Ignore the above post, I was that surprised that I didnt even browse the forum and this thread is largely covered.

Sean,

That's hardly a one liner of a starter question.
Sounds similar to my bog/pond.

Like an upturned hat with a wide brim. I made the bog depth variable by putting the hat on a tilt, from 12" soil that is constantly moist through capillary action, though none of it is actually below the water level, to 12" soil that is virtually all below the water level, though it varies through the year according to the level of the pond. The slope allows for all the variation in between; 11:1 10:2 9:3 etc.

The 12" was convenient, gives a good depth for roots and happened to fit in with the hole I had dug out, leaving my bog level with the surrounding ground outside. Any deeper I figured and I would have to move (more)tons of soil, any shallower and I wouldn't have the root run I wanted. It also gave me enough leeway to allow the pond level to fluctuate by about 8" without the liner being visible from the side (the 12" above the waterline bit is only visible from within the pond). I segregate the two by a line of rocks(no mortar) lined up as a natural sloped strata on the liner, soil on one side, water on the other, block the holes with pebbles, and plants.

This also serves as overflow area at 2 points where the land level is lowest, though it seldom actually overflows. Outside the liner in the overflow areas, I have planted other wet loving species though it is interesting that the "wet tolerant" do better here than the wet loving as essentially it is relatively dry 10 months of the year.

I had about 400sq ft of pond surface area when I started(200 deep 30" and 200 marginal 15") with about 200sq ft of bog round that. Now it's more like 500 bog, and 100 deep. I clear out individul invading species each year, but I guess I could supply a nursery with what I have to clear out. Try and keep a corner for your specials, droseras, orchids and the like. Also, go as big as you can, looks enourmous when you first start but it soon fills up. I'm looking to make 2 more now as I've run out of space.

I used ordinary garden sub soil with a lot of grit added to open up the texture and make it more workable(digging solid soggy particulate soil is a nightmare, especially once it is bound up with a ton of roots). The grit allows the soil to be worked, is easier to shake off the roots and seems to work really well, I'm considering using a 70% grit mix in future. Don't make the mistake of using any soil with weed seeds in it, the constantly moist conditions give a perfect seed germination area. You can always add pockets of nutrient rich soil where you want it, but you can't take it away. Adding lots of organic matter only prepares the way for it to rot down. You'll end up with a smelly black sludge if you have too much organic content constantly under water.
Also the nutrients will wash out into the pond water giving you algal bloom especially in spring.

Bogs in nature may work with lots of rotting vegitation, but they're seldom hemmed in by a butyl liner a foot down, and usually have a flow through that would make your run off area look slower than a dripping tap! Have you got a constant input into this pond??

I wouldn't do the rushes all round bit, you'll end up pretty quickly, with nothing but. If you are doing rushes, do them in a corner, where you can beat them back every now and again.

Think of your access in and out, it's good to work on the bog area from both sides, I don the waders or the wellies( depending on whether I'm going deep or marginal), and climb in over a small trickle waterfall from a feeder stream, otherwise I have to hack through 3" of bog vegetation that is pretty delicate and shows signs of invasion when I do. You were talking of a 5' width, tough to get access to the middle of that to remove the inevitable unwanted invader.

Have fun,

Cheers Greenmanplants

Cheers GMP, I am not putting any yeah or neah comments in either thread just reading and learning.
As I said in the AWGS thread
"Jeepers am I glad, I think, I asked before I dug, lined, refilled, watered and ended up with a tank of sloppy mud.
Ponds are a doodle compared to these things. I may end up removing the sloppy mud from the wildlife pond as a consequence of this thread, oh joy."

Access is one thing I am undecided about, I could acces the pond side by getting in the pond as there is a 6" deep shelf adjacent to the proposed 'bog shore'. The alternative is leave a gap of 2' or so between the pond and the bog. Us clumsy blokes need a bit of space so that we dont flatten everything, well I do and 1 ft aint wide enough for me to move in safely.