Creating the waterpond at « Les Jardins de l’Espérance »
La Ciotat, France
FIRST DIGGING: TO SEE IF THE ROCK BASEMENT IS NOT TOO CLOSE AND CHOOSE THE LOCATION
DRAWING THE FUTURE POND ON THE SITE
WE CAN START DIGGING, HERE WITH THE HELP OF A MECHANICAL EXCAVATOR
CHECKING THE LEVEL OF THE BANKS AND THE DEPTH OF THE POND
ONGOING DIGGING
ONCE THE MOST OF THE DIGGING OVER ONE SHOUD START PRECISING THE SHAPE
SHAPING THE « STEPS » AND SLOPES (ON WHICH WILL BE THE PLANTS)
TAKING OF THE STONES TO PREVENT DAMAGING THE TARPAULIN
A LAYER OF SAND TO PROTECT THE TARPAULIN
DRAWING THE BANK AGAIN
CHECKING LEVEL
CHECKING LEVEL AND STABILISING BANKS
STABILISING BANKS
THEN A FELT GEOTEXTILE TO FURTHER PROTECT THE TARPAULIN
THE TARP WAS DELIVERED TO US ON A ROLL, WE USED THE MINI EXCAVATOR FOR UNWINDING
CAREFULLY SPREADING THE TARP ON THE FELT
UNFOLDING THE TARP ONCE POSITIONED AT THE CENTER OF THE POND
IT SHOULD OVERLAP QUITE EXTENSIVELY THE BANKS TO PREVENT FUTURE LEAKS
ONCE THE TARP IS CORRECTLY POSITIONNED WE START THE FILLING IN
THE POND FILLED WITH TEMPORARY FENCE
AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT FOR SECURITY OF THE GARDEN: THE FENCE
ESPECIALLY IN OUR EDUCATIONAL GARDEN WITH A LOT OF CHILDREN COMING
SETTING UP THE FIRST PLANTS
POTTED PLANTS PLACED ON THE SPEPS PROVIDED
SUBMERGED PLANTS WEIGHTED WITH CLAY AND STONE TO STOP THEM FLOATING
THE POND AFTER ONE YEAR
AND WE MADE IMPROVEMENTS:
SEALED STONE SURROUDING: FOR SECURITY AND TO REDUCE WATERD DIFFUSION TO THE BANKS
A ANTI DROWNING NET , FOR THE THIRSTY WANDERING HEDGEHOGS
A HEDGEHOG IS A GOOD SWIMER BUT CAN DIE OF EXHAUSTION TRY TO CLIMB OUT THE PLASTIC
AFTER A FEW YEARS THE SOIL NATURALLY FORMED BETWEEN THE ROOTS OF PLANTS
PROVIDED A NATURAL BEACH TO CLIMB OUT
A HEAP OF STONES WAS PLACED AT THE BOTTOM TO SERVE AS LODGING FOR ANIMALS
ONCE THE POND IS READY AND SOME PLANTS INSTALLED THE ANIMALS ARRIVE QUICKLY ON THEIR OWN. THE PLANTS GROW AND PROVIDE NEW HABITATS. THE POND MUST BE EMPTIED FROM TIME TO TIME TO REMOVE SOME OF THE SEDIMENTS, OR IT WILL EVENTUALLY NATURALLY FILL UP AND DISAPPEAR
AND YOU'RE IN FOR HOURS OF CONTEMPLATION AND DISCOVERY
Story of digging the pond at “Les Jardins de l’Espérance”, a garden member of the Network RJSM and participating the EUGO project