Lindsay, i so happy that you did that. Its no longer a bowl its a wildlife haven and a beautiful home for so many creatures we hardly notice. All for the price of a few pebbles, some gorgeous plants and a washing-up bowl! You've inspired quite a few people too from what i read here.
You must be so thrilled Lindsay My head is full of ideas now and I've just got to sort out where to site a micro/mini pond in the garden and find out about what plants to put in it. It's an exciting project.
I'm really pleased that my tiny pond has provoked such positive response (as well as a frog!). It really is a simple project - the basic pond took me a couple of hours and then I spent a few more hours over the next few days adding the rockery effect and the plants and that was it - job done. Low maintenance and big rewards!
Hi Lindsay, can you remember which plants you bought for your micro pond? I only ask as my local pond people are in a multi chain thingy and the assistants a bit fey when asked a question! so I shall probably have to buy from the internet. I am assuming they were a dwarf variety of something a bit like a rock garden on land? You must be delighted at how your wonderful project has spurred so many people on to have a go
frensclan, I don't know the names of the two marginal plants I bought but here's a picture taken just after I put them in....
....as you can see, one is a grassy type and the other a more leafy one. The leafy one had a white flower on it last month and the leaves have become a deeper shade edging toward dark red at times. They have both grown quite a bit and I may have to divide them and give some to neighbours!
I just put them into the water in the pots they came in so that the water level is about 1/2" over the top of the pots, weighting them down with some stones.
Hope that helps! They didn't have a great deal to choose from when I went to the garden centre really but for tiny ponds I was told marginals were the thing to choose.
I think that as long as you pick marginals in small pots (mine are about 3.5" across) they will be fine. I went for the grassy one to give some height, elegance and movement and then a contrasting form for the opposite corner. I went back to get a floating hyacinth a few weeks later, but when I saw the size of them I realised it was a no go!
Best to just pick two plants that you really like so that there is still plenty of open water.Putting the stones in and around, and maybe little clay pots as I did, will add the extra interest.
By the way - Mr froggy was nowhere to be seen and I assumed he must have been passing through. However, he's been parked in the pond all day today,just his nose and eyes poking out...he has changed positions, so I know he is still alive! It's very hard now to stop myself from keep going to peep at him but I don't want to frighten him away. If he stays around much longer I'm afraid I will be giving him a name!!!
Saw a friend of mine last night who deals in 2nd hand furniture and Bric-a-brac and asked her to pick me up a baby's bath when she is next at the little local auction, to make a small pond. She said she hadn't seen one for 10 or 12 years! So what do people bathe their babies in nowadays?
I think this thread is really inspiring and shows just how easily you can create a pond habitat. I started off with a washing up bowl myself Lindsay, sunk to its rim and I did have a frog in there for a couple of years but I think mine was in too much shade.
Just thinking - how about creating a bog environment around the micro ponds by digging out the soil surrounding the pond and laying down a waterproof membrane with a few holes jabbed in it. I saw a video with Alan Titchmarsh doing this,even some old compost bags would do. I've done that on one side of my pond. Then some wetland plants could provide extra cover for any frogs? It really is brilliant to see ideas in action and making garden features wildlife friendly
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Lindsay, i so happy that you did that. Its no longer a bowl its a wildlife haven and a beautiful home for so many creatures we hardly notice. All for the price of a few pebbles, some gorgeous plants and a washing-up bowl! You've inspired quite a few people too from what i read here.
You must be so thrilled Lindsay
My head is full of ideas now and I've just got to sort out where to site a micro/mini pond in the garden and find out about what plants to put in it. It's an exciting project.
I'm really pleased that my tiny pond has provoked such positive response (as well as a frog!). It really is a simple project - the basic pond took me a couple of hours and then I spent a few more hours over the next few days adding the rockery effect and the plants and that was it - job done. Low maintenance and big rewards!
Hi Lindsay, can you remember which plants you bought for your micro pond? I only ask as my local pond people are in a multi chain thingy and the assistants a bit fey when asked a question! so I shall probably have to buy from the internet. I am assuming they were a dwarf variety of something a bit like a rock garden on land? You must be delighted at how your wonderful project has spurred so many people on to have a go
frensclan, I don't know the names of the two marginal plants I bought but here's a picture taken just after I put them in....
....as you can see, one is a grassy type and the other a more leafy one. The leafy one had a white flower on it last month and the leaves have become a deeper shade edging toward dark red at times. They have both grown quite a bit and I may have to divide them and give some to neighbours!
I just put them into the water in the pots they came in so that the water level is about 1/2" over the top of the pots, weighting them down with some stones.
Hope that helps! They didn't have a great deal to choose from when I went to the garden centre really but for tiny ponds I was told marginals were the thing to choose.
Yes, I would be keen to know that info about plants too please
I think that as long as you pick marginals in small pots (mine are about 3.5" across) they will be fine. I went for the grassy one to give some height, elegance and movement and then a contrasting form for the opposite corner. I went back to get a floating hyacinth a few weeks later, but when I saw the size of them I realised it was a no go!
Best to just pick two plants that you really like so that there is still plenty of open water.Putting the stones in and around, and maybe little clay pots as I did, will add the extra interest.
By the way - Mr froggy was nowhere to be seen and I assumed he must have been passing through. However, he's been parked in the pond all day today,just his nose and eyes poking out...he has changed positions, so I know he is still alive! It's very hard now to stop myself from keep going to peep at him but I don't want to frighten him away. If he stays around much longer I'm afraid I will be giving him a name!!!
Wonderful job Lindsay. Please don't call him Kermit - he'll get a complex
Frensclan and artjak I would like the names of plants too
Saw a friend of mine last night who deals in 2nd hand furniture and Bric-a-brac and asked her to pick me up a baby's bath when she is next at the little local auction, to make a small pond. She said she hadn't seen one for 10 or 12 years! So what do people bathe their babies in nowadays?
I think this thread is really inspiring and shows just how easily you can create a pond habitat. I started off with a washing up bowl myself Lindsay, sunk to its rim and I did have a frog in there for a couple of years but I think mine was in too much shade.
Just thinking - how about creating a bog environment around the micro ponds by digging out the soil surrounding the pond and laying down a waterproof membrane with a few holes jabbed in it. I saw a video with Alan Titchmarsh doing this,even some old compost bags would do. I've done that on one side of my pond. Then some wetland plants could provide extra cover for any frogs? It really is brilliant to see ideas in action and making garden features wildlife friendly