was of help, even if it was after the event! You'll be somewhat pleased to know that I actually filmed the making of one of many bog gardens when doing it alongside a client pond last year - just need to find the time to edit and upload it, but I'll try to give it priority for you, just a bit snowed under on a large project at the moment :) Hang in there... best wishes, and thanks for your support, it's appreciated - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Top man - take your time - if its in the pipeline, I can wait
Its such a good idea you had already thought of it
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Thank you Garnet - best wishes, Joel
Brilliant! Quick question: I would love to make a pond in my back garden but I have two cats who enjoy the garden almost as much as I do. Can cats be compatible with a wildlife pond? Or not?
Hi there Maggie - I don't think cats are too keen on water as a whole, which is handy as you don't want them too close to it, purely because of the birds and other creatures they might try to catch (I do know of cats that have no interest in prey at all) - best thing is to ensure they're in the house in the evening and not out again until an hour after dawn at least, this gives birds a good chance to bathe and drink. If you want any advice re building a pond and need to know where to get what you need to be able to build one, then do drop us a line with a few photos and we'll be happy to help - enquiries@wildyourgarden.com - best wishes, Joel
As always Joel, very helpful. A question if I may. I have dug mine out now (4x3x0.6m in the 'well'), but my soil was very rich and very deep. I have nothing like enough subsoil to cover the area. Could I substitute something like pea gravel and/or sand in places? Aquatic compost? Or any other suggestions?
Hi Norman, thank you so much. Yes, you can absolutely use sand/gravel on the bottom - aquatic compost may be particularly expensive for the area you have, however if you send me an email I do know of a few companies that will send the subsoil you need by the tonne bag - I'm at hazelwoodlandscapes@hotmail.com. But again, sand and gravel are fine :) Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thanks Joel, I have dropped you a line. Your help and encouragement are much appreciated. Norman.
@@normancoutts You're very welcome Norman, as always :) Best wishes - Joel
Hi Joel... Sorry I know you are really busy I would like ask your advise... I would like to do subsoil in the bottom of my pond and subsoil marginal shelf and out of the pond. Can't afford all of the big stones... So was planning to put in a footing under liner at 2ft deep and slope the subsoil up and outof the pond.. Any advise would be much appreciated.. Thanks
Hi Paul - no worries, is it possible to email some photos to enquiries@hazelwoodlandscapes.com so I can see better please? Don't want to give you incorrect advice or make your situation worse. I'm tied-up a lot but if you send the email I'll be able to get to it easier and be back to you in a few days - thank you, Joel
In my region (New England USA) I think this would freeze solid in the winter. Maybe it wouldn’t, not sure. How does freezing affect the wildlife that lives in the pond?
Hi there - ponds freeze over here too, one of my friends here on YT found a mating pair of frogs absolutely frozen during the night but by the morning when temperatures had risen a little and the water "defrosted" they'd both gone. I learned after that frogs can stop their heart-beats to counteract freezing and then re-start them when temperatures are better :) A lot will go to the bottom of the pond so it might be worth, if you are able, to make the central well and pond deeper and bigger of course, if space allows. I hope this helps - best wishes, Joel
Hi,
Can you cut back twisted hazel like you can normal hazel?
Hi Steve - absolutely you can :) Best wishes, Joel
Beautiful job Joel. How does it look now?
Thank you Sheila, the client is very happy with the pond, I've just got to find time to get back and film it. I work all over the UK so it's sometimes difficult to stay and film the ponds a few weeks after - but if you wanted to see how they can look after the plants have established you might enjoy this short video, it's a few of the many many ponds created this way and how they look once everything is settled:
ruclips.net/video/jG1w7MUhhXs/видео.html
I have a list of clients to return to this year so I can film updates and hope to bring them to you soon. Best wishes, and thank you for your support - Joel
I’m going to attempt your barrel wildlife pond. Having a had time finding a decent barrel that doesn’t have holes drilled in it for use as a planter. I’ll may have a few questions for you when I finally get started!🤭
@@dinkydog56 Hi Sheila, we're hoping to stock these barrels soon, we just need to update the website. However, if you get one before then we of course are happy to advise on which plants etc are best - you can drop us a line at enquiries@wildyourgarden.com :) Have a great week, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton my neighbor swears I cannot have a wildlife pond without a filter. Shall I prove him wrong?
@@dinkydog56 Oh please do :) When installing the formal pond in my front garden I had several people stop by and state that it was a "waste of time" if there were to be no fish in it (!) and that it would also be a waste of time if no filters or pumps were used.... I can't wait for those people to walk by again ;) If you need any help, just send an email - best wishes, Joel
I wonder if you could suggest a pond build source for me for a pond on public lands in Rockaway, Queens, NYC?
