Erosion - Pond
Erosion can be a major problem for a pond owner, the constant movement of water, especially in a natural earth pond, causing considerable damage to the edge. This is particularly evident in exposed gardens and where there is a sizeable body of water, winds during winter whipping up small wave actions that can wear away the soil shore-line, altering the shape of the pond and causing the water to discolour badly. It also leaves a deposit of soil and debris on the floor of the pond, which with the movement of fish will be regularly stirred up and become a constant irritation.
|
 Erosion can cause the water to discolour badly.
|
 Tightly knit reeds and rushes can be extremely effective.
|
Where there is wave splash erosion, the simplest solution is to created a pebble beach. Waves then fall on to the beach and leave the soil beneath undisturbed.
With large ponds and dams it is sometimes necessary to take more substantial measures using rocks and boulders to counter the wave action. While it may seem dramatic and unlikely when viewing a placid pond in the summer, during winter serious problems can quickly arise. An alternative to a beach or rocks is planting. Tightly knit reeds and rushes can be extremely effective if well established before the winter season.
|
Where there is a moving water feature, even in a small pond, there is always potential for erosion problems, especially with small streams and waterfalls. Edges can be scoured out, even when there are rocks present, often these being undercut in the process. Consideration should be made to securing such rocks with concrete although in many cases this looks ugly unless faced with gravel or chippings to provide a more natural finish.
|
 Consideration should be made to securing the rocks with concrete.
|
 A simple planted roll can be made from a pair of old panty-hose.
|
In other places a simple planted soil roll can be established in order to secure the edge. Such a roll can be made at home from an old pair of panty-hose or stockings. Fill with soil or aquatic planting compost, and then make small incisions in the top to accommodate suitable marginal aquatic plants of similar growth rate and with fibrous root systems. The roots of the plants quickly ramify the growing medium and will emerge in a mat through the fabric, binding the “roll” together.
|
Before establishment a roll of this kind is extremely flexible and can be neatly fitted into any fancy waterside niche or contortion where erosion may occur.
|
| On a slightly large scale the same thing can be done with coir rolls or pillows. These are available for landscape purposes, but for the average garden pond the commercially manufactured ones are too large and cumbersome. It is quite possible, however, to custom make coir rolls at home by stitching hessian and filling it with coir. They are used in the same manner as described early for a small plant roll, but better suited to solving erosion problems in the natural water garden rather than the manicured feature. They are also more robust. |
 Coir rolls or pillows are available for general landscaping purposes.
|
|
America 
Australia 
Canada 
Europe 
International 
New Zealand 
South Africa 
United Kingdom 
