Evergreen Landscapes

10/10/2023

Yard to rent near Great Leigh’s. Suit landscaper or similar trade. Secure yard with electric and water available. 1 year or 18 months lease available. Contact me for more details

03/08/2023

Home grown Pond Plants available. Please contact me for further details. Collection only.

11/06/2017

A large natural pond being cleaned out. Next job landscaping the bank and planting up with pond plants

07/04/2017

Well Spring has certainly Sprung this week hasn't it!

This is the time of year when many pond owners notice that their pond is starting to look a little tired and may be in need of a Spring clean. If your pond is more than 4 years old it may be the case that the plants have started to become overgrown and tired, that there is a lot of silt and debris in the pond and maybe your pumps and filters need a good clean or maybe even an upgrade?

If this is your pond, Evergreen Landscapes may be able to help. We offer a pond cleaning service where we can refresh your pond and divide up overly large pond plants and/or supply new plants that we grow ourselves. We will remove the build up of old silt and debris and give your pond a new lease of life. Existing fish are placed in holding tanks whilst the work is done. We also offer advice on pond maintenance.

If you would like more information, please contact us for a quote.

In the meantime - Enjoy your Garden!

22/09/2016

Its been a busy summer here at Evergreen Landscapes! Here are a couple of photos of our more recent work.

03/06/2016

Another pond installation by Evergreen Landscapes showing before, during and after

26/05/2016

How to improve Pond water quality

Last year Andrew was asked to write a mini series for the Mail Online on Pond Maintenance. Here is the second topic which I hope you find useful.

Please contact Andrew if you need any more information or help!

Next time, Andrew explains how to divide and conquer your pond with shady water lilies.

There are many things to do to keep the water quality to a good standard in your pond. Overfeeding, the build-up of fish waste, decaying plant material and over stocking can all lead to poor water quality.
Only feed your fish what they will eat in one session. It is easier to add food if you think your fish are still hungry, than to remove excess food. I find pellets are better than flake food as they float for longer on the surface. Any food still floating on the surface after 10-15 minutes should be removed with a net as this will eventually sink and is a prominent source of phosphates in the water.
A build-up of fish waste in the pond can also produce phosphates so check your filter can cope with the size of the pond and don’t overstock your pond with fish. If your fish keep breeding you may need to consider giving some to friends and neighbours who have ponds.
Make sure you cut back all dead plant material in the winter/spring and remove dead lily leaves throughout the summer/autumn months. Dead and decaying plant matter will also produce too much phosphate and will silt up the bottom of your pond.
While rising levels of phosphates may not be an immediate and serious problem it is not something you want for long periods of time. If you are concerned about water quality, some aquatic centres will test your pond water for you. There are chemicals which can help with this issue.
Depending on the filter system, all ponds will need a clean out at some point. I would recommend around every 5 years or so and in some cases more often.
Finally, a good balance of plant life and keeping the pond topped up with rainwater will help with water quality.

Photos show examples where water quality is poor due to overfeeding fish etc and where water quality is perfect due to correct planting

02/05/2016

Blanket W**d

Last year Andrew was asked to write a mini series for the Mail Online on Pond Maintenance. Here is the first topic which I hope you find useful. Please contact Andrew if you need any more information or help!

Come back next week to find out how to improve your ponds water quality.

Blanket w**d and green water are a common problem during spring and summer and it thrives where ponds have been created in sunny positions. Plants such as water lilies won’t yet have fully grown so will not be creating any shade. Whilst the sun is the main cause of blanket w**d and green water, excess debris such as rotting leaves, excess fish waste, and fertilizer run-off into the pond can contribute to the problem.

A garden pond is all about getting the correct balance, and to achieve this, the pond needs a good amount of plant life such as marginal plants, water lilies and pond w**d. A good covering is needed i.e. 1/3rd of the surface of the pond, to achieve any significant improvement.

In addition, a pond should be sufficiently deep enough i.e. at least 60-75cm (24-30”) deep in order to prevent water warming rapidly in sunshine which in turn speeds up algae growth. Black pond liners are better than pale liners which tend to reflect heat back into the pond.

A pump and filter with an ultra violet lamp is also important to help with the algae, as well as keeping the pond oxygenated via a waterfall or fountain especially if there are fish in the pond. However if it is a wildlife pond, plants, lilies and w**d are sufficient.

By June/July once the lilies have come out in full and shaded the pond, and the marginal’s and pond w**d have grown, the pond should be clear of blanket w**d. If your pond is situated in a sunny spot, it may be an idea to plant some evergreen shrubs next to the pond to help create some shade.

Blanket w**d can be removed by twirling a cane amongst it and putting it on the side of the pond thus allowing any caught pond life to crawl back into the pond. There are many chemicals which claim to get rid of blanket w**d and green water which can be purchased from a good aquatic centre, however it is suggested that a more natural solution should be tried first.

Pond algae can sometimes be discouraged by floating a mesh bag of barley straw in the pond. About 50g of straw per sq. m of water surface area is ideal. Add the straw in Spring and remove it when it has turned black (usually within 6 months). A liquid barley straw extract is also available.

24/04/2016

Some of our pond creations

24/04/2016

Many water lillies and marginal plants can be supplied by us which are grown at our own nursery

24/04/2016

All aspects of soft garden landscaping undertaken including, rockeries, shrub borders & lawn turfing

24/04/2016