Ledge depths

[redimp]

Sorry about all the total newbie questions.

How deep should my ledges be?  I only want to grow native british pond plants.  Also, how big should my deepest frost free bit be?

Ta

???

[redimp]

[Margaret]

Hi there.Is it for wildlife,ie amphibians only? A minimum depth of 2 foot is preferable so that the frogs can bury themselves into the mud over the winter.As you don't need to put your plants into pots,as they will grow better directly into the mud,you would be better off just makng a gentle slope in to the pond with the deepest bit at one end and then plant your plants and weed accordingly.You can use good quality soil as long as it doesnt have any additives,ie fertilisers.

If it is to be for fish then we are talking about a foot for a ledge,or a bit deeper.Less if you only want marginal plants to grow there,as they don't like much water above the start of their growth upwards.Then of course you are talking aquatic compost,with gravel over it.

[redimp]

It is a wildlife pond only - frogs/toads etc to eat my slugs.  I have got the required depth (60cm) to prevent freezing, starting at about 10cm depth round a lot of the pond (I want frogs/hedgehogs to be abl to escape and birds/insects able to drink.  and have a gentleish slope up one side.  I have also included some ledges at 30cm, 20cm and 15cm to plant some marginal plants.  Does there have to be a shallow gradient from bottom to top for the frogs or are they ok if the shallow gradient is to a sufficient depth so they can swim to it and just use it to climb out.  Also what plants will got deep enough to use the soil that is in the bottom of the pond - I really want to restrict myself to native wild species if possible.

Thanks for your help.

[redimp]

Ok second post - have now converted my plan into a picture for everybody to pour over and go tut tut  ;D.  Any suggested amendments very welcome - please bear in mind I am short of space.  I hope the plan is easy to understand - I understand it but then I planned it so I would wouldn't I.

[Margaret]

Hi again.Sounds as if you have got it right so far.My pond is half shallow as it slopes to the edge,then drops to a deep area so yes the frogs swim to this shallow area first.If the ledges are not wide enough you may have to plant up in pots as soil will slide off.At the bottom of the pond you could plant a dwarf lily,check with its instructions as to what depth it needs for the flowers to be at their best.You should also plant some oxygenating weed into the mud,elodea is very good.Another plant to look out for is orontium aquaticum.Now i am not sure which is a british native or why you want to restrict yourself.For the marginals there are lots of native plants but i think you will struggle with the deeper ones.Plant thickly to encourage insects and to discourage blanket weed and green algae.

[redimp]

Thanks for the encouragement Margaret.  I am going to indent my ledges so that they hold soil even though they will be a bit narrow.  I want to stick to native plants because I tend to try and keep everything as natural as possible - it's what our wildlife evolved with.  When I plant snowdrops, I only plant nivilis.  The same is true, as far as is possible with most of my planting although I do have some ornamental perennials that I love esp my variegated silver leaved fuscia. In my lottie I avoid F1 varieties and check dates on catalogue as well as other info as I like to get old varieties if possible.  Maybe I am just a little bit strange in that way.   :)

[Anthony]

You're certainly in the right place here then :)

[Margaret]

Speak for yourself Tony  ;D ;D

[Anthony]

I only wish I could produce some sort evidence to prove it not true :)