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Wildlife Pond

tommo9320tommo9320 Posts: 22
edited April 2020 in Wildlife gardening
Hello, 

This is my first post and thought this might be the place to get the best advice. 

We converted an overgrown patch and installed a wildlife pond to encourage our young daughter to engage with wildlife. 

We filled the pond with rain water from a water butt and planted 2 small oxygenating plants, a grass and a marginal plant. The base has a small layer of pea gravel and once filled the water turned this colour.

Should I have washed this gravel before filling with water or will the water slowly clear after time?

Any help would be much appreciated. 

Thanks. 

Michael. 



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Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Hi, and welcome to the forum. 
    No need to wash , just wait for wildlife.
    I'd get some planting around it too. 
    I hope you both enjoy it. 
    Devon.
  • tommo9320tommo9320 Posts: 22
    Ahhh thanks for the advice Hostafan1. 

    Hopefully it will clear in time then. 

    We plan to plant ferns, grasses and ground covering shrubs around the pond.

    The rest will be in pots as our property is a temporary rental so we would like to take them with us when we find something more permanent (whenever that may be) 😊. 



  • Dave HumbyDave Humby Posts: 1,145
    edited April 2020
    Hope you enjoy the time while you are there! If you can it's always helpful to provide a wildlife 'corridor' although not essential. If you can link up the pond using planting to an adjacent 'wild' area (it's not always possible of course) then that can be helpful. Hours of fun to come for your family.

    Just an observation as a by-the-way, the logs stored against the building (a garage?) might lead to some damp as they'll be above the damp course. 
  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
    I think this is normal. When you first make a pond it has an algae bloom which settles over time nutrients  and bacteria balance themselves out.

    We had this and took the water to a pond centre to be tested as we thought there was something wrong but the test came back good. 

    I would get so plants around the edges to soften it and for wildlife to hide in and also some floating plants to shadow the water from the sun which can make it go green. 
  • tommo9320tommo9320 Posts: 22
    edited April 2020
    Thanks Dave!

    The garden contained nothing but nettles, weeds and thorny shrubs so having a fair bit of time on our hands and despite it not being our permanent residence, we were happy to tackle it (with the landlords permission of course).

    There is a raised area just above the pond a 3x2 meter area that we have cleared, turned over and sown wildflower seeds.

    Hopefully if it takes as we hope then that should bring some wildlife into that vacant area above the pond whilst we get busy planting around it. 

    Thank you for the advice with the logs against the garage. We will look at repositioning these to somewhere else in the garden. 
  • Dave HumbyDave Humby Posts: 1,145
    You might be OK with the logs as they are as there are air gaps but just something to keep an eye out. And thinking about it they will make a perfect habitat for your pond visitors!

    It's amazing how quickly wildlife inhabits new ponds.....'build it and they will come'  :)
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Well done @tommo9320. We get so many posts from anxious parents wanting to remove ponds, so it's lovely to see some putting one in!
    I'd agree with what's already been said - and just put some of your logs next to the pond. They're great for insects etc, and provide cover when you get frogs etc  :)
    Even if you can sow seeds just now for some ground cover - anything will do. Nasturtiums, for example, grow quickly, and they provide a source of food for pollinators, as well as being edible.
    Lovely for little ones to plant - and they can see them grow quickly too. The wildflowers will be great too, and those all like a poor soil.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • tommo9320tommo9320 Posts: 22
    edited April 2020
    Thanks for advice @Fairygirl

    Our daughter is never unaccompanied in the garden and is at an age where she understands her boundaries through conversation. 

    Despite this only being her temporary home, we didn't want that to hold her back from nurturing her love for the outdoors and all things wild! 😊

    Will certainly look at growing some seeds around the edges for ground cover 👍🏼. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    My two girls grew up with a pond, and it provides endless fascination  :)

    Enjoy it as much as you can.
    We have a seed swap thread on the forum, so there might be some things of interest for you there. You don't need to have anything to swap, despite the thread title  ;)

    I'll see if I can find it and give you the link
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Here you go
    https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1035231/seed-and-plant-swap-2020/p1

    Have a look, and you can always ask if there's anything suitable for you   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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