Thanks for all of your thoughts. Yes, we're aware of the dangers of free-ranging, but after watching the happiness my geese have on the pond, I'm just not willing to pen the ducks up...no one can doubt how happy the geese are after seeing them do a 3-goose synchronized dive in the middle of the pond and come up splashing after a few heart stopping seconds! I just want to make sure I'm doing all I can to minimize the dangers. Our geese are 7 years old, so they're experienced at keeping an eye out for danger, and our fencing is lined with welded wire to keep out the occasional neighbor dog. I'm hoping that by waiting until the ducks are fully grown that they'll be too big for the hawks to be interested in, and I plan on herding the ducks into their covered pen at nightfall to avoid the noctural predators. I'm doing what I can. Anything I'm forgetting? I'm a little worried about getting them off the pond once I let them go out for the first time...

Or MAYBE http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2204 heheheh! Ella

Hi i live in s. florida and "generally" find that most tropicals will survive frost .What they do is go dormant We had record setting cold this year both in lows and duration. They looked on deaths door but are now recovering . My own opinion is that anything above 32 is survivable In fact I often find that cold temps actually refresh a lot of tropicals when temps stabilize. cannas are a particular case as during warm winters I usually have to prune to the ground because they get too much secondary growth. Weak spindly and inferior flowers. Not sure if this would apply to your situation . I wouldn't be concerned with any temps above 32 for sure. gary

Kara, that is a great hole you've been digging! My advice would be to make it as big as you have energy and space for. Usually people regret not making it larger. Take your time. As far as steep, the steeper the better. Vertical is best. It will make it less likely for raccoons, herons to get in. Most predators are waders and will not go in to a drop off. The other side of it is that you need to think about very small children being able to get out if they should fall in, so a shelf somewhere is good. I like the shelf you made. You can either use it for potted marginal plants, or large, partially submerged rocks, or both. You have lots of rocks, so you can make a large one somewhat submerged, and on the dry land create a cluster extending onto the surrounding area to extend the look of the pond. You can plant plants between rocks to make it more natural. If the pond is large enough, you can create the illusion of a boulder in the pond by propping a rock onto something inside the pond and having only a portion of it above water level. The water will hold the liner in place. Water is extremely heavy. You only need to cover the edge of the liner outside the pond. I used a bendable metal about 4 inches tall, and many feet long and wrapped the liner edge around it and secured with stakes. This made it so I did not need to put rocks all the way around, but you still will need plants or something on the edge to completely conceal the edge. Another tip is to make sure the pond is perfectly level. Othewise, the liner will show on one side if lopsided. Very important. Also, the edge of the pond should be a tiny bit higher than the surrounding land. This will prevent runoff of fertilizer (algae-producing nitrates), mulch, leaves, etc.) when we get heavy rains. If you use EDPM liner, you don't need any cushioning for the liner. If the liner is thinner, then cushioning may be a good idea. You can use old, used carpet or any thick material. Seek help on the pond forum about equipment. I don't know enough about that to advise you. If you will have fish, try to make a portion about 3 feet deep. The cooler the water stays, the better all-around for the pond and animal life. Plant a bush or small tree to partially shade the pond. Some gingers can look really pretty and provide enough shade. Don't put rocks on the bottom of the pond. Makes it very, very difficult to clean. If you don't want to be able to see in it, get a soy-based pond dye (natural) which will create a deep-looking effect, and help prevent algae. Enjoy the project! It will be beautiful and so much fun. Above all, keep posting pictures of your progress! Anna