Pond build started

Thanks but now rain stopped play

Oh well, at least the rain will hopefully soften the ground for you! Best of luck. I really want a pond but can't decide on the best spot yet.

P>S> Totally loving that olive! I have a very small one. How long did yours take to reach that size?

Tatia theOlive tree is approx 7 years old, but the ground is far too poor for it hopefully now in a large pot maybe the rain will bed it in here's hoping it survives.

Wow you have a lot of work ahead of you - hope you will show us work in progress. Nice little mousie!

My pond is half in the shade, I have to keep covering it up during the summer to prevent growth of Algae. So I would recommend full shade, if you can.
Raised beds are another way of treating poor soil.
I am having 7. Fill them with compostable rubbish to rot down in the winter, with a sprinkling of Garotta, then top with Growmore bags to provide mulch, or chicken manure if you can get it, old plant compost, and Seaweed Meal.
I put 16 Spinach plants in one, and they are thriving.
Well worth the effort.

So I've been getting on with the digging, its taking shape but a killer on the back. Just had a radox bath ah thats better. Shame my husband did not want to help. just the sarcastic comments, like are you building an italian sunken garden, have you found the Gold yet. Still for the second day its coming along nicely.

To avoid back trouble digging always remember left
hand palm down, if you are right handed.
Only insert it 2" wide a spit deep.
Then pull the shaft of the spade backwards, twisting
it, turning the contents to where you want it to be.
This takes about half an hour to get used to.
Takes the weight of the soil off your back muscles.
Its using the wrists instead of the back muscles.
Use the same method with the fork.

Thanks for the tips but I was wielding a pick ale as well that soil was more like rock.