I’ve worked like a dog today to get my new pond dug out and ready for filling. It’s been a back-breaking day of moving earth and sweat. The sun’s been out and I am now VERY pink, both from exertion and from sunburn!! I have drunk nearly four litres of water and a stubby bottle of Stella. David cracked the Stella open when we got to a point of putting the hose pipe into the liner and switching on the tap.

The pond is about 8-9 feet long, 7-8 feet wide and is shelved with the middle around 2 feet deep and a shelf at a level of 1 foot all around the perimeter to put aquatic plants on. It’s going to be really cool when it’s planted up. I’ve already got a few things to go into it that I’m going to rescue from my leaky pond – some nice marsh marigold and some water irises. It also needs some oxygenating weeds and a water lily to complete the picture. The edge needs planting too so the liner can’t be seen any more but those jobs are for next weekend. (Colin, it’s OK – it’s all light stuff!)

Building a good pond is an art I think. There’s a lot of hard work involved but making it look good is really quite difficult. I’ve built ponds at all of my previous houses and never been quite happy with the results. It’s the getting them to look natural that’s the problem. If you can’t get the edges of the liner hidden they never look good. Let’s hope I’ve learned enough to make sure this one looks fabulous.

So, here am I, photographed when very dirty indeed – a thick-ish layer of dust all over which has crease lines where my ‘corners’ are. I have abandoned my boots and socks and sit with my feet hanging into the cold, cold water. It’s amazingly satisfying to do, given that it’s a relatively simple pleasure. It’s been made possible by a whole day of really hard graft and I’m very proud of the achievement. I could have sat here all day….if there had been a pond here all day!

A bath and a good rub down with after sun later and I’m finished for the day. Now I intend to sort us out some supper and sit on the patio admiring my handiwork with a cold beer and a hot supper. Once again I’m tempted to think it can’t get much better than this. I love the feeling of having DONE something. Hopefully something worthwhile too. When I see my first frog in there I will know that is so.

If you want a proper look at my handiwork....