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A simple garden pond.

J

Johnny Vodka

The Abominable Scotsman
Okay, there are other pond threads on here, but this is about starting from scratch and keeping things as simple as possible...

I was inspired by this Springwatch video.



I want to make one out of a good-sized washing-up bowl or container of similar size.

Do you need to keep ponds clear of trees (so leaves don't gather in them)? If you have a local, predatory cat should you even bother?

Thoughts/tips/experiences?
 
We used an old shower tray at our last house and the frogs loved it. It was shallow, but there was loads of damp nooks and crannies around it too. I think that is as important as the actual pond.

I think "nature ponds" like a bit of shade, so under a tree isn't "bad". You may have to clear leaves away in autumn though.

Here, we dug a big hole and used a liner. We have cats now though, so no frogs, but we do have newts.
 
Always a good idea, ponds. have dug and helped restore dozens. Yes leaves are bad for them (rot down in them and make the water too acidic) and sunlight is good too. Cats don't really seem to matter, I've seen them swish at tadpoles and frogs but not to any great effect - blackbirds will eat tadpoles, but not enough to wipe them out.

There's nothing like seeing a dragonfly or damselfly in your garden, knowing you've brought it there.
 
mx wcfc said:
I think "nature ponds" like a bit of shade, so under a tree isn't "bad". You may have to clear leaves away in autumn though.
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At least half the reason I like sunlight on ponds is because they can be incredibly beautiful with sun streaming into them, amazing deep greens and the sense of depth. Also the reflected light can be pretty amazing too.
 
I found a decent sized container. (At least 60cm depth is recommended to protect wildlife in winter.) It will be sunk behind the stone wall there. Annoyingly, there are some holes in the bottom, so will need lined.IMG_20200615_164632.jpg
 
Sprocket. said:
Is there any increase in mosquito activity?
Click to expand...

Good question. My experience is that decently looked after ponds don't because just about anything that lives in a pond will eat mosquito larvae, whereas in water butts and things like that, they can be a bit of a problem. So, in general no. But if you leave it to get clogged up and it loses its use as a habitat for a wider range of animals then yes it could.
 
Sprocket. said:
Is there any increase in mosquito activity?
Click to expand...
Not really I found.

My pond was a dug hole with plastic liner which cost about £15 iirc.

It was a tadpole fest and great fun. After some time I got a pump with a little fountain for it but that was me fussing more than really needed. The noise of water moving is relaxing and it adds oxygen to the water which aids plant growth.
 
co-op said:
At least half the reason I like sunlight on ponds is because they can be incredibly beautiful with sun streaming into them, amazing deep greens and the sense of depth. Also the reflected light can be pretty amazing too.
Click to expand...
I don't disagree with that all. Ours gets a bit of sun. But if it's in full sun, won't it and the surrounding area, get a bit too dry for the likes of newts?

Leaves can be dealt with by just putting mesh over the pond in Autumn.

On cats, our cats kill adult frogs - we have seen the evidence. I would love to put some frogspawn our pond, but it seems a bit pointless.
 
Johnny Vodka said:
I found a decent sized container. (At least 60cm depth is recommended to protect wildlife in winter.) It will be sunk behind the stone wall there. Annoyingly, there are some holes in the bottom, so will need lined.View attachment 217775
Click to expand...
That does look like a good start. You will want shallow areas too though. just put bricks etc in - helps hedgehogs escape if they fall in as well.
 
mx wcfc said:
That does look like a good start. You will want shallow areas too though. just put bricks etc in - helps hedgehogs escape if they fall in as well.
Click to expand...

Yup, have read about putting rocks and stuff inside and also a ramp as a way out. Is there an easy/inexpensive way of making a container watertight? There are four small holes in the bottom of this one. Looking at the expense/hassle involved in lining, I'd probably be as well just buying a new container... :mad:
 
mx wcfc said:
I don't disagree with that all. Ours gets a bit of sun. But if it's in full sun, won't it and the surrounding area, get a bit too dry for the likes of newts?

Leaves can be dealt with by just putting mesh over the pond in Autumn.

On cats, our cats kill adult frogs - we have seen the evidence. I would love to put some frogspawn our pond, but it seems a bit pointless.
Click to expand...

I've never found full sun makes ponds, or surrounds too dry for amphibians but once plants get established they grow like absolute bastards in full sun and you do have to really hack them back each winter (ie lift them right out and hack off half the root ball) or they take over and it's no longer a pond but a slightly soggy flower bed. Ive often thought if I do a garden pond again I might put some of the more aggressive plants (eg marsh marigolds and irises, some of the grasses) in a separate container pond and just let them get on with it, maybe half the roots every 3-4 years.

Having lots of plants also means they will drink a lot of water and in dry spells you have to keep topping up, especially if you've tadpoles etc.

