Pond Plants That Will Help Wildlife Through the Seasons
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2nd December 2023Whether you already have a wildlife pond in your garden, or if you are interested in creating one, no doubt you will have a few questions about design and maintenance. Here are some of the most common questions and answers regarding the creation and planting of your pond.
What is the best time of year to build a garden pond?
The Wildlife Trusts recommends that although you can build a pond at any time of the year, the best time is autumn or late winter, as this will help it to get established faster. It allows some time for the water balance and nutrients to settle before the spring breeding season, when you may notice frogs and insects arriving.
You can also add pond plants at any time of the year, although they are more readily available in spring and summer when perennial species begin to regenerate.
What is the best location for a garden pond?
Choose a warm sunny spot for the pond, which will help the water to warm up more quickly in springtime. If possible, look for partial shade for at least some of the day, as this will help to manage the growth of algae. However, a large deciduous tree with overhanging branches can be problematic as the leaves can pollute the water if allowed to accumulate.
What size and depth should the pond be?
If you want to attract wildlife to your pond, then larger tends to be better, but even a small pond or a container will be a useful source of water. A pond with a depth of 60-75cm at the central point and variable shelving of up to between 20-25 cm is ideal for supporting a range of plants and wildlife, and to reduce the risk of water evaporation.
Is it safe to fill my pond with tap water?
Ideally, you should fill the pond up with rainwater, either by collecting it in a butt, diverting a downpipe, or waiting for nature to take its course, however this is not always practicable so you may have to use tap water instead.
Tap water is not ideal as it contains more nutrients than rainwater and also has added chemicals which can be harmful to wildlife and fish. Historically the main chemical additive has been chlorine, which is used to disinfect the water, and standard advice has been to leave the water to stand for a day or two to allow the chlorine to dissipate before adding it to a pond.
However, water companies may now use chloramine instead of chlorine, which is a combination of chlorine and ammonia. This is designed to persist in the water much longer so leaving it to stand for a few days will have no effect.. In this case it is advisable to neutralise it with special additive products, such as Ecopond Chlorine Guard.
How many plants should I buy for my pond?
The number of plants that you buy will depend on the size and depth of your pond, how well established or densely planted you want it to look, and whether you want to see open expanses of water. The area of planting shelves will also determine, and may place a limit on, the number of plants you can fit in the pond: if designing the pond allow for around 30% of the area for planting shelves. Note however that bog filters and swimming ponds need to have a much greater planting area (known as a regeneration zone) than this.
Even a small pond should contain a good mixture of submerged (oxygenating and deep water) plants, emergent (marginal) plants, and surface plants. This will help to oxygenate the water, provide a good habitat for wildlife, give some cover which will help to keep the pond cooler on sunny days, and reduce excess nutrients in the water. High levels of nutrients and warm water can promote excessive alga growth.
Aim to have about 40% of the pond filled with plants, but do not overfill it because this will block too much sunlight and stifle the levels of oxygen in the pond.
As a rule of thumb allow 1-2 oxygenators for each square meter of pond surface, 3 to 5 marginals per linear meter of shelving (3 will take some time to develop, 5 will give an established look more quickly) and enough deep water and floating plants to cover at least 50% of the surface when in leaf.
Where can you buy pond plants?
Ideally, source your pond plants from a reputable online supplier or a garden centre. You will generally find that garden centres, where they have aquatic plants, will stock a very limited range and may not have very knowledgeable staff. A specialist online nursery like ours will have a wide range of both native and non-native plants and a deep knowledge of the subject, and are always happy to give advice.
In the UK some species of pond plant are banned due to their invasive nature, and it is illegal to sell them or cause them to be released in the wild, and others, whilst legal, may be equally invasive and not suitable for certain types of ponds and locations. Many of these will be sold online on some of the better known auction type sites, which are best avoided, even though they may appear temptingly cheap. Check out the list of banned plants before you buy. Do not be tempted to introduce plants that have been taken from the wild or other garden ponds, as you may risk spreading pests and diseases.
Why has the water turned cloudy and green?
If your pond experiences excessive algae growth then this can make the water turn green and soupy, or clog the pond and plants with filamentous strands known generically as blanket weed.
To some extent blanket weed can be controlled by scooping it out with a net, your hands or twiring it around a stick, however this will not address the underlying cause, which is generally a combination of excess nutrients in the water and too much direct sunlight both heating up the water and helping the algae photosynthesise and multiply.
Soupy green water, also known as new pond syndrome, may only be a temporary phenomenon and is caused by an explosion of single-celled algae in the water. This cannot be scooped out but will often disappear of its own accord, especially once the main planting in the pond gets into its stride in the growing season.
To discourage algae growth, make sure 50% or more of the pond surface is covered by plants and you have a good level submerged oxygenating plants and a good density of marginal planting in the pond. Do not allow fertilisers from the lawn to run off into the pond during rainfall, and ensure good pond hygiene by removing leaves and decaying plant foliage before it has a chance to rot down into the pond. Adding tap water to the pond can also encourage algae growth by adding too many nutrients, so wherever possible, use rainwater instead.
How can I attract amphibians to my pond?
Garden ponds are an important breeding ground for frogs, toads, and newts. You may well notice spawn appearing in the spring, especially if you have a pond that is at least 60cm deep and at least 2m x 2m, which is considered large enough to be a breeding site. Shallow ponds can make the tadpoles too vulnerable to predators.
The pond should ideally have easy entry and exit points, including tiered edges and gently sloping sides. The pond should also have plenty of plants to provide shelter and attract insects which are an important food source. Submerged plants help to oxygenate the water and also provide hiding places and food for tadpoles and newts.
Surface plants will provide shelter and small frogs will bask on the leaf surface of species such as water lily. Marginal plants also provide shelter and help emerging froglets to leave the water for the first time. Avoid putting fish in your pond if you want to attract amphibians, as they will prey on spawn and tadpoles.
How can I attract butterflies to my pond?
One of the joys of having a pond in your garden is observing the coming and going of invertebrates, particularly beautiful and delicate creatures such as butterflies and dragonflies. These insects also play an important role in pollinating plants and flowers in your garden, and are a part of the food chain.
Therefore, planting native marginal pond plants that flower in spring and summer will attract butterflies who will feed on their nectar. Useful species to try include Marsh marigold, Forget-me-not, Purple loosestrife, and Flowering rush.
How can I attract dragonflies to my pond?
Dragonflies and damselflies may choose to use your pond as a breeding site, particularly if you include strong emergent plants that the larvae will use to climb out of the water and will also provide roosting, perching and egg-laying sites. Good species to try include Irises, Reedmaces (Typhas) and Flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus). A good variety of flowering plants throughout the season will also attract plenty of other insects for them to feed on.
Ideally, the pond should be in a sunny position and also provide some shelter from the wind, provided either by marginal planting or other vegetation growing around the pond.