How To Build Your Own Pond | Cotswold Outdoor
We may be confined to our homes at the moment, but that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate nature – or even create a space for it to thrive in our own gardens. One of the best ways to introduce a whole host of wildlife and plants to your garden is with a pond, and luckily, our friends at The Wildlife Trusts know a thing or two about building them, no matter how big or small your space.
A wildlife pond is one of the single best features for attracting new wildlife to the garden. It is thought that some amphibians, such as frogs, are now more common in garden ponds than in the countryside!
To build your pond, you will need:
A good spade or mini-digger, depending on how big your pond will be
It is better for wildlife if you put the pond in a warm, sunny area – tadpoles, dragonflies and plants with thrive in these conditions. First, mark out your pond on the ground with a rope or hosepipe, and then get digging! Ensure that the sides are level as you dig by placing a plank across the pond’s hole with a spirit level on top. Remember to include some shallow areas in your pond.
Watch and see what wildlife visits. Place stones, logs and plants around the edges to create habitats for pond-visiting creatures. Consider adding a plank of wood to help any wildlife that might fall in. If plants are well chosen, and the pond is kept in a relatively balanced ecological state, it shouldn’t need much maintenance at all. However, do keep an eye out for a build-up of dead organic matter and encroaching vegetation.
If you only have a small garden, all is not lost! Even a small pond can be home to an interesting range of wildlife, including damsel and dragonflies, frogs and newts. A washing-up bowl, a large plant pot, or a disused sink could all be repurposed as ponds, providing you make sure creatures can get in and out.
See more gardening tips from The Wildlife Trusts here.