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Pond and surrounding advice please
Stagbeetle
Posts: 174
Its a new pond but tried to put everything from the old pond back into it, this was done over winter. It now has something floating on it but dont know whar it is. We are looking at putting hornwort, water mint and cotton grass in it, hope that should be ok.
We have started to put some plants around it but need a grass or something near it to help the damselflies.
where the compost bins will be stepping stones from the gate to the bird feeder and again native plants around them.
im trying to create a natural/wild grounds (on the small size) so would like it to take care of itself with some help. Which plants should be good?
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That which looks dusty might be dust or tree pollen.
In the sticks near Peterborough
That would be my first choice
In the sticks near Peterborough
Will it affect the pond?
No, it's just dust.
I don't know where you are but we've had a very dry time. Lots of dust about.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Neither water mint nor cotton grass want to be in the pond, though they like boggy conditions. Water mint will take over everywhere in about five minutes! Why not try Scirpus zebinus, the zebra rush, instead. Pretty to look at, not invasive and would be good for your damsel flies. Two sites to look at:
https://www.pondplants.co.uk/c/Marginal+Plants/4/4/
thewatergarden.co.uk/App/Stock.aspx?C=MARGINAL&F=ALL&P=4co.uk/c/Marginal+Plants/4/4/
Hi I am a new subscriber to G.W. but I have had a pond(s) for many a year, so I may be a bit stuck in my ways. That blob in the first picture looks like a mass of unfertalised frog sporn. the second from what I can make out from the picture could be Canadian pond weed or Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) both very good oxigenators, also good for composting.May I also ad put some creeping Jenny, and or some babies tears close to the outer plastic edge as close as you can get it to cover the edge of the pond in no time at all, and a couple of Hearts Tongue ferns, As the days grow longer the water will tend to go green this is natural The tadpoles will thrive on it As an added control get some Barley Straw from a pet shop and stuff half an old tight leg weigh it down in the pond.as it rots the green algie will also go. hope this helps
The frog spawn is fertile - the embryos can clearly be seen to be developing in the photograph
Thank you for all your responses
I'm going to order a few of the suggestions next week and try not to worry too much about the pond, I just want it to perfect to attract wildlife.
One of the most important features to attract wildlife is plenty of leafy cover around the edges of the pond for the frogs etc to feel safe when accessing and leaving the pond.
As you can see, we leave the lawn uncut around the edge of our pond. The marginal plants are in planting baskets on a shelf around the edge, and we have a shingle slope for hedgehogs and birds to access and escape from the pond.
At the time of the photo this pond was less than 6 months old and had already attracted frogs, newts, dragon flies, damsel flies and a grass snake, among other visitors.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.