Wildlife Pond Question

Roymand · #1 (**permalink**) 10-10-2006, 10:38 PM

I would like to make a Wildlife Pond (Frogs, Toads etc, No Fish). The problem I think I may have is that the lawn in which I would site the pond is surounded by flower borders the surface of which is covered with slate chippings. The borders have edgings of low brickwork of about 7 to 8 inches high and in front of the border edge runs a gravel path all round the edges.
The question is have I ruled out pond with frogs and the like by the design of the low maintenance garden?

Wild-Woman · #2 (**permalink**) 11-10-2006, 04:29 AM

Hello and welcome.
I wouldn't think it would be a problem. Our frogs climb a wall to get to our pond which was originally for fish but now is wildlife in the main. Perhaps you could build a little ramp from the pond in steps to the borders to give them a hand. They will need a little sheltering place outside the pond to crawl under when not breeding. That should be good for newts too. The frogs could do a good job of slug removal for you too.

Good luck on your new wildlife pond venture. Take a picture when you've built it, we'd love to have a look! WW Julie

cherrybee · #3 (**permalink**) 11-10-2006, 07:28 AM

Hi Roymand and a very warm welcome to WAB and good luck with your pond

nightshade · #4 (**permalink**) 11-10-2006, 07:33 AM

As long as there are frogs and toads in the area they will find your pond
give them a log pile or some large stones for cover and they may well stay
Welcome to WAB

smartie · #5 (**permalink**) 11-10-2006, 07:46 AM

The slate mulch shouldn't be a problem. All my flowerbeds are mulched and that doesn't deter amphibians - or blackbirds and thrushes, which turn over the mulch to find food.

If you have the space, you could surround your pond with a fringe of bog garden to provide shelter for the frogs/newts and other visiting wildlife. If you make sure you have a shallow depression at the edge of the pond birds will come and bathe, especially if you plant something shrubby to give them a safe perch nearby. We have a clump of snowberry which is used as cover in the summer and food in the winter. And make sure one side of the pond slopes gradually so that anyone who comes for a drink and falls in can get out.

Roymand · #6 (**permalink**) 11-10-2006, 09:11 AM

Thank you everyone, for your great support and encouragement. I will begin planning very soon. Building is going to be hard work. I live in North Wales and Wales means slate, great big boulders under my present lawn. Does anyone have any dynamite to spare?
Thanks again,
Roy

kaitkaitkait · #7 (**permalink**) 20-11-2006, 07:40 PM

I've dug two ponds this year ( photos of the process so far are up on my LJ galleries: Pond and POND TWO ) and it's been a BIG learning curve (as you can see from some of the photos). I've moved things around a lot in the first pond, mainly due to the realisation that I had a couple of invasive plants - floating pennywort and parrot feather!

I took both plants back to the garden centre and got an exchange, but I felt a bit bad about this: they would then sell the plants on. I recently found that the Wildlife Trust had various things to download and alert your garden centre to these harmful species. So I'm off to do that now.

Kait

Garden Carpet · #8 (**permalink**) 20-11-2006, 10:38 PM

Hi Kait, what lovely ponds you have made. Once they mature you will have some gorgeous visitors. Good luck with the next project.. what will it be?
jaki