Firstly, a big thank you to anyone who read my first post about ponds, the feedback was lovely.
In this post, I wanted to talk a little about my pond but also share a few things I’ve learned first-hand. I’m by no means an expert but I have made plenty of mistakes which I’ve had to rectify and learned a lot along the way so hopefully some of it will help you if you’re looking to put a pond in.
So, a little bit about my pond!
The pond is about 4m across at its longest, with abut a 3m width. It’s quite an abstract shape as I wanted it to look as natural as possible. The area I dug was a combination of compact, chalky subsoil, gravel, and hardcore. It was an arduous but rewarding task – but the ground being so tough meant I wasn’t able to go quite as deep as I wanted or have the perfect sloping edges! But hey, plans change – we just have to make the most of what we have.
At its deepest, the pond is about 60cm, and at it’s shallowest, it’s about 10cm. Luckily, these measurements happen to be ideal for most wildlife – it’s a common misconception that a pond needs to be really deep to be beneficial to wildlife. In fact, this is only really necessary if you put fish like Koi in it. In the case of amphibians and the majority of invertebrates and insects, most are happy in the shallows.
What makes this pond particularly unconventional is the island in the middle, which has invited all kinds of questions (including that of my sanity - I assure you I am absolutely not sane). Initially I wanted this to be the middle point of a bridge but have since decided against that.
The Plants:
By my last count, there are over 30 plants in and around my pond – most of them I put in and are native to the UK, and a couple of others have found their way there naturally. I generally opt for native plants because by design they’re perfect for our climate and are therefore more likely to thrive - plus the fauna are more likely to take to it.
The Creatures:
The pond is still very young, so I expect this to change dramatically over the years, but so far I have visibly seen (and identified) 10 creatures living in the pond.
I’ve seen about 20 other things that are too small to identify, plus there are likely hundreds of microscopic organisms that I’ll never be able to see.
In addition, the pond is used regularly as a drinking station for a variety of pollinators and birds – so already it’s amazing to see the benefit it’s had after just a year and a half.
I’ll put a list of all the stuff I’ve identified or planted in my pond at the end of this article.
The Island:
Initially this was to be the middle holding point for a bridge. I eventually came to like the idea that the island was actually something “inaccessible”; something to be observed but not traversed - and to be left for the wild. I excavated it, mixed in some topsoil and it’s now lined with a mixture of Creeping Thyme. This herb has rich heady scent and lovely colours which will be enjoyed from afar by both us and the wildlife, plus they will provide plenty of nectar and pollen. They will also eventually creep downwards and across each other, filling the entire space and covering some of the exposed liner.
The Waterfall
This is a bit of a contentious feature for strict wildlife pond owners as it involves the use of a pump, but I always wanted a little feature in the pond and waterfall itself is very, very gentle.
It’s a very simple set up – a pond pump with a hose which is directed up and around the back of the pond and into the waterfall. The waterfall area is built up with subsoil, gravel and chalk and limestone, and I’ve planed a load of bee-friendly alpines in it so make it feel a little like a rockery, but a very informal one! My lack of artistic talent means that being able to call my landscaping “informal” is very handy indeed.
Things I have learned:
I can’t stress enough that I am far from an expert and in fact take an immense amount of joy from learning from my mistakes. Here’s a list of things that I’d love to pass on if you were considering putting your own pond in your garden.
1) Your pond doesn’t need to be big, or deep.
Digging a pond of any size requires a decent amount of effort, but thankfully if you want it to be beneficial to wildlife, you don’t need to worry about going too deep. Around 50cm at its deepest point is great for most wildlife – but even a washing up bowl full of rainwater can make an amazing habitat.
2) Slope and soften the edges
Hindsight is 20/20! You may notice that there are parts of my pond that are really quite steep at the edges. Try to make the edges a nice smooth slope and plant plenty of creeping or marginal plants which will help to cover up that liner, plus help some creatures access the pond more safely.
3) Try to avoid using tap water
It’s really hard to do, especially in the Summer when the pond level drops, but I’d seriously recommend filling your pond with rainwater and interfering as little as possible with tap water. Tap water contains loads of nutrients and minerals that blanketweed and algae love, plus chemicals that most wildlife does not love! I noticed every time I topped up with tap water that the blanketweed spread a LOT! If you really need to use tap water, try and leave it a few days in a bucket or water butt which gives some of the volatile chemicals some chance to burn off.
