We have just finished planting our new pond. I know we won't be seeing frogs until early next year,if at all. But the variety of pondlife is fantastic to say the water has been in for only 3 weeks and just we've finished adding plants and weed.We have seen (from my limited knowledge of pondlife names) Water boatmen, diving beetles, pond skaters, a large emerald green dragon fly and a couple of pairs of mating damsel flies. As well as midge larvae and some small black beetles I have trouble seeing even with my glasses on. The larger pebbles at the edge seem well liked by the wasps. I didn't realise they liked the water so much, but if I put an apple or pear nearby it keeps them busy and out of the kitchen! So fingers crossed for frogs but even if they don't appear it is already a great place to sit and watch the insect life.
Gillian53, have you got a pic of it, please? I am still no-where near doing this. I think it may have to wait until next spring now for me. I'm still huffing about the place and am now running out of time.
Oh and I don't think that I can put one in my garden as advice says it should be shady, not overlooked by trees as leaves fall into it. I just don't seem to have the right spot to dig. I have a north facing back garden but in summer the sun creeps to about 4 ft away from the house My plan was to put it next to my fence in the shaded bit...
We have a small pond in full sun and it does really well, just fantastic for wildlife, we see more birds on here than we do on the bird table, and the frogs, they're are just fantastic, love to hear them croaking at night time in the spring, great to watch the tadpoles, and this time of year when weeding round the pond, everytime you move the foliagae a miniture frog pops out.
The frogs arrived the first spring, don't know how because we are no where near water.
And no, that is not a strange looking frog on the top, it's the wife
In fact a pond is so fantastic we are planning a bigger one for the back garden
This is a picture of the wildlife pond I dug a few years ago. Needs some taming this autumn. We love it. It's full of frogs, toads, newts, so many insects etc. My tip would be to go as large as you can because as soon as you fill it with water and plant it up - it shrinks!!
Daintiness, I hope when mine's established it looks like yours. I like the overgrown look. This week, I have seen a few different wrigglers which appear to be damsel fly larvae, although I am no expert. There were two mating on my hollyhock today but just too quick to get a pic. I can't believe just how quickly the pond has been colonised by so many insects. There was a single frog yesterday but he must have been passing through as he certainly wasn't born here.
I have noticed that some of my pond weed (elodea crispa?) has started to look slightly 'beige'. I pulled some out and it appears to be covered in limescale (similar to the bits in a kettle) which easily crumbles off. Any ideas. Pond's clear as a whistle. I am going to remove the elodea though when a supply of native weed arrives.
There was a single, small frog the other day which must have have just been passing through.
My pond is beneath mature trees in my garden. It's quite 'open' - there is about 10ft between pond and trees, and it gets early morning sun. The shade is great, i dont get algae or blanket weed as a result, and in the autumn i put a net over to catch the bulk of the falling leaves..... So.. Dont be put off by trees.. .. and the area around beneath the tres is perfect for frogs to hide..
Wood bought, garden cleared, plan drawn. Can anyone tell me if bricks or breeze blocks would be harmful in the water. No fish planned, just plants (and hopefully a frog or two eventually!)
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We have just finished planting our new pond. I know we won't be seeing frogs until early next year,if at all. But the variety of pondlife is fantastic to say the water has been in for only 3 weeks and just we've finished adding plants and weed.We have seen (from my limited knowledge of pondlife names) Water boatmen, diving beetles, pond skaters, a large emerald green dragon fly and a couple of pairs of mating damsel flies. As well as midge larvae and some small black beetles I have trouble seeing even with my glasses on. The larger pebbles at the edge seem well liked by the wasps. I didn't realise they liked the water so much, but if I put an apple or pear nearby it keeps them busy and out of the kitchen! So fingers crossed for frogs but even if they don't appear it is already a great place to sit and watch the insect life.
I think I might give this a go
really awesome idea
Gillian53, have you got a pic of it, please? I am still no-where near doing this. I think it may have to wait until next spring now for me. I'm still huffing about the place and am now running out of time.
My little wildlife pond needs some thinning out, under all those seedlings at front are a bed of pebbles and the stones ar starting to fall in
We have a small pond in full sun and it does really well, just fantastic for wildlife, we see more birds on here than we do on the bird table, and the frogs, they're are just fantastic, love to hear them croaking at night time in the spring, great to watch the tadpoles, and this time of year when weeding round the pond, everytime you move the foliagae a miniture frog pops out.
The frogs arrived the first spring, don't know how because we are no where near water.
And no, that is not a strange looking frog on the top, it's the wife
In fact a pond is so fantastic we are planning a bigger one for the back garden
This is a picture of the wildlife pond I dug a few years ago. Needs some taming this autumn. We love it. It's full of frogs, toads, newts, so many insects etc. My tip would be to go as large as you can because as soon as you fill it with water and plant it up - it shrinks!!
Daintiness, I hope when mine's established it looks like yours. I like the overgrown look. This week, I have seen a few different wrigglers which appear to be damsel fly larvae, although I am no expert. There were two mating on my hollyhock today but just too quick to get a pic. I can't believe just how quickly the pond has been colonised by so many insects. There was a single frog yesterday but he must have been passing through as he certainly wasn't born here.
I have noticed that some of my pond weed (elodea crispa?) has started to look slightly 'beige'. I pulled some out and it appears to be covered in limescale (similar to the bits in a kettle) which easily crumbles off. Any ideas. Pond's clear as a whistle. I am going to remove the elodea though when a supply of native weed arrives.
There was a single, small frog the other day which must have have just been passing through.
My pond is beneath mature trees in my garden. It's quite 'open' - there is about 10ft between pond and trees, and it gets early morning sun. The shade is great, i dont get algae or blanket weed as a result, and in the autumn i put a net over to catch the bulk of the falling leaves..... So.. Dont be put off by trees.. .. and the area around beneath the tres is perfect for frogs to hide..
Wood bought, garden cleared, plan drawn. Can anyone tell me if bricks or breeze blocks would be harmful in the water. No fish planned, just plants (and hopefully a frog or two eventually!)