Ponds are cool. Frogs, toads, newts, dragonflies, wriggling tadpoles, the gentle lapping of water or the playing of a fountain — what’s not to like? Several people in our street have ponds in their gardens. Some are tiny, made in a plastic mould; others are bigger and more elaborate with water features. Each one is a miniature ecosystem adding variety and interest to the garden and hosting a range of wildlife.
Be inspired by our Pond Stories, where pond-owning neighbours share their watery worlds with us. And remember, if you want to be put in touch with anyone to ask for advice about building your own pond, just drop us an email and we’ll make the connection. People love talking about their ponds!
What have ponds got to do with climate change?
Ponds provide a different habitat in your garden, attracting different types of wildlife and promoting biodiversity. That’s good for a start, but some scientific studies also suggest that ponds can capture and store carbon, keeping carbon locked in for hundreds of years, if undisturbed.
Isn’t it difficult to create a pond?
Nearly everyone we spoke to said ‘But I’m no expert!’ when we asked them about their ponds. But all ponds appeared to be thriving with an abundance of wildlife and plants, even in February. So … the secret is, it’s not actually that difficult to construct or manage a pond. Take the plunge and find out how below.
Just add water!
There are three stages to building a pond.
- Create the hole: this can be a container, such as a plastic pond liner, an old ceramic sink, a bucket, a plastic storage box. Ask Elspeth about container ponds.
OR
You can dig a hole and line it with an impermeable lining material such as butyl — ask Tom and Gill (or Ewan) about this. - Fill with water: rainwater is best. Either collect it yourself, or ask on the street if anyone has a rain butt you can use water from. Or you can use tap water if you leave it for a few days.
- Plant with aquatic plants. Beg for cuttings from one of your friendly pond-owning neighbours, or buy from a garden centre or online.
- That’s it! Sit back and wait for the frogs.
Pond Stories
[pt_view id=”eb5af52zw1″]
Useful websites
Here are some websites which provide helpful advice on building your own pond.
- Create a mini-pond in a container (RSPB)
- How to dig a lined pond (Wildlife Trusts)
- Just add water: how to build a wildlife pond (PDF, Froglife)
- Download your Wild About Ponds booklet (Wildlife Trusts)
- Suppliers of pond plants (especially UK natives):