Hi there - sorry for the delay. I can certainly try to help - if you drop me a line at enquiries@hazelwoodlandscapes.com I'll do my best to help :) Best wishes, Joel
Hi Joel, I am about to redesign my pond and wondering can you use clay subsoil? I live in Shropshire and we have clay everywhere
Hi Darrell. Absolutely you can. Most of the subsoils I use are clay based. It is if course easier to plant in a more sandy loam around the margins, rather than the clay. If you don't have any and the pond is of a reasonable size, we do sell this by the tonne bag on the Wild Your Garden website if you need any :-) Best to dig it first and see how it goes perhaps. Here if you need anything else or any more tips. Thanks Darrell and good luck!
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Hi, did I get it right it is 4x3m and 1 m deep? Can you estimate how much water does it hold?
Hi, was wondering for your opinion on eucalyptus gunnii trees?
Hi there John :) Although not strictly native to the UK Gunnii do provide nectar for pollinators as do the other species, they're actually pretty common where I live in Essex, on the coast. They are fast growing - I've never planted one in any of the client gardens but have seen plenty already existing :) Hope this helps - best wishes, Joel
Great thing about Eucalyptus trees, you can coppice them (don't cut them back during the winter months, do it in late summer so they have time to heal before the frosts - I made that mistake with 2 of my Eucalypts, but all the ones cut back earlier survived and resprouted beautifully).
If you live in the country and have a wood stove, seasoned eucalyptus wood is one of the hottest burning woods around (due to the oil). It also takes a long time for the wood to be consumed. However, a good tree, well grown, will also be of interest to specialist wood turners.
If you're keen on Eucalyptus and have plenty of room for them, Chiltern's seeds do a great mixed species seed pack. They're easy to grow for anyone with experience in raising plants from seed, some growing quite fast (there are slower types in the mix too), and some have the most amazing blend of leaf colours.
How do you address major rainfall events? Appears there is no where for excess water to go other than erode out the surrounding area.
I can see there being an issue with leaf clean up and other debris accumulations within the pond. How do you address that?
I really applaud your efforts but we have 2 small naturally occurring ponds. Both of which require muck outs and major renovations every few years
Also without shade I can see water temperature issues creating algae problems
Any mosquito problems
Hi there - there is no specific run-off point with these ponds, but the rain water is slowly absorbed by the surrounding ground in each situation, I've never had flooding issues with any of the ponds so far :) Leaf litter, if a pond is placed too close to trees, is an issue for any pond and they will require maintenance, again the same as any water body over time. Re the shade issues, this is combatted by the floating leaf plants which also help to keep water temperatures cooler and combats the algal blooms. Being ponds for wildlife, these really do attract amphibians, birds, bats and larger insects which all make a dent in any mosquitoes and their larvae :) Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thank you. I would love to see the natural progression of 1 of your installations over time. I’ve had to do a significant amount of restoration of our 2 ponds due to 2 hurricane events. We created a small wetland area that feeds the one pond that always seemed to have water quality issues and that’s made a significant improvement as well as bringing in a lot more wildlife including box turtles which I love
My only concern is that soil over pond liner slides into the pond gradually. Does it?
Not if using this method :) If you need some help for your pond, do drop me a line, my details are in an answer to you in Part 2 of making the wildlife pond where you queries re stones etc. Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I’ll do it mate. Thank you so much for your help, your videos are extremely well presented and helpful .
@@travellersekoThanks so much, really appreciate that - makes it all worthwhile! Look forward to hearing from you, do mention YT so I know it's you :) Speak soon, Joel
Hi Joel. I'm considering making a wildlife pond in my garden here in Denmark 🇩🇰
A couple of questions though.
Is it fine to install a small fountain just for looks or will that somehow disturb the balance of it all? Also, in dry periods, which unbelievably do happen here in Scandinavia will the water evaporate and do I then need to fill up with tap water?
Hi Trausti - thank you. A small fountain is fine and won't disturb anything, but make sure that it has a wildlife-friendly filter if the water is recirculated of course, these are available online. The ponds, the same as most water sources, will suffer sun and wind evaporation, my own had to be topped up by 10cm last weekend due to a dry period here, any chlorine in the tap water will dissipate after a few days so that's fine to use - you might find this video here of interest as it shows a stream going to a pond:
ruclips.net/video/BrvhfJ_cc_E/видео.html
Best wishes to you and yours in Denmark :) Here if you have any other questions - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thank you so much for your reply. Loving your videos!
@@Thor.76 Thanks Trausti - hope you're having a great weekend - best wishes, and welcome to the channel :) Joel
Does the soil not provide to much nutrition causing blanket weed?
If it's topsoil or aquatic soil, most definitely. This definitely isn't though, I make these ponds for a living and have used a specific quarry for over 20 years - best wishes, Joel