This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Ponds
Lynne Clay
Posts: 16
Hi, I want to set up a wildlife pond in my small courtyard. Thinking of a 4ft x 2ft x 2ft galvanised cattle water trough. Free standing, not dug into the ground. Would I need a filter and pump? Any suggestions gratefully received.
Thank you
0
Posts
The whole idea of a wildlife pond is that it's natural, it's what you plant in the pond that's important. A pond will if planted correctly with native pond plants will after a season look after itself, no filtration is needed, just careful management of what goes into the pond.
Take a look at the link below to the rhs, there's plenty of advice there.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/Profile?pid=622
Hi, I'm not sure how successful a wildlife pond it could be if it stood 2ft tall - how would frogs, newts etc get into it and what about the essential shallow areas?
There's some info on this earlier thread http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/wildlife-gardening/wildlife-ponds/2103.html
But get the right balance of plants and you don't need filters.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I think the difficulty with creating a true wildlife pond here will be that it's raised. Insects will be able to fly in but there'll be no access for life without wings.
A pump and filter are not wildlife pond items.
What aspects of a wildlife pond would you like to create?
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thank you all for your comments. I am really interested in attracting amphibians and was planning some sort of built up ramp with logs and plants etc for entry and exit along the 4ft back of the trough. I would then try and create shallow areas in the pond with upturned terracotta planters etc.. I have not seen any preformed pools which 'fit the bill" - I thought this might work.
You need shallow 'beaches' sloping down into the water rather than shallow areas
I know this is a bit bigger than you had in mind, but it's actually a very small pond.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thank you Dovefromabove. That looks beautiful. Unfortunately I have a very small courtyard garden so some form of container pond is essential.
Right, let's think again ....................
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
These sites might be helpful
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/ponds_minipond1.shtml
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/water-life-forums/59390-wildlife-container-pond-size.html
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thank you so much Dovefromabove!