new Wildlife pond any advice

[southlonder]

I built a small 1.6 by 1 by .7 m wildlife pond on Saturday.
Any advice on how to put plants etc in it ?

[tigger]

Hi Southlonder. I have a new pond in my garden (completed in June). When it was dug we made sure there was a shelf around the edge (about 8inch deep) where we could plant aquatics that don't like the deep water, then the rest of the stuff has gone in the deeper water (about 1 1/2 ft), I also shallowed the water at one end, so that birds can use it to bath and drink, and made sure I put lots of rocks and old wood around the edge (for stuff to crawl into and hide).

With regards to "how" I put plants in, I actually bought some woven plant pots. These are great because you can turn the top over and make them what ever depth/size you need for the specific plant you are putting in, and they cling onto the shelf a lot easier than plastic aquatic pots (they also stop the roots from escaping quite so fast and the plants taking over the pond).

I've tried to stick to native pond plants (wild watercress, mint, etc) but I must admit I would quite like a lily as the centrepiece!

Lots of insects have already moved in (including two southern hawkers), plus a frog and snails and the foxes and badgers use it to drink.... I love it (don't know how I survived without it in the garden).

Good luck with yours!

Jane

[southlonder]

Where did you get the plants from ? Are there any no nos ? E.g do not plant x, y etc ?

[djackso]

I found this checklist of invasive non-native plants to avoid, if it helps:

Australian Swamp Stonecrop, New Zealand Stonecrop, New Zealand Pigmyweed (Crassula helmsii)
Canadian Waterweed or Pondweed (Elodea canadensis)
Curly Waterweed (Lagarosiphon major or Elodea crispa)
Fanwort (Cabomba carolinana)
Floating Pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides)
Giant Salvinia (Salvinia molesta)
Green Seafingers (Codium fragile)
Lesser Duckweed (Lemna miniscla)
Nuttall's Waterweed (Elodea nuttallii)
Parrot's Feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum or Myriophullym brasiliensis)
Water Fern (Azolla filliculoides)
Water Hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes)
Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes)
Water Primrose (Lugwigia grandiflora)

Maidenhead Aquatics had native species when I went - you should have an idea of possible species in mind before you visit a Water Garden Centre .

I use Hornwort as an oxygenator and I also grow Water Soldier, Water Starwort, Frogbit, Arrowhead and various rushes (some native) and irises. The irises I have are not native (too large), and I certainly wouldn't recommend the larger, native "bullrushes" - these are not suitable for a small pond. Try and find some smaller emergents. Do not introduce Duckweed, native or not!

[Ruth Daniel]

Try to use aquatic compost too as it will help to keep the water cleaner.
A dwarf water lily is also a good idea as well to cover a portion of the surface water.
A good garden centre will give you advice too.
You'll soon have frogs and other inhabitants moving in.
Good luck!

[galanthus]

a good book to buy for reference is the Rock and Water Garden Expert by Dr D G Hessayon, you should be able to pick one up on ebay for around £2 plus postage.

You don't say how deep your pond is, however, in the main you need oygenating plants, deep water aquatic plants, marginal plants and a few bog plants if you have a muddy bit on the edge.

I have one medium lily - frogs love sitting on the pads, 1 water hawthorn - gorgeous and fragrant , 1 golden club and one arum lily - great for emergents - as deep plants, very good mix.

As marginals I have water forget me nots, pickerel weed, carex, flag and iris, kingcup, juncus. Can't remember what oxygenators I have altogether but if you look at djackso's list the unwanted pests are included there, tho I do have curly pondweed and the insects etc love that. I'm sure there's more but just came in from work so no brain

[shei111]

Originally Posted by galanthus

a good book to buy for reference is the Rock and Water Garden Expert by Dr D G Hessayon, you should be able to pick one up on ebay for around £2 plus postage.

You don't say how deep your pond is, however, in the main you need oygenating plants, deep water aquatic plants, marginal plants and a few bog plants if you have a muddy bit on the edge.

I have one medium lily - frogs love sitting on the pads, 1 water hawthorn - gorgeous and fragrant , 1 golden club and one arum lily - great for emergents - as deep plants, very good mix.

As marginals I have water forget me nots, pickerel weed, carex, flag and iris, kingcup, juncus. Can't remember what oxygenators I have altogether but if you look at djackso's list the unwanted pests are included there, tho I do have curly pondweed and the insects etc love that. I'm sure there's more but just came in from work so no brain

Hello Galanthus. thanks for that information, ive just ordered my Dr Hessayon water and rock book from e bay. Ilook forward to thr read. shei

[Ida]

Originally Posted by southlonder

Where did you get the plants from ? Are there any no nos ? E.g do not plant x, y etc ?

When I stocked my pond I ordered online through a company called Puddle Plants. They've got a good range of clearly marked native species, were reasonably priced, and all the plants were of very good quality. I'd definitely recommend them, and no, I'm not on commission.

[shei111]

Originally Posted by Ida

When I stocked my pond I ordered online through a company called Puddle Plants. They've got a good range of clearly marked native species, were reasonably priced, and all the plants were of very good quality. I'd definitely recommend them, and no, I'm not on commission.

Thanks ida, thats worth noting as we are about to dig a bigger pond in the garden this autumn. shei

[bigwig]

Hi I used the woven plant pots in my ponds, too. As Tigger said they have distinct benefits. I also have gravel and pebbles in my ponds - the snails like the pebbles to sit on

[shei111]

When I bough 2 new pond plants this spring , when you buy them why are they alays bursting the sides to get out of the pot, I got to larger pots ordinary pots from your garden , I put 3 inches washed pea shingle in 3 to 4 inches top soil press firmly down got the pond plant put it in and topped the pot up with more pea shingle, gently sink in the pond and hey presto one happy plant done yourself without buying the" proper pond planter" plus there speical soil, save pounds doing it that way, my plants are thriving lovely, I had to take some plants out so I split some and re planted some for my son the same way, and his are doing very well. You can ecnomise with a lot of things making something up.Its not being tight but just practical shei