Here is our short guide to building a wildlife pond, enjoy!
Building a wildlife pond is one of the single best things you can do for local biodiversity.
Unlike a traditional fish pond, a wildlife pond focuses on shallow edges and easy access for creatures like frogs, newts, and birds.
Here is a guide to getting your ecosystem started.
1. Location and Design
As silly as it may sound, before you dig, think like a frog. You want to choose for your pond, a spot that balances both sun and safety.
- Sunlight: Ideally you should aim for a location that only gets 4–6 hours of sun a day. Whilst it might seem much at first, this is enough to keep both your aquatic plants happy and also help any tadpoles grow. At the same time this level of sunshine also helps to prevent the pond from becoming a unhealthy sea of green.
- Avoid Overhanging Trees: Falling leaves can rot and deplete oxygen levels in the water, if you have this problem with leaves you will need to spend time getting them out again.
- The “Beach” Entry: Of all the different aspects of your pond, this is the most critical design feature. At least one side should have a very gentle slope (a ramp) so that creatures can crawl in and out safely.
- Depth: Ideally, you should aim for a total depth of at least 60cm (2 feet) at the deepest point of your freshly dug pond, more if you can. This will help to provide a “safe zone” that won’t freeze solid in winter or overheat in summer.
2. Essential Materials
| Component | Purpose | Tip |
| Liner | Holds the water | EPDM rubber is durable and flexible. |
| Underlay | Protects the liner | Use old carpet or sand if on a budget. |
| Rocks & Pebbles | Covers the liner edges | Use varying sizes to create hiding spots. |
| Rainwater | Fills the pond | Tap water contains chlorine