4) Think about the birds and the bees
Birds, bees and other pollinators will LOVE your pond as a watering hole (and in the case of birds, a bath too). A single mass of water is likely to result in lots of drowned bees and wasps, which isn’t fun. The best way to avoid this is to put logs/smooth rocks or pebbles in the pond. Birds can perch on the logs or rocks and if you have a sloping edge or beach area with pebbles, pollinators can have safe access to the water too.
5) Make sure at least part of the pond is in shade
This is for three reasons. Firstly, algae and blanketweed thrive in sunlight and warmth, and they really can be a pain to deal with. In moderation, they’re fine, but unchecked they can smother the entire pond very quickly (and most of the flora and fauna within). The second reason is that amphibians like frogs and toads love damp, cool areas. Full sun can be a bit dangerous for them. The third reason is that more sun means the pond is likely to need topping up more in the Summer.
6) Watercress is your friend
A bag of watercress from the supermarket (ideally organic but not a deal-breaker) chucked in the pond is a really easy way to get things going. It roots after a week or so and you can then move it into a corner to make a really wildlife rich area, with lovely white flowers in Spring. It’ll also help keep the water clear.
7) Enjoy the process and be patient
As a consequence of fast living, often we want instant results. I was so impatient to start with, expecting the pond to be teeming with life from day one. But if you enjoy the process and take your time (and let the pond take its time) it makes any arrival or any change so special. There is something wonderful about knowing you are creating a home for something.
And that’s it for now! Thanks again for reading. Next piece soon, but I’ll give you a break from the pond for a while until things warm up a bit.
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Creatures Living in the Pond (Visibly!)
1. Pond Skater, Gerris Lacustris
2. Common Black Diving Beetle, Agapus Bipustulatus
3. Common Backswimmer, Notonecta Glauca
4. Rams Horn Snail, Planorbidae
5. Mosquito Larvae, Culicidae
6. Non-biting Midge, Chironomidae
7. Red Water Mite, Hydrachinidia
8. Whirligig Beetle, Gyrinidae
9. Water Flea, Daphnia
10. Common Toad, Bufo Bufo
Plants (Marsh adjacent to pond)
1. Water Figwort, Scrophularia Auriculata
2. Purple-loosestrife, Lythrum Salicaria
3. Pendulous Sedge, Carex Pendula
4. Chive, Allium Schoenoprasum
5. Golden Creeping Jenny, Lysimacha nummularia
6. Cotton Bud Grass, Scirpus Cernuus
7. Rodgersia Bronze Peacock, Saxifragiacae
8. Marsh Woundwort, Stachys palustris
9. Ligularia, Asteraceae
Plants (Pond Margins and Surface)
1. Marsh Cinquefoil, Potentilla Palustris
2. Water Mint, Mentha Aquatica
3. Blue Pickerel Weed, Pontederia Cordata
4. Yellow Flag Iris, Iris Pseudacorus
5. Watercress, Nasturtium Officinale
6. Water Forget-Me-Not, Myosotis Scorpoides
7. Marsh Marigold, Caltha Palustris
8. Water Lily Alba, Nymphaea Alba
9. Common Duckweed, Lemna Minor
10. Least Duckweed, Lemna Minuta
11. Ivy-leaved Duckweed, Lemna Triscula
12. Lesser Spearwort, Ranunculus Flammula
13. Great Willowherb, Epilobium Hirsutium
14. Muskingum Sedge, Carex Muskingumensis
15. Branched Bur-reed, Spargnium Erectum
16. Bogbean, Menyanthes Trifoliata
17. Water Purslane, Ludwigia Palustris
18. Water Plantain, Alisma Plantago Aquatica
Plants (Submerged Oxygenators)
1. Hornwort, Ceratophyllum demersum
2. Common Water-Crowfoot, Ranunculus aquatilis
3. Willow Moss, Fontinalis antipyretica
4. Mare’s Tail, Hippuris Vulgaris
5. Water Violet, Hottonia palustris