Think chalk river margins, coastal rainforests and rockpools… environments where land meets water are usually supercharged for wildlife! Ponds support a huge range of species.

As well as an impressive diversity living in and on the water, ponds are wonderful for our terrestrial wildlife. They supply drinking water, shelter and a supply of both insect and plant-based food.

Over 75% of ponds have been lost in the last century. That’s almost 1 million ponds, along with all the biodiversity they supported, vanished from the UK landscape. We can collectively help reverse this by creating our own ponds for wildlife.

When planning a pond, dive into the mind of the wildlife you are trying to attract and conserve; be it a frog, dragonfly nymph, or the rather squishy head of a hoverfly larva - each will have different requirements, but they can all be catered for with a well-planned pond.

Here are some tips to get you started:

Position – make your pond a sunny, central feature
To enjoy your pond the most, plan for it to be a focal point of the garden. For instance, consider digging up a section of lawn right next to a patio area, or where it’s easily seen from your home. A sunny area is best. Avoid siting it under a tree or in deep shade.

Maximise your margins
Shallow margins and edges are most important as they will be home to the most wildlife. Consider a wiggly edge rather than a perfect circle to create more of a margin.

Depths and profile, plan before you dig!
Deeper areas provide refuges in drier months. Shelves will create spots for animals to spawn and will allow for the placement of pond plants. A deeper pit in the middle will form a shelter in freezing conditions.

Be sure to include raised ridges and mounds as part of the profile of the pond. These act as ’retaining bunds’ which, once the pond has been lined, you can fill behind with pebbles or sand. You can plant into these without worrying about the material falling away and this can also be a good way to hide the liner.

Planting
To make your pond the best it can be for wildlife, try to include a variety of plant types: edge (Marsh Marigold, Iris, Water Forget-me-not), floating (Frogbit) and submerged (Water Crowfoot, Hornwort). Deturf or clear a bit of extra ground around the pond for additional planting such as Greater Birds-foot Trefoil, Betony and Common Knapweed – they’ll bee popular with pollinators (excuse the pun)!

Arrival of wildlife
Akin to a pot noodle, just after adding water, wildlife can arrive as the new pond fills.

Within the first year, you might expect:

• Under the water: Tiny animals like Copepods, Daphnia and Ostracods. Flatworms, water beetles, Water Boatmen, freshwater shrimps, Water Slaters, Mayfly, Caddisfly and Hoverfly larvae, dragonfly and damselfly nymphs

• On and around the pond: Pond Skaters skating, bees drinking and pollinating, Broad-bodied Chaser dragonflies and Large Red Damselflies hovering, birds sipping and bathing, Pipistrelle bats hunting

• And, in time: Frogs, toads, newts, Hedgehogs

Other thoughts:

•          Bare mud, damp logs and sun lit rocks can boost invertebrate interest and create micro habitats for wildlife.

•          Don’t add goldfish, they’ll eat almost everything else!

•          Only use native plants when planting – avoid invasive species.

•          Include an area to get closer to the pond and observe how it develops and changes; be sure to keep everyone safe by making a barrier to restrict access by young children or dogs.

•          Install a water butt and use the overflow to keep your pond topped up.

•          Show your neighbours the new pond, hopefully they’ll be encouraged to create their own!

Instant gratification

Here are before and after photos of the pond I created in my Nana’s garden taken just three weeks apart – you can see just how quickly a pond can start to become established!

No space eh? Oh yes you have!

A pond doesn’t have to be a large, elaborate feature! Even the smallest of ponds will be used by wildlife and creating a mini wildlife pond is a hugely fun activity. Here’s how:

• Take a watertight container about 30cm deep

• Place in a hole in the ground

• Add logs or rocks so terrestrial wildlife can access the pond

• Fill it up with water.

If you don’t have a watertight container to hand, line a plant pot with a section of pond liner. You don’t even need a garden - so long as wildlife can hop in and out, all you need is a front step to attract life to your new pot-puddle!

Want something even simpler?
Try this: Leave a tray (5-10cm deep) in a partly sunny place and let it fill with rain, place some moss, sticks or logs in it. I did this partly accidently in our garden and when I checked back a week later, amazing! Hundreds of mayfly nymphs were living there, sharing the water with snorkelling young hoverflies and bright red Chironomid larvae. Such an easy win!

Find out more

I hope I have proved how fantastic a wildlife pond can be. Inspired to find out more? Head to our website for step-by-step instructions about how to build a pond, make a mini pond or create a bog garden hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/actions