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Description

A small pond made from everyday garden materials that will encourage local wildlife.
Hopefully some frogs will love your pond too, and maybe you'll even get some frog spawn!

Resources

Equipment;
shallow plant pots and plant trays (old sink, containers or washing up bowl is perfect)
large rocks and stones
gravel
small logs or twigs (to act as stepping stones)
water plants

Instructions

1. Find the right space
Choose somewhere that gets some sun but isn’t in full sunlight all day. Place the container in your chosen spot before you fill it with water (it will be too heavy to move when it’s full). You can leave it on the surface, or dig it in if you can (this helps creatures get in and out).

2. Prepare your container
Put some gravel in the bottom. Try not to mix soil with it, as the nutrients in the soil will encourage the growth of algae. However you’ve positioned your pond, make sure wildlife can get in and out by create little stepping stones, or ladders with stones, wood, tiles, sticks etc.

3. Fill your pond
Use rainwater where you can. Either from a water butt or a watering can that’s collected rain water. If you do need to use tap water fill your container and then leave the water for 24 hours to let any chlorine evaporate.

4. Add some plants
Make sure you use aquatic plants if you can (you only need a couple). Submerged pondweed is important to include because it helps keep the pond clear. And make sure you’re always using native plants. Rigid hornwort and whorled water-milfoil are good choices. You can buy them online from garden centres and specialist pond suppliers.

Great plants for small ponds include:
Miniature waterlily (Nymphaea "Pygmaea Helvola")
Lesser spearwort (Ranunculus flammula)
Starwort (Callitriche stagnalis)
Flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus)
More help and advice on choosing pond plants

5. Watch and wait
Over the next few months this little oasis you’ve created will develop an ecosystem of its own. As part of this process it might develop algae or blanket weed to start with but as the ecosystem develops the plants and creatures will keep the pond clear. Don’t be tempted to introduce tadpoles, frogs, fish or even water from another pond as it can spread disease. Let nature do its job and you could attract hedgehogs, frogs and toads, bats, birds, dragonflies and damselflies to your pond.

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Badge Links

• Outdoors - Create
• Outdoors - Natural activity