I think amphibians can just find the damp spots under plant leaves - I have a rhubarb patch next to my pond and I'm always finding frogs under the leaves during the middle of the day.

I'm sure you're right that cats will kill frogs but once they're in a pond the rate of reproduction is so massive you'll always get loads surviving. The cats near us don't seem to like the water - they'll kill the little lizards we get, but don't seem to take frogs.
 
Pond Liner 25 Year Guarantee Pond Lining 2.5m x 2.5m (8' 2" x 8' 2") for £19.99 on Amazon. Probably close to that at a local independent shop. Sounds like a smaller sheet will do for many.

Pond Liner 25 Year Guarantee Pond Lining 2.5m x 2.5m (8' 2" x 8' 2"): Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors

Dig a hole with a deep end. Chuck the liner in with some rocks/bricks/slabs in the bottom. Fill with water then take rocks/bricks/slabs out and put them round the edges.

Does not need a pump but a little fountain and oxygenation helps a lot. One or two aquatic plants and you are mostly set. Over time plant or put a rockery around the edges and you have proper garden zen.

Start with tadpoles. Over time wildlife will arrive and you can even treat yourself to a couple of small cheap fish. Even the fish need virtually no maintenance.

It is great to see Frogs returning to spawn :cool:
 
I've been seriously considering a mini pond/bug puddle :D was concerned about bitey bugs but it sounds like that should balance out once things that eat the bugs establish. Now I just need to decide where!
 
I ordered some cheap-ish pond liner tonight. Now just need to consider what plants might be best. Have also heard conflicting stuff about using tap water to fill it. Some say that's a big no; others say it'll be fine over time.
 
Johnny Vodka said:
I ordered some cheap-ish pond liner tonight. Now just need to consider what plants might be best. Have also heard conflicting stuff about using tap water to fill it. Some say that's a big no; others say it'll be fine over time.
Click to expand...
If you can fill from a water butt, do. Otherwise, if you do fill from the tap, leave it a few days before introducing plants/frogspawn etc, is what we were told. We half filled ours from a water butt, and topped up with a hose, then left it a couple of days before planting. It seems to have worked.
 
I feel this thread needs more photos.
I’ll show you mine if you’ll show me yours sort of thing.

here’s one I took earlier.
DF6D635A-E102-435F-B4FC-023842D2178D.jpeg

The pipes on the right need tidying/hiding - it's a solar powered pump that aerates the water. There is a yellow hosepipe sticking out of the flowerpot on the left which is connected to the shed roof gutter and water butt. The ivy needs cutting back before it takes over completely too.
 
mx wcfc said:
If you can fill from a water butt, do. Otherwise, if you do fill from the tap, leave it a few days before introducing plants/frogspawn etc, is what we were told. We half filled ours from a water butt, and topped up with a hose, then left it a couple of days before planting. It seems to have worked.
Click to expand...

I will add plants. The wildlife will need to find its own way there. Have certainly had toads in my garden before.
 
Tap water isn't good for fish, not sure about other pond life but truth be told, have filled my pond plenty of times without tap safe products and not had problema. Leaving water for a few days will get rid of the problems elements in tap water as has been said.

If you can get a donation of pond sludge it will kick-start the biological life, invertebrates and other lovely Beasties. Dragonflies will find there own way, as will pond skaters (they fly).

Cats won't impact on frog life at all, as said they produce massively. You will need spawn in spring though as frogs return to where they spawned to breed. Ideally a few different clumps for genetic diversity.

If you've got a liner, I'd consider not bothering with the container and digging a more natural hole/pond. Use old carpet/underlay or sand to line it to stop the liner getting punctured. That way you can sculpt marginal shelves and the like for plants that like different depths. Worth remembering with a small nature pond with no filter or oxygen pump that bigger the water the easier it is to keep clean.

Good starter plants will be oxygenators, any good pond shop will sell bunches for pretty cheap. If you want more interesting visual plants, they all grow at different depths as I said, another plus for digging a pond as you can make margin shelves as varying depths to suit. Pond plants are sold with clear descriptions of what depth they like. I grow Hardy carnivorous pitcher plants and sundues in a butler sink.. Prob about 4" deep.
 
I bought a huge plastic pot from LBS horticultural supplies and placed some bricks in, to sit plant baskets on and allow frogs to get in and out. I have selinum carvifolium (Cambridge milk parsley), hesperantha coccineum (fabulous late flowering monocot), ranunculus lingua (water buttercup) and water crowfoot (ranunculus aquatilis). Because my pond is small, I avoided vigorous plants such as lythrum, caltha and nymphaea (although there are dwarf waterlilies you could try.
 

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I thought I had this all figured out, but not so sure now... My liner arrived today. I guess the thing that concerns me the most is how to get a gradual slope in the container I have.
 
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