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Make a wildlife pond, the easy way
A small pond brings frogs, dragonflies and birds to the garden, and it doesn't need to be big or fancy. Here is a simple way to make one over a weekend.
What you'll need
- A spade and a bucket
- A flexible pond liner, bigger than the hole by about 30 cm all round
- Sand or old carpet underlay to protect the liner
- Stones, logs and turf for the edges
- Rainwater, if you can collect some
- A few native pond plants
Step by step
- Pick a spot. Choose a place that gets sun for part of the day, with few overhanging trees so fewer leaves fall in. Keep it away from where water naturally pools.
- Mark and dig. Mark a rough, curved shape and dig it out. Make one side a gentle slope so animals can climb out, and add a shallow shelf for plants. Go deepest in the middle.
- Protect and line. Remove sharp stones, spread sand or underlay over the hole, then lay the liner so it rests in the dips without being pulled tight.
- Fill slowly. Fill with rainwater if you have it, because it's low in nutrients and keeps algae down. Tap water also works if rainwater isn't an option.
- Hide the edges. Trim the liner, then tuck it under stones, turf or logs so it can't be seen and creatures can climb out.
- Plant and wait. Add a few native plants, skip the fish, and leave it alone. It takes a season for life to move in.
a little extra
Stack a pile of logs and stones beside the pond. Frogs and toads will shelter there between visits to the water.