Wildlife Ponds and Water Garden Ponds

So you have discovered the delights of having a wildlife pond and would like to have one in your own garden or back yard. We can greatly improve our garden's biodiversity by including a pond and what is more it does not need to be large. If we can only accommodate a small pond we will be providing a lifeline to many creatures and give ourselves a wonderful opportunity to observe nature in action and close at hand.

During the past century many ponds have been lost in the countryside and it is important to preserve those left. It is just as important for us gardeners to provide ponds wherever and whenever it is possible and safe to do so.

What Can We Expect To See?

Pond favourites have to be frogs, toads and newts which can breed in quite small amounts of water as long as the pond has at least 24in or 60cm at its deepest end. At first glance it may seem that a pond is devoid of life but look closer and you will see little eyes just above the surface of the water weighing you up. Those eyes belong to the same creature that will be causing the dense planting in your garden to move, frogs searching out slugs to eat. Unfortunately fish have a habit of feeding on many other forms of pond life so their introduction in ponds for wildlife is best avoided.

Larger ponds quite possibly may attract mallards, moorhens and coots, as well as swallows and house martins which pick off insects from above the water surface and use muddy areas for nest building. Ducks are entertaining but can make quite a mess around the pond and garden. Grey herons can also visit small ponds and will soon polish off any fish you have in there unless you provide protection.

Then there are the smaller and numerous inhabitants that are crucial to the biodiversity and health of your pond will. This may include pond-skaters, water beetles, snails and caddis flies and if you are lucky the beautiful damselflies and dragonflies.

Types of Pond

Thankfully for us, wildlife seems to like manmade ponds just as much, well nearly, as natural ones. It is important to try to have a long shallow slope down to the water on at least one side so that the wildlife has a safe way into and out of the pond and it also provides a damp ground habitat which is vital for many beetles, bugs and flies.

The best way to achieve this is by constructing a pond using a butyl liner to form the pond but some pre-formed plastic, fibreglass ponds and garden pond mouldings do incorporate a slope. Before ordering your liner pond dimensions much be established and it is better to oversize rather that run the risk of under sizing. Remember, you can cut excess off or bury to form a boggy edge but you cannot successfully stick a bit extra on. Pre-formed ponds without a slope are best avoided. Make straight sided formal style ponds wildlife friendly by placing a wooden or stone ramp in one corner. This will give ducklings, amphibians (and unlucky hedgehogs) a way onto dry land.

Where to Site your Pond and Size Considerations

It is stating the obvious but in general the larger the pond the more wildlife you can expect to attract. The majority of aquatic flora and fauna will appreciate a depth of 8 to 24 inch (20 to 60cm) varied across the pond.

It is far better to provide shade for the pond especially if it is a small pool of water so that it does not heat up too much, losing water into the atmosphere and encouraging the growth of algae. Floating aquatics such as waterlilies are a great way to provide surface shade.

Pond Planting

Planting up the pond is both the exciting bit and a challenge for us gardeners. We want to make it look as natural as possible and as quickly as possible. Be patient, do not overplant especially if you have created your pond using a butyl liner and been able to line the pond with soil, yes it will look murky to begin with but will settle, as you are creating wonderful conditions for native species to colonise, seed and spread. Pond baskets are ideal for planting in the deeper parts of the pond and available now are floating islands for ponds

Most pond creatures prefer an underwater maze of plants in which to hunt, hide, feed and breed.

Marginal plants 5 provide important areas of cover and stems at the water's edge are needed for adult damselflies and dragonflies emerging from their nymph stage. Aspire to attain 65-75 percent surface coverage with floating aquatics. Submerged plants (often called 'oxygenators') are equally important but avoid invasive plants such as Azollajiliculoides (fairy fern), Craaula helmsii (New Zealand pygmy weed), Myriopkyllum aquaticurn (parrot's feather) and Hydrocoryle raminculoides (floating pennywort). Once in your pond you will have a fight on your hands that you will never win.

Placing dead branches into the pond enriches the habitat considerably. Resist removing overhanging branches that naturally dip into the pond.

To Introduce Wildlife or Leave it to Nature?

It used to be said that it was a good thing to introduce wildlife but thinking in many quarters thinks it best to leave Mother Nature to do the job. I know that when my own garden did not include water, and no close neighbours did either, but did have dense planting it had a healthy of frogs and a couple of toads.

Pond Maintenance

If water needs to be added try to use rainwater, tap water should be a last resort.

If necessary rake off or pull out vegetation from different depths to maintain the25-35 percent open-water optimum. Leave the vegetation on the pond or pool side overnight to give trapped creatures a chance to escape back into the water.

Where algae are excessive a proven way of solving the problem is to float pads of barley straw in the pond from spring to late summer.

Avoid fertiliser use in or near the pond and keep fish stocks to a minimum.

If sediment removal is considered necessary, try to remove only half at one time in order to minimise the loss of mud-dwelling creatures and their habitat. There is no ideal time for this job, though late summer when the water is at its lowest will be the most practical period.

A garden rake, lawn rake or even a stout stick can be used as a pond weed remover.

Safety

A word of caution, it is great to have a wildlife pond or water feature in the garden but always ensure that young children are always supervised around ponds, they do not see danger, only fun.

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