The Doting Owner of the Spoilt Pony has always had a yearning to create, in the garden, a feature that would generate the relaxing, tinkling sound of running water; and, in consequence, she has been bending my ear for several years on this very subject. Those of you who know me will be aware that my hearing is not so good; which can be very handy, especially when one is trying to avoid particular topics. Nevertheless, the aforementioned water feature has, up until now, been partially discussed and often dismissed as being very low down in the pecking order of never-ending jobs that seem to continuously generate themselves on this type of property.
Without keeping you in suspense, because I’m sure some of you will be reading avidly in anticipation of the outcome, I can tell you that she now has the desired landscaping, with which she is delighted but, more importantly, the creation of this feature, which would, I’m sure, put Capability Brown and Gertrude Jekyll to shame, came about by default and as a by-product of solving other problems. Let me explain!
It all started with the purchase of small, second-hand digger with which I intended to clean-out our perimeter ditches, move muck heaps and do all sorts of jobs that my ageing frame was beginning to struggle with. But, before I ramble on, I must explain that the southern half of the property is, for some reason a lot wetter than the remaining half and, to alleviate the situation and to take advantage of a very wet patch, a pond was dug, about twenty years ago, in said wet area. Sadly this did nothing to drain the rest of the garden but did create a healthy and prolific environment for frogs, toads, newts, dragonflies and all sorts of aquatic bugs, not to mention the wild ducks and occasional heron that also came to visit.
Last year I began to realise that the part of the garden nearest the access track was considerably wetter than elsewhere and I put this down to run-off from the top of Woolfield Hill and the rest of the Forest track – this being the lowest point. Clever, or what? So I decided with the help of my digger to excavate a shallow, collection scrape to concentrate this unwelcome intrusion of rain water so that it could be redirected with some sense. I then realised that the garden sloped from this scrape down to the old pond – well it would, wouldn’t it? We are, after all, located halfway down a hill! So, with no further thought, I dug a meandering ditch through the wettest parts of the garden from new pond to old pond. The theory being that run-off from the road would be collected then directed down the ditch; gathering further water from the wettest ground as it went until it arrived at the bottom pond.
Unfortunately, the best laid plans and all that came into force and, as soon as the rains ceased, the water level in the top pond dropped alarmingly and the Doting Owner, not one to miss an opportunity, suggested that it might be a good idea to install a pump with which to circulate the water from bottom pond back up to top pond and then back down the ditch (now referred to as The River!). I sincerely hope you are all following this!
So, out came the digger, once again, and a pipe connecting the two ponds was installed; a pump was purchased and, low and behold, a bubbling, burbling inflow appeared in the top pond and the ‘River’ sprang into life. Two waterfalls were created and the whole thing was planted to create an endearing, new environment which is quickly being colonised by all sorts of plants and animals. And the net result? The constant sound of running water, which is not so good for a man of my age! But compensated for by a very delighted wife, which is good!
Must go now, she’s just had another idea!
Ian Thew
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