"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 4/6/06 21:11, in article
, "Cheryl"
wrote:

We have inherited a pond in the house we have bought but have decided to
fill it in.

We do like the pond but our garden is tiny and it takes up half the
space.
Plus we have begun to think long term. Ie starting a family and feel
that
it is just easier/safer to fill it in a gain a bigger garden aswell.

I was wondering what would be the best way to fill to pond.. we will be
digging up lots of concrete slab, will these be ok?


plus any ideas of the best way to rehome the fishes? we dont know anyone
else with a pond!


Please, please don't fill it in! Fence it with vertical or netting
fencing
or look at putting in one of those just-below-the-surface metal grilles
but
do keep it. Children have grown up beside rivers, seaside, harbours,
lakes
and ponds for centuries. Take reasonable precautions but keep it!
Aquatic
wildlife is struggling to survive for just this sort of reason, so please
consider enclosing your pond while necessary and imagine the future joy
your
children will get from observing the wildlife as it comes and goes. We
have
3 ponds here and a now 5 yo grand child. She is absolutely riveted by the
arrival of the frogs and toads in their dozens each spring, begs to be
taken
out to see them on their march to the ponds on rainy nights, delights in
the
spawn and then the tadpoles and spends quite some time trying to find the
little fingernail sized toads or frogs once they emerge. Visiting
children
to this nursery are mesmerised when I feed the fish and they surge to the
surface for their lunch.
Fence it.


I think it's a shame even to fence it but otherwise I couldn't have said the
above better.

We have ten grandchildren, only Samuel, ever fell in and he deserved it - he
was eight and just got muddy and smelly. The first thing Mia, the 3 year
old, does when she visits is to drag me to our pond - to look for frogs and
anything else she doesn't have the chance to see anywhere else. The older
boys have made little boats to 'sail', have had the privilege of naming fish
(when we had them) and have had no end of fun. The older girls have sat
romantically round it on summer evenings.

Sam's own garden has a huge pond which he helps to clear and yesterday he'd
fixed the pump so that last night's wedding anniversary and birthday party
would have a spectacular focal point. He knows all the wildlife in it - not
just frogs and newts - and to my surprise all the plants which grow in and
round it. He's now eleven and has more knowledge than most children of his
age simply because of his pond experiences, which are denied to others. This
is an inner city child by the way, not a country lad from a well heeled
family.

A pond is a great educational opportunity for all ages as well as giving the
extra dimension of a water feature. It also increases the range of plants
you can grow.

Do think again before you destroy it, it's not just a bit of water, it's a
valuable habitat for many rare as well as common species. As for perceived
danger, well a child can fall anywhere and damage itself. If you're worried
about corners being knocked off you'll have to keep children restrained and
in your sight at all times.

That's no life for anyone.

Save yourself some work and increase your joy.

Mary