Client: Private Client – Oxfordshire
Project Title: Pond Restoration
Scope of works: Reform, regenerate and connect two ponds
After visiting our website, the client telephoned to get some advice on products he could use to control the water leak in one of his two ponds.
Following our subsequent site visit and some discussion, he was inspired by our thoughts and decided to transform the ponds completely.
The plan was to increase the size of the larger pond, reshape the margins and excavate the bed to increase the depth. Any suitable materials dredged from the pond were then used to reprofile the bank.
Issues
The two ponds on the property (top and bottom) were unconnected – the bottom one being much larger than the top pond, and both were rather unloved and neglected. The vision was to connect both ponds by installing a new land drain and connect it to the existing one and use the spring water which fed the top pond to naturally fill the bottom one
Solutions
The reformed bottom pond became bowl shaped and the sides sloped to allow the scrambled exit of wildlife and people.
Once the pond reconstruction was complete, it was left to refill naturally while we set about planting 100 British provenance plants which were selected with the emphasis on colour and on attracting insects to the area.
A 3m x 1.2m oak jetty for pond dipping was also installed to complete the transformation.
Challenges
During the project, the Terraqua team had some time on their hands whilst waiting for a delayed delivery, so they set about levelling off an area of slope in front of the pond for the client’s children to use as a camping area.
They then gathered rocks from the garden and placed them in an inlet to the pond to create a water feature which allowed the water to trickle over and into the pond.
What would otherwise been time sitting around was transformed into an added (free) bonus for the client who was over the moon to say the least.
The once unloved ponds are now a much more attractive, usable feature for the family to enjoy for many years to come.
The garden was also very well established and the pride and joy of the owners, so again, every care was taken to ensure there was no damage caused to the garden and in particular, the plants
