Pond and French Drain: A note on methodology

Before getting down to another day of ESOL assessment and asylum seekers in Scotland, a quick post on thoughts regarding the pond and drainage. Firstly, I noticed yesterday that in the middle section of the NW bed, the winter field beans are very sparse, unlike the two ends of the bed. This is the worst drained, and it's probably not coincidental. This would be a disaster if, say, I was growing winter cabbages. Even back in June, I noticed the corresponding area on the NE bed had lower weed growth than the rest of the bed. In other words, I've got an area in the heart of my allotment which is a bog.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: bugger bog gardens. So here's my proposed methodology for getting the drainage functioning:


  • excavate the remaining brick and timber subterranean terracing on either sides of Old Greenhouse;
  • clear topsoil from the Old Greenhouse area, (hereinafter The Pond) by throwing and barrowing it onto the beds;
  • excavate the greenhouse foundations from The Pond;
  • excavate The Pond, 3-4ft deep, 10x20ft in area;
  • puddle the same;
  • lift flags, and dig trench under northern end of path - make sure it's acting like a wee stream, water running off beds into trench, and then down into The Pond;
  • dig trench northern end, ditto;
  • fill both trenches with bricks;
  • relay flags on northern path;
  • construct bridge across pond;
  • bloody hell, voila. 
Lots of work: lots of endorphins released and calories burned. Also, the vast quantities of bricks being unearthed will put to good use, (taking them to the skip in the barrow would be almost as much effort).  

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