WILDLIFE PONDS
The addition of a pond to your garden will not only improve the look of your garden, giving it a fantastic focal point, it will also greatly increase the diversity of wildlife that chooses to visit your garden.
If you have already taken smaller measures but you are keen to do everything you can to attract animals, there are more substantial measures that we can take that will take your wildlife to the next level.
It is important that your pond has a shallow end so that amphibians such as frogs, toads and newts can easily enter and exit the water. If you have an existing pond with no shallow area, you can easily create one by mounding pebbles and a few larger rocks near to one of the edges. Some driftwood can also be added to give the newts or frogs a way of climbing out. The addition of driftwood also helps to create a really natural look to your pond.
If you have space somewhere in your garden you can create a hibernation station then close to the pond is best, but anywhere will do. This can be created from waste such as logs, branches, old pallets, twigs and leaves. Having somewhere for the newts, frogs and toads to hibernate over winter will encourage them to breed in your pond the following year and hopefully continue to do so year after year.
Make sure to maintain your pond to an extent, you want to keep it from becoming so overgrown that anything living in it struggles to move, but you also don’t want to over manage it as the plants will help oxygenate the water and create a place for creatures to hunt, hide, feed and breed. Aim to have 25-35% open water. If the water level of your pond drops in high temperatures, top it up with rain water as chemicals in tap water are harmful to aquatic species. If you must use tap water then use a good quality water conditioner.
If you have space somewhere in your garden you can create a hibernation station then close to the pond is best, but anywhere will do. This can be created from waste such as logs, branches, old pallets, twigs and leaves. Having somewhere for the newts, frogs and toads to hibernate over winter will encourage them to breed in your pond the following year and hopefully continue to do so year after year.
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