Page 56 - ALG Issue 4 2022

Southern
Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Hampshire and Isle of Wight
REPRESENTATIVE
Mike Cantillon
07742 391364 mike.cantillon.nas@btinternet.com
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MENTOR
Paul Neary
Southern
0845 313 8422 pneary.nas@gmail.com
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Wildlife pond created on Eastcombe Allotments
In order to give a helping hand to insect life, an area of wildflowers was created about four years ago on the allotment site in Eastcombe, which
is near Stroud, Gloucestershire. The area has been a great success with swathes of Red Campion, Oxeye Daisies, Mallow and Chicory.
Following on from this success, a pond of about seven square metres was excavated during the winter of 2021/22, the intention being to have some bog areas in addition to deeper water so that a diverse habitat could be created for wildlife. Eastcombe is at a height of about 230 metres in the Cotswold hills and the soil is termed Cotswold Brash which results in lots and lots of stones!
As the intention was to line the pond with a butyl pond liner, it was essential that any sharp stones be removed to avoid puncturing the liner, so although the use of carpet is not strictly allowed on the site, a layer of this was placed over the bottom of the excavated
hole and then topped with a special synthetic cushioning material designed for pond use and then finally the butyl pond lining laid on top. We hope that does the trick!
The depth of the pond varies to allow for different planting and, after filling
with water, surplus liner was cut
off and the edge secured with local reclaimed stone. Aquatic compost was placed in the shallower areas of the pond and then a variety of marginal plants including Purple Loosestrife, Lesser Bulrush, Water Mint and Marsh Marigold were planted plus a couple of water lilies. Wildflower seed has been sown around the pond to assist in developing a ‘natural’ appearance.
Within a few weeks, the pond was attracting insect life and two mallards
Within a few weeks, the pond was attracting insect life
arrived on the scene too – never in my 38 years of cultivating my allotment has a mallard been seen! After giving a brief talk to the local Beaver Group one evening, their leader offered to bring some tadpoles and so the future for the pond is looking very encouraging indeed as the accompanying photographs of recent insect activity illustrates.
Robert Bryant,
Eastcombe Allotment Warden
56 Allotment and Leisure Gardener