Green Weevil

Did our usual walk to the local shops this morning. Grey and overcast but not too cold. Popped into the cycle shop to see how much a service on my bike would cost. I would quite like to cycle in to work again now the weather might be improving and there's no need to carry sets of lights around too.

On the way back, we got talking about our poor leaky pond and how we could revitalise it. We then looked online at various preformed ponds and whether these could be used for wildlife ponds. It looks as if you can use them successfully and the key thing seems to be the planting that you put in and around the pond rather than the structure of the pond itself (as long as there are some shallow areas). We think it is probably iris roots that have pierced our flexible liner and led to the current leaks.

After a recce to a local water garden centre, we have decided which pond we want and are currently formulating a plan of how to empty the partially full pond (luckily with no tadpoles this year), remove the current liner, redig a suitable hole and then replant the new pond. We might use the upcoming jubilee weekend to sort everything out. I loved seeing all the wildlife in and around the first pond when it was in its prime and it is quite exciting to think that we might get this lovely environment again.

What we will have to sort out is how to fill the new pond - we have a hosepipe ban here and it could take a lot of buckets (pond size is 500 litres!). Anyone know if we could use our water butt water for the pond? It has probably been sitting there for a while but might help with the filling.