Build a pond
It takes time and effort to create and maintain a good pond, but it's arguably the most vital part of any wildlife garden.
Where to site a pond
Find a sunny position for your pond in order to attract the greatest variety of wildlife.
Position your pond away from trees to avoid extra maintenance time spent clearing fallen leaves which will otherwise choke the pond.
Build your pond near longer grass or a border to give the animals that come to drink and bathe there cover. You could also position it near a wood pile or rockery for extra cover for hibernating newts and amphibians or simply leave some loose stones and wood near the edges of the pond.
If your garden is smaller, you may want to Make a container pond instead of a full scale version.
You'll need to dig a shallow hole for your pond. Make sure it has a sloping edge so that animals can get in and out easily. It's also a good idea to have shelved sections of the pond to create different depths to suit different plants and wildlife.
Create a deeper section of the pond in the middle, at least 60cm deep, so that it doesn't freeze solid in winter. This will help hibernating wildlife.
Line the hole with butyl or polythene pond liner for speed, or choose the traditional method of lining with clay. See the links on the right for further instructions.
Fill your pond with rainwater if possible. If you have to use tap water, leave it to stand for a few days so that additives such as chlorine evaporate.
Plant a mixture of oxygenating, floating, emergent and marginal plants to get a good variety of wildlife and keep your pond in balance. Native pond plants include marsh marigold, yellow flag, hornwort, water violet and frogbit but you can find out what is local to your area by using the Postcode Plants Database.
Remember that not all pond life is compatible. Goldfish often eat water snails and tadpoles so if you want to keep fish it might be a good idea to have one pond for fish and another for wildlife.
Avoid introducing pond life yourself as you could spread disease or inadvertently introduce invasive species. Dragonflies and damselflies are usually the first insects to colonise ponds and other species will follow. It's best to leave frogs, newts and toads to find your pond by themselves. Note that you need a licence to move some species such as great crested newts.
You will need to clear out some of the vegetation from time to time to keep your pond in good order. Do this in early autumn to minimise disruption to wildlife.
If your pond gets covered in blanket weed clear it out by hand rather than using chemicals. Leave the cleared week on the edge so that any creatures caught up in it can crawl back into the water (you can then put it on the compost heap).
Clear out fallen leaves regularly so you don't get too many rotting at the bottom of the pond.
Prevent your pond from icing over completely in winter by floating a tennis ball on the surface. Remove it to leave an air hole in ice that does form. Avoid breaking the ice as the reverberations can disturb pond life.
Note that great crested newts are rare in Britain and are protected. It's illegal to catch, possess or handle them without a licence, or to disturb their habitat.
