Cultivate a Garden Full of Wildlife With a Backyard Pond
by Jane Smallman
Refacing Cabinet Columnist
If you like the idea of creating a wildlife sanctuary in your own backyard why not enhance your garden with a pond? Adding a permanent water source to your backyard provides an instant attraction for birds, mammals and insects, A pond is an attractive feature in its own right as well.
A garden with a pond immediately becomes a more attractive place for lots of different wildlife in your area. Birds and small mammals will come to drink and bathe, while all sorts of other animals and insects will make your backyard pond their home in order to breed and feed. However, plan carefully before you grab the shovel and get to work in the garden. The following tips should help you to construct a backyard pond that is both useful for local wildlife and pretty to look at.
Size. What kind of wildlife do you hope to attract? Different animals require different habitats. Frogs are happy to breed in a small pond, while toads need something bigger and deeper. Dragonflies will only visit ponds with a sunny surface area of at least 36 square feet, while mosquitoes will breed in shallow, stagnant water.
Shape. To make it look as if it is a natural part of your garden, give your pond an irregular shape. Gently sloping sides are a must so that wildlife can crawl in and out easily and to provide warm, sheltered spots for laying eggs and feeding.
Site. A sunny south-facing part of your backyard is the best place for a wildlife pond. Sunlight helps to keep essential oxygenating plants doing their job to keep the pond environment healthy by stopping the water from becoming stagnant and smelly. Water plants can also add an intriguing visual element to a garden that’s otherwise all on land.
Stock. Unless you wish to build a goldfish or carp pond, you won’t need to buy stock for your pond. The animals and insects that will soon make your pond their home will find it on their own.
About The Author
Jane Smallman runs a mountain guiding business with her husband. Her early training was in hotel management and she has worked in the hotel industry in France, Holland, the US and the UK. Following this she worked in an administrative capacity
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