I have had free range hens and a large pond for thirty years and have only once had a bird in need of rescue. On that occasion it was because a neighbour's dog got out and ran in through the open gate ( we are very rural) and startled it. The air in its feathers kept it afloat long enough for me to fish it out!
And do be careful about what plants you put in or around the pond. We had to completely rebuild our wild life pond as the roots of the grasses (sold as 'marginals' )had so utterly penetrated the pond line that all the water soaked away. The grass was Phragmites australis and I had to use an axe to cut the roots to dig it out.
I add plants to new ponds (and some creatures do come with them at times), there are lots of native pond plants I like, so when we renovated our pond last year I did buy some in. As Berghill says though some caution is needed as some plant species are really vigorous and can become a nuisance in a smaller pond quickly.
I think it is more about time with plants, a pond would eventually be naturally colonised by plants but it could takes years for interesting stuff to establish. Though birds and other wildlife do seem to bring seeds along.
I missed starwort off my ordering list but there is definitely some in there now, so it was either brought by wildlife from another pond or stowed away with some of the native plants I added.
With regards the chickens - there is a forum I am part of that said it is best to have something to stop them wandering in and drowning. I have made my decision on that front and am all set up to go ahead. I'd rather be cautious.
Started digging it out late this afternoon. There is a saying about getting double the soil out of a hole. Well I seem to have got at least quadruple the soil. It was very firmly compacted and the containers I had got to put the soil in are full already. It was to go in my raised beds but they haven't arrived yet. And I'm knackered!
Gemma what are your favourites for adding? I wanted it to be as simple as possible so was being really cautious about plants, but want it to be ideal for wildlife.
White water lily Brook Lime Water Violet Yellow Flag Iris Fringe Lilly Marsh Marigold Water Mint Water For Get Me Not There are a few there that could be serious trouble in a small pond, but I like them and have had them all before. I went to some effort to contain the root systems of the trouble makers. White water lilly and flag iris are both a bit notorious for taking over small ponds so I planted them up in containers. Water mint gets everywhere, but I've never had any trouble pulling it out and keeping it under control.
I have a small pond about 1 metre by 1.5m, 45cm deep (couldn't go deeper hit rock!)
I wanted blue iris sibirica but couldn't find any, so I bought yellow flag irises. That was over 10 years ago. I'm afraid I rather let the pond go, especially as a friend's lab put a claw through the expensive liner. Now the yellow flags are going rampant and even trying to come up in the lawn!
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
That is exactly how the first incarnation of our pond ended up Busy-Lizzie when the liner got punctured, I think by a heron, it became a sort of hollow filled with yellow flag.
Yellow flag, hmm I was brutal with that in our last pond and kept on top of it, but was going to possibly not have it this time. Water mint I've avoided in the past. I can't think of Brook Lime, will have to go and google...
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Perhaps the chickens are in fact ducks or at least think they are? *rofl
I have had free range hens and a large pond for thirty years and have only once had a bird in need of rescue. On that occasion it was because a neighbour's dog got out and ran in through the open gate ( we are very rural) and startled it. The air in its feathers kept it afloat long enough for me to fish it out!
And do be careful about what plants you put in or around the pond. We had to completely rebuild our wild life pond as the roots of the grasses (sold as 'marginals' )had so utterly penetrated the pond line that all the water soaked away. The grass was Phragmites australis and I had to use an axe to cut the roots to dig it out.
I add plants to new ponds (and some creatures do come with them at times), there are lots of native pond plants I like, so when we renovated our pond last year I did buy some in. As Berghill says though some caution is needed as some plant species are really vigorous and can become a nuisance in a smaller pond quickly.
I think it is more about time with plants, a pond would eventually be naturally colonised by plants but it could takes years for interesting stuff to establish. Though birds and other wildlife do seem to bring seeds along.
I missed starwort off my ordering list but there is definitely some in there now, so it was either brought by wildlife from another pond or stowed away with some of the native plants I added.
Started digging it out late this afternoon. There is a saying about getting double the soil out of a hole. Well I seem to have got at least quadruple the soil. It was very firmly compacted and the containers I had got to put the soil in are full already. It was to go in my raised beds but they haven't arrived yet. And I'm knackered!
Gemma what are your favourites for adding? I wanted it to be as simple as possible so was being really cautious about plants, but want it to be ideal for wildlife.
These are the ones a bought in:
White water lily Brook Lime Water Violet Yellow Flag Iris Fringe Lilly Marsh Marigold Water Mint Water For Get Me Not There are a few there that could be serious trouble in a small pond, but I like them and have had them all before. I went to some effort to contain the root systems of the trouble makers. White water lilly and flag iris are both a bit notorious for taking over small ponds so I planted them up in containers. Water mint gets everywhere, but I've never had any trouble pulling it out and keeping it under control.I have a small pond about 1 metre by 1.5m, 45cm deep (couldn't go deeper hit rock!)
I wanted blue iris sibirica but couldn't find any, so I bought yellow flag irises. That was over 10 years ago. I'm afraid I rather let the pond go, especially as a friend's lab put a claw through the expensive liner. Now the yellow flags are going rampant and even trying to come up in the lawn!
That is exactly how the first incarnation of our pond ended up Busy-Lizzie when the liner got punctured, I think by a heron, it became a sort of hollow filled with yellow flag.