Ah yes, that's a possibility.

Picked up 4 of those stepping stones plus two pairs of different type round ones.

Just been out to the drive and carted 8 stepping stones by hand from the boot of the car to the front of the house.  Now, exhausted, I'm having a rest!

Placed stepping stones around the pond and towards the observatory.  Amazing how things that look quite big in the shop look tiny in the garden!!   Looks like a lot of this garden is going to be grass.

Wildlife garden ?

I think I've made a complete mess of the organisation of this blog

Like most (if not all) of my other projects, this is definitely a case of "make it up as I go along"

OK so covering most of this area in stone is not going to be on, so change of plan...

This photo shows the stepping stones in a first try plus a garden ornament I couldn't resist - a tortoise with eyes that light up at night.

Area in front of living room window I want to clear to make a patio with seating.

Started clearing the patio area and putting the grass etc. round the edge of the pond.

Moved the broken concrete slab away from the pond to form part of a stepping stone path to the observatory.

Maybe too late now but it works better if the stones / edging overlap the pond edges.

Dave

Yes, I know, but the trouble then is that any creature that gets/falls into the pond can't get out.  What I could do is cover some of the edge but leave an exit route out of the pond.  Even add something better than the ramp on the south side of the pond form.

I'm not sure that the pond I have will be suitable for the rather large 3D printed water feature I have in mind.  Maybe I should add another pond for that - a more formal one.  Or I could have a small fountain or something in the present pond.  Or both   I shall do some more thinking...

You could print a waterfall in sections, the sound of running water is quite nice, not sure how sketch up is at drawing " wiggly wobbly things, ie not straight lines.

Dave

It can do that   And I can make it do that...  Sounds like a plan   Thank you for the suggestion.  I was thinking I might do that with the available running water at a later date but I could do it now on a smaller scale with the present pond.

I could "plant" the trumpet shapes I've 3D printed as a water feature as surreal giant plants.  The scope of things is only limited by imagination

When I've got my Giant printer working again I can print some giant leaves to go with the trumpet flowers.

Some of the Koi Carp folk used to dig a rough hole in the ground and pour a bit of concrete around the edge then some chicken wire and a bit more concrete and make hollow rocks, a whole lot lighter than the real thing and once set and cleaned they were painted with yogurt ( I think ) which then went green and mossy looking.

Dave

You don't need a lot of space, we can't fit a pond in the garden ground but have a pond bucket instead. It is small yet has brought frogs to the garden and is very relaxing to sit next too. The bucket is one of those garden buckets you see Monty using on Gardeners World.  We have frogs again this year and I am hoping the lily will flower.

You will need to add an oxygenator I have used a British native one called starwort I bought cheaply delivered through the post (local garden centre had only the invasive non native species) and working with the lily pad leaves keeps the water clear and healthy. Lots of ramshorn snails in there and other interesting things. The duckweed gets fished out when it accumulates.

There is clay about a foot down in the soil here so it would be quite possible to dig a deep pond and puddle the excavated clay round the edge to seal a pond.

2 hours ago, Gina said:

Yes, I know, but the trouble then is that any creature that gets/falls into the pond can't get out.  What I could do is cover some of the edge but leave an exit route out of the pond.  Even add something better than the ramp on the south side of the pond form.

Best to ensure somewhere on your pond is say pile of stones which goes from the pond shelf to the side of the pond.

Hedgehogs could fall in and they will drown if they can not climb their way out up a shallow slope of stuff.

Don't worry when your water turns green. As you add plants that will grow to cover some of the surface and oxygentators the water will clear naturally. Just don't pot any plants into compost, ideally using poor quality garden soil is ok as it is heavy so wont floar to the wurface so easy especially with small pea gravel on top. You could 3D print your planting pots though perhaps as you can't use normal garden pots.

Got up at 7am with the idea of getting some gardening in before it got too warm but it's raining.  Pretty cool as well so no need.  The rain is forecast to stop before long and the sun come out later so the garden can have a rest for a few hours.  I'll clear up indoors instead

Make a small bundle of barley straw, about half the size of a brick. Tie it up and weight down with a stone and it will stop algal blooms.

I built a pond once (back in the days when I used to own a property...). It was a raised pond about 9' square. I used to love sitting by it with the cats and watching the fish. Happy days.

Louise

Pump for water feature arrived this afternoon.

Done a bit more clearing and planting turf round the pond.

makes sure any pump doesn't pull  water from too deep in the pond, then if there's a fault it can't pump it dry ?

For a second pond I have two choices (or more).  Expend a lot of energy and dig a ruddy great hole (yes ruddy as this is Devon and the soil is reddish) and puddle the clay round the sides or use a pond liner and build a raised pond with concrete slabs and stakes.