Build Your Own Wildlife Pond (let’s bring nature back!)
Wildlife ponds are where amphibians can breed (if they can’t find ponds they may find puddles or even buckets of water), birds can bathe, bees and butterflies can safely drink (with shallow stones to prevent drowning) and dragonflies and damselflies can patrol (like tiny helicopters!)
At a time when many gardens are paved over or sprayed/tidied into wildlife silence, a pond is a quiet act of repair for the natural world. A wildlife pond does not have to be complicated, it can even be a simple bog garden.
A wildlife pond may look nice, but it’s always about giving safe spaces for native creatures. If you are not into nature, then don’t build one. As you may well find surprising visitors like grass snakes, and some creatures eating other creatures.
Wildlife pond vs fish pond: very different
You may automatically assume that a wildlife pond contains fish, but this is not the case. Fish are carnivores that will eat frogspawn, tadpoles and newt larvae. They also stir up sediment and add waste, which raises nutrients and can lead to algae.
Fish in ponds need special care to protect clean water. Herons kill fish and ducklings, and that’s not much you can do, it’s nature. Dummy herons rarely work (herons hunt together). And heron deterrent discs have holes, so hedgehog spikes could get caught. And netting can trap birds and wildlife.
For both types of ponds, if you move ask new occupants if they plan to upkeep them. If not, move fish or amphibians to a neighbour’s pond with permission (not far, as this could transmit disease and invasive plants).
Pick the right location and shape
Site wildlife ponds to get morning light and afternoon shade (full shade will slow plant growth and leave the water too cold for wildlife). But full sun could create more algae, which needs to be removed.
Also don’t build ponds near trees (to avoid forming leaves, which again causes algae when they rot). Take into account water run-off from lawns and patios (and garden organically, to avoid chemical run-off into ponds).
You can recycle empty chemical container liquids at kerbside. For half-empty ones, don’t pour down drains, take them your council’s hazardous waste department.
Keep children, pets and wildlife safe
As said above, always ensure ponds have sloping sides for easy entry and exit, and place shallow stones nearby, so drinking bees and butterflies have somewhere to land, safe from drowning hazards.
The book below covers DIY advice, but you’ll need a few building skills (and tools like liner and spirit level), plus native pond plants, and and a rake to regularly clear algae. Rainwater (including from water butts) is best to fill wildlife ponds, ensure tap water is filtered to remove chemicals.
Read more on garden water safety (for people, pets and wildlife). And know toxic plants to avoid near pets (including foxgloves, yew and lilies).
Small children can drown in seconds near ponds. So keep them away, always supervise (and pets) when nearby, and use low fences or gates to prevent access. Ensure fresh water is nearby for pets, so they are not tempted to drink stagnant pond water (and avoid steep edging stones, as they can cause falls). Leave one side of the pond clear (thick plants could hide the water’s edge).
SafaDeck is a glass polymer grid that clips onto removable aluminium beams without having to remove thee grid for maintenance. Triangular holes lets plants thrive, and the guard supports the impact falling weight of an average small child. This meets guidelines set by Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
Creative Pond covers can stop predators from attacking wildlife (or fish in other ponds). The company also makes well covers, if you need one.
Cleaning ponds and water fountains
Most issues with algae are due to too many nutrients, too much sun, too few native plants and not raking off algae at the first opportunity. Solar fountains can agitate the water (and also make it harder for herons to see underwater creatures, though as mentioned above, fish ponds should not be part of wildlife ponds anyway).
If you see blue-green algae (a paint-like green or turquoise scum with a strong smell), keeps pets and children away and skim it off. Bag and bin (don’t compost it), drain 10 to 20% of the water, add more plants for shade.
Leave plants and algae at the sides of ponds for 24 hours, to let insects and amphibians crawl back into ponds, if accidentally moved.
In autumn, it’s best to skim leaves off weekly, and in spring, thin out plants so they don’t choke the surface and turn into sludge. Delay pond maintenance until September/October (when froglets have left, before frogs arrive to hibernate). For urgent work, place in a suitable container with pond water, then return (tadpoles remain in ponds over winter).
If your pond freezes in cold weather, never pour boiling water on it nor smash the ice, this could shock creatures to death underneath. Instead, place a hot pan over one corner until it has melted a hole, to provide oxygen until the weather warms. Solar pumps help prevent ponds freezing over, by circulating the water and creating an opening for gas exchange.
A Book to Build a Wildlife Pond
How to Create a Wildlife Pond is a beautifully illustrated guide to plan, create and maintain your pond (natural, container or formal). Learn which creatures will visit (and when) and plants that help ponds thrive. Also learn how to maintain your pond.
If you have little space, RHS teaches how to create a mini bog garden. This is a case of filling an old sink or barrel (with a drainage hole) with soil, adding native plants, soaking with rainwater, and ensuring it has sloping sides and a few logs and rocks. Many creatures will make use of this to stay cool in summer.
