Making a pond

B3

I've started this thread so that I can get advice how to make  a satisfactory pond. It doesn't have to be amazing but that would be nice.
Space 6' x3'. The 6' could extend  extensively if necessary . Only obstacles are moveable plants but I'd rather not. 
I have cleared brambles and bluebells.    Nice topsoil that I'll have to find somewhere for. 
I'm going to fill a couple of wheelbarrows and then get back to ask some ridiculously basic questions. I haven't a forgoodness clue what I'm doing but I know how to dig a hole

raisingirl

Work out what sort of liner you want before you go much further. It changes the hole you dig. Rigid ones are more expensive for a given size but much more robust. Butyl liners can look more natural but the edges are tricky and it's easy to get holes in them, hard to find the holes or fix them.

robairdmacraignil

Slightly bigger than those dimensions would be good if you can manage it from what I read on the topic as the extra water surface is said to benefit the ecology of the pond and stop it getting too hot at times. I found the flexible pond liner worked relatively well but would agree with raisingirl that the edge needs to be planned well so it looks good. Made an effort to cushion the liner with extra material underneath to stop it getting punctured by sharp stones etc. and it seems to have worked and was a convenient way to dispose of old compost and fuel bags that I collected for the purpose.

A gentle slope at the edge is said to be good to let anything that falls in the water find its way out again but in periods of no rain the water level can drop and reveal parts of the edge that might not look great. I found using creeping Jenny along the edge along with the stones I dug up when digging the hole for the pond gave a fairly good effect eventually once I added more stones to hide the liner that was revealed when the water level dropped. If starting one again I might buy in some rounded gravel to give a proper beach like effect in places.

A bucket of established pond water is good for getting the ecology of the new pond off on a good footing and when I did this I found water beetles and water skaters using the new pond within a few weeks. An old log or branch on the edge of the pond also works well as a way to potentially allow things get out of the water that fall in and provide a surface for wildlife to interact with the water safely.

Happy gardening!

Hostafan1

I don't think anyone has finished a pond and said " I wish I'd made it smaller" but lots say " I wish I'd made it bigger". 
I'd go as big as you can.

B3

Thanks everyone. I was wondering whether , if I used slabs,  letting them s overhang the pond a bit would hide the liner ?

MikeOxgreen

I appreciate the thread, as I'm thinking of creating one too to support the wildlife. What about oxygenating the water? Is that needed if you want fish or otherwise at all?

B3

Great to have someone else asking questions too!  I don't want fish (heron food) but  I don't want stagnant water either.

Redwing

Oxygenators are important; the best for wildlife are the milfoils and hornwort.  For anyone wanting a wildlife pond, look at the RSPB website pond making page and also some of the wildlife trusts have good advice.  Both have good recommendations of native plants. 

Redwing

RSPB list for small ponds:

• Hornwort Ceratophyllum demersum - the best underwater weed which will host loads of pondlife.
• Marsh Marigold - radiant yellow sunshine blooms in spring.
• Water-milfoils Myriophyllum spicatum and Myriophyllum verticillatum - two native underwater pondweeds, almost as good as Hornwort.
• Water-plantain - slender upright stems with small, pink, three-petalled flowers
• Water Mint - trails through the pond, sending up upright stems with whorls of pale pink flowerheads.

Emergent native plants for medium sized  ponds

• Yellow iris (Iris pseudacorus)
• Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
• Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
• Rushes (Juncus spp)
• Sedges (Carex spp)
• Greater spearwort (Ranunculus lingua)
• Water mint (Mentha aquatica)
• Water forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides)

Hostafan1

Redwing said:

RSPB list for small ponds:

• Hornwort Ceratophyllum demersum - the best underwater weed which will host loads of pondlife.
• Marsh Marigold - radiant yellow sunshine blooms in spring.
• Water-milfoils Myriophyllum spicatum and Myriophyllum verticillatum - two native underwater pondweeds, almost as good as Hornwort.
• Water-plantain - slender upright stems with small, pink, three-petalled flowers
• Water Mint - trails through the pond, sending up upright stems with whorls of pale pink flowerheads.

Emergent native plants for medium sized  ponds

• Yellow iris (Iris pseudacorus)
• Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
• Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
• Rushes (Juncus spp)
• Sedges (Carex spp)
• Greater spearwort (Ranunculus lingua)
• Water mint (Mentha aquatica)
• Water forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides)

I'd be very wary of some of those for "medium ponds" My lake is 0.8 acre and the yellow iris is a nightmare, ditto water mint

B3

I'm a bit wary about starting the hole. Really stupid! I can easily fill in my mistakes. The topsoil will come in handy too