The key to a healthy pond is keeping the water clear and ensuring that plants do not take over ... bedded down and that the soil is compacted around the sides to support the water pressure.

Continue filling the hole with water until the pond is full. Trim the sides of the liner leaving a 30cm (12in) overlap around the sides ... Position plants and add oxygenators.

A rare plant ... around lakes and on muddy open ground. At Heydon, the seeds of the plant remained buried in the mud, like a "time capsule". When willows were pulled out to restore the pond ...