Attract Wildlife to your garden
As water is essential for all animal life, a wildlife haven can be created by adding even a small pond and one of the best ways of attracting wildlife into a garden.
A natural balance is acquired by adding a wide variety of plants. Oxygenating plants help keep the water clean and add oxygen to the water. Water lilies and floating plants provide shelter whilst marginal and deep water plants provide a breeding ground for a variety of wildlife.
Ensure there is a shallow shelf in the pond. The shallow areas encourage wildlife and allow planting of marginal plants which, as well as looking attractive, tall varieties with straight leaves allow insects such as damselflies to crawl out and short bushy plants create shelter and a breeding ground.
Container grown marginal plants can be set in gravel. This medium encourages the useful cleaning bacteria that help prevent algae growth and can be arranged to allow animals to
climb out which is essential. If the sides of the pond are steep, use bricks or upturned pots to make a ledge for plants. Slate can be used as an attractive shelf.
A damp area at the side of the pond planted with moisture loving plants or pond plants that tolerate drier conditions is ideal as it provides a moist area with cover for frogs and toads. Try adding some rocks for effect and shelter.
To help pollinating insects, why not choose plants that are perfect for pollinators, look for the RHS logo.
Have you got everything you need before you leave?
Marginal plants – provide shelter, a breeding ground and remove nitrates
Oxygenating plants – provide essential oxygen
Floating plants – provide shade, shelter and remove nitrates
Lilies – provide shade & shelter
Aquatic baskets and aquatic soil for the above
Snails – Ramshorns eat algae on the sides of a pond, Trapdoor snails eat algae on the bottom
Please protect our environment. No plants should be disposed of in the wild as
even native ones placed in the wrong location may cause environmental damage.
Compost them or take them to your local refuse centre. For more information please see Non Native Species Secretariat
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