I am very fortunate to have a large wildlife pond on my smallholding. Not only does it look pretty, but it also attracts an abundance of birds, bees, frogs, toads and insects, and it provides a wonderful, calming retreat – a place to sit at the end of a busy day.

The pond features shallow, sloping edges, making it easy for wildlife such as hedgehogs to access. Several weeping willow trees provide shade, and native plants, including reeds and water lilies, support biodiversity. The pond is deep in the middle, allowing the amphibian life to hibernate in the winter months. There are several small fish and one large carp in the pond, all of which I inherited when I purchased the house.

Having fish is new to me, and I have learned as I have gone on. It is relatively easy to care for fish, as they look after themselves. I feed them when they are active and enjoy watching them; it is truly that simple!

Despite living on smallholdings for a number of years, I have never had a wildlife pond until I moved here. Wildlife ponds have many advantages, such as boosting biodiversity and providing a vital water source, breeding habitat and food supply for amphibians, birds, mammals and insects. In the past, I had planned to create a wildlife pond but never really got around to it. Now that I have my own well-established pond, I see how much I was missing and would not want to be without it.

Moorhens on the pond

Carp

Seeing the ducks and moorhens swim and dive and watching the dragonflies, frogs, toads and water boatmen go about their business is a joy to behold. The swifts and swallows in the summer months, diving for drink, make me wonder how they can fly so quickly while manoeuvring around trees and fences. The speed at which they dive never ceases to amaze me, and I could watch these magnificent birds for hours.

In addition to the amazing sights and sounds the pond provides throughout the seasons, it offers key benefits, such as attracting wildlife, serving as a crucial breeding site for amphibians, and providing shelter for beautiful little mammals like hedgehogs. During the dry spells, the pond provides an essential water source for birds, mammals, and insects and attracts predators such as dragonflies, swallows, and swifts to control garden pests such as mosquitoes and midges.

Spawn

Lillies on the pond

My pond is a year-round haven, and, as it is well established, it is relatively easy to care for. We manage the reeds around the pond's perimeter, thinning them annually so they don’t become too dense, while allowing sufficient growth to protect the wildlife attracted to the pond.

I appreciate that not everyone is in a position to have a wildlife pond in their garden; however, it is still possible to have a pond in even the smallest garden, and these will attract wildlife too. An old enamel sink, a half-barrel, or a large pot can be turned into a wildlife pond, and the internet is full of ideas for creating a small garden pond using containers like these. It is important to choose the right location to site your pond, and somewhere light but not in full sun is ideal.

If you are sinking the pot into the ground to attract wildlife such as hedgehogs, make sure you create a slope inside with rocks and gravel so they can get in and out easily. It is advisable to fill your pond with collected rainwater, as tap water contains chemicals unsuitable for wildlife. Add a couple of aquatic plants to provide oxygen and shade and to help to control algae; there you have it, a wildlife pond to enjoy even in the smallest of gardens.




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