Something to ponder

As we head towards spring, a time of regeneration and new life, many of us will be looking forward to the familiar sights of frogspawn and tadpoles in local ponds.

However, ponds, streams and rivers are in decline and this in turn will threaten our wildlife. 

You don’t need a large amount of space in your garden to introduce a pond for small creatures to enjoy. Devon Wildlife Trust encourages mini ponds, suggesting that a network of smaller pond-sites across a neighbourhood could actually be better than a few larger ones. 

There are many different ways to create a water habitat and you can do so in a cost-effective way by re-purposing old containers. An old washing up bowl or wheelbarrow, for example, could be perfect for a mini pond. 

Decide on whether you would like to set your pond into the ground or have it above ground level. To inset it, you will of course need to dig a hole. You can otherwise have it above ground, but will need to include a small ramp for access. A wide ‘neck’ is also important for wildlife to get in and out.

If your container isn’t watertight, you’ll need to line it with some pond liner. You can then add a layer of gravel and rocks to the base of your pond and fill it with rainwater; avoid using tap water, which contains chemicals. 

Once you’ve prepared your pond, you’ll want to introduce some aquatic plants to oxygenate the water. You’ll only need two or three plants in a small space; aquatic baskets, lined with hessian to stop the soil from washing out, are very useful. Use aquatic compost or a mix of sand and gravel. You can stabilise taller plants using rocks in the base of the container. 

Once your pond is ready, it’s time to sit back and wait. Enjoy watching your plants bloom and your habitat grow!

For more information, take a look online at wildaboutgardens.org.uk 

Good plants for mini ponds:

Miniature waterlily (Nymphaea ‘Pygmaea Helvola’)

Lesser spearwort (Ranunculus flammula)

Starwort (Callitriche stagnalis)

Flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus)