In article ,
says...

"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message
T...
In article ,
says...


Is it a lined pond? If it were me I would ignore the bit thats supposed
to be water until I had sorted the edges and rest of the garden. then arm
yourself with a load of those flexible plastic buckets. Lay in large
quantities of food and drink and ask your friends around for a clear the
pond day.
So long as you start knowing you are going to make a mess and just get
stuck in it does not take too long, salvage bits you want into the
buckets as you go (and any creatures you find) Kids love this sort of
thing and are less likely to puncture the liner if it is a lined pond.
Good luck!

Thank you. Its not a lined pond but I am sure you are right. The pond is one
of those preformed plastic bath like things. I didnt put it in. I got it
with the house when I moved in fifteen years ago. It was established then.
The trouble is all the plants and weeds seems to have just come on so far
this year. The trees which were planted round the pond were about five feet
when I got them. They are now twenty feet. I am wondering if I should give
one or two of them the chop? Get some light onto the pnd - not too much but
some , and some clear water rather than what is turning into a bog garden.


I think you have highlighted the problem a small shallow pond + trees =
trouble! the sediment layer in the bottom will have built up and enabled
the iris to grow where it chooses. It may also be the cause of no
froglets as the water may be quite polluted.
I had similar probelems with a sedge in my pond it was in a couple of
milk crate sized baskets but had grown together and was taking over, I
resorted to using an old tenon saw to cut chunks away untill I could drag
it out.
But you need a clear edge to work from so sort out the surrounding area
first. It may be worth considering enlarging the pond and starting again,
my experiance suggests the larger the pond the fewer the problem (but
then I like ponds!)
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea