And mosquitoes….
Depends on how deep, apparently they need shallow water to breed.
Had a heron sitting on the side of the fish pool within twenty feet of the house , two weeks ago. The netting may do a good job. The pond is overstocked … but at the moment the fish are deep and not coming to surface
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I wouldn’t either. 
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He thinks it’s an all you can eat place.
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Herons step into the water. If you run a strand of clear fishing line about 300 mm high around the edge of the pond it will deter them. I found this to be effective and less intrusive than netting.
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Mr Heron will be only too happy to help you out with that Ian. 
That is a fairly common recommendation and it might work for a while but, as a coarse angler of over 55 years, I can assure you that once a Heron becomes familiar with a particular location, they will happily land directly in the water (in the shallows anyway). Seen it happen soooo many times over the years.
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I have no shallow parts to my pond …
It is part raised/ part sunken around three feet deep at it’s shallowest point
Mr Heron can get on two sides from walking/flying but not the other two
cheers
Ian
I don’t think the pond in the picture will be shallow enough. My pond was a metre deep and they always tried to walk in. Once they hit the line they moved away.
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Planting was (just!) completed before the harsh frost and the 2nd lawn has been laid. Slower progress on the building front, due to frost preventing the vertical cladding being done, but at least the topping slabs were laid on the pond.
Next Tuesday will see another transformation as the lighting goes in.
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Nice to see photos with a bit light on it. What are your plans with the greenhouse?
Hi Ardbeg, not sure yet, will be mostly my wife’s ideas, she’s great at Chinese cooking. No doubt will include many Asian favourites (seeds for pak choi, choi sum, Chinese broccoli, mizuna, Japanese pumpkin), plus aubergines, chillies, cucumber, perhaps try melons, cut flowers for the house.
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View from the HiFi snug - freezing outside today, but toasty inside.
The acers in the middle bed are still holding their colour as we approach mid-December.
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I do like a plant that shows off at this time of year. Camellia yuletide. It will be better in a week or two, as one of the flowers has already shrivelled in the photo.
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This cold spell has gone on for a long time now for tree ferns and I’m starting to get a little worried about the next few days going even colder during the nights, so out comes the insulation and heating cables. Bit of a pain, but better safe than sorry. All three done today.
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Well that’s still cheaper and probably more feasible than a Versailles style orangery.
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Are you going to create a sea of flowers again in the coming year? I liked that initiative!
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Thanks @Ardbeg10y.
Yes, I planted 6,000 tulips, 1,000 snowdrops and 1,000 snakeshead fritillaries this October. Hopefully we’ll get some of last year’s bulbs and wildflowers returning too. I can already see the first of the crocuses coming through the soil.
There are probably 20,000 bulbs in that small piece of land, planted over the last few years. The crocuses, bluebells, snowdrops and daffs always return - tulips are much more temperamental. Some make a comeback, some don’t.
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