clokemg writes

Hi,

I've now excavated my pond and I am now left with a puzzle. The
subsoil is almost solid clay and although I kept some of the topsoil
asside I am left with a mound which is very steep with large lumps of
clay. What can be planted on a mound like this. I assume the lumps
will break up over time and I will try to remove the worst. I have cut
some tiers to the bank ( and used the topsoil) but a lot of the bank is
still steep and heavy. I thought about alpines but the bank is huge and
will take a lot of covering.

Any advice please?

I had plans to create a rock garden by the pond, which I did by bringing
in some large lumps of sandstone / ironstone on a lorry, and having them
tipped behind where I wanted to use them. I made a small wall, and then
dumped the clay lumps behind it, with a bit of topsoil. Then I increased
the height of the rock wall, and filled in behind again. The rest of the
topsoil went on top and forms a sloping back to the more vertical inside
of the rock garden.
It took a long time, but the results are really good.

You could always move the clay to the bottom in one spot, cover it with
the topsoil that was underneath, leaving a new hole, and then progress
along so the lumps end up underneath.
--
David