pond ahoy!

There are vast areas in Nottinghamshire, England in which the frog is now extinct. These areas are those given to intensive arable agriculture.

Where there was once marsh land or wetland, there are now fields of stinking rape seed. Land has been drained and the habitat of the frog (and other wetland species) has been eradicated in the name of food production.

The stronghold of the common frog is now the garden, where it has become the fashion to have a garden pond.

This blog began in 2006 with the beginnings of our garden redesign. The first compromise and casualty was the loss of our garden pond to increase the patio area near the house.

We have steadily moved down our small garden until the last project - the creation of our new pond. Yesterday I worked with dad, taking down courses of sandstone garden wall and rebuilding so that we would have a level.

It is raining as I type, but I expect to be able to complete the sandstone work today, and the creation of ledges for aquatic plants. I hope to get time later in the week to lay the pond liner and then cement coping stones all around the top.

And then .. frogs this way!