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Bathtub pond

Glittering_MGlittering_M Posts: 22
in Wildlife gardening
Hello,
I've got a old bathtub that I'd like to turn into a wildlife pond.
I don't want to sink it into the ground because I feel I'd never get it out again without machinery.

I'm thinking of maybe putting it against an existing slope which would need some digging but it means some animals could access it easier.

I'm a little worried about how I'd make it different levels though.

In time I'd love to dig a pond but this is my entry into the water world to see if I like it (also whilst I'm renting).

Any tips or am I wasting my time?
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Posts

  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    You can make a pond out of anything that will hold water so using a bath isn't a daft idea, unless the bath is of the slightly wobbly modern variety. You can get different levels in the pond by using bricks or pebbles and it is important to make sure than creatures can exit the pond easily so a ramp of some sort is a must. Even amphibians can drown if they are unable to leave the water. The advice in this Gardener's World article is very useful and there are plenty of photos of bathtub ponds online for inspiration.

  • Glittering_MGlittering_M Posts: 22
    Thank you! 
    Yes, I've got a ramp in even when it is empty. Most I've seen online are submerged in the ground though.

    I guess I'm worried that it won't get used much too if animals can't pop into it from the ground.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's certainly easier if it's submerged @Glittering_M, but building up a couple of areas , as mentioned, is ideal for solving it. Logs, or rocks, arranged in steps works well, but almost anything will do the job. Pots with bits of broken slab on them, and some larger stones built up as a ladder/ramp - anything you can re use  :)

    What you have around the pond is also very important - ie good cover for any wildlife. Just as important as what goes into it. You can use plants in pots too, which might be a better idea if you're renting and have any limitations on what you can and can't do  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Glittering_MGlittering_M Posts: 22
    Thanks you.. I'll certainly have a good think. 
    Daft question, but would frogs/other animals use logs/stone to climb up to get to water?  Would they even know the water is there? 


  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited April 2023
    Not daft at all @Glittering_M :)
    Yes - they'll know there's water there, and frogs can certainly jump a fair bit, but you can adopt the same method on the outside as you can on the inside. Best to have the two things at the same point. Some containers and logs, rocks etc, all arranged beside the bath, so that it looks as natural as possible, and is also attractive for you to look at. You can keep adding to it with other plants etc, and re arranging it to get it looking, and working, as well as possible  :)
    Something else you can do, which is difficult with a bathtub, is to create a very shallow area for insects to drink, and birds to bathe in. It's easy in a conventional pond which has shallow, or beached areas. A shallow container - seed tray or similar, with some pebbles and rocks, provides a great safe spot for insects of all kinds to drink, and also for birds to bathe. I love watching the wasps and bees using those shallow areas in my pond, but I also used to have a tray sitting on a pot which was ideal for that purpose.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Glittering_MGlittering_M Posts: 22
    Thanks. I'll get my thinking on about how to make it attractive and accessible. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I just added a little edit to my post which might be useful for you as well @Glittering_M :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Glittering_MGlittering_M Posts: 22
    Amazing, thank you!
    I wonder if one of those bath trays would work? 
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    Frogs seem to be able to find water wherever it is so if you build it, they will come.....if they are so inclined. A ramp of wood, bricks, stones would suit them very well. Birds love a pond and local mammals like to have a spot for a drink. It always amazes me that animals can drink the foul water in our pond with no ill effects but were we to do so, we would be very ill. Insects also like the convenience of a pond and on a hot day you can find bees, wasps and flies drinking from the pond providing they have a plant or stone to balance on. Other creatures find the pond by hitching a lift on something else so you should eventually find snails, leeches, tiny things that ping about underwater, dragon fly larvae etc. A layer of muck at the bottom of the pond provides food and a home for many creatures. If you just want a pretty, pristine pond then there will be nothing for tadpoles to eat (unless they eat each other) so a bit of untidiness helps keep the ecosystem thriving.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Do you mean the ones which fit across the bath for your bits and bobs @Glittering_M? 
    I expect that would be fine  :)
    You can easily disguise the ends/handles with plants or more logs/rocks too  :)
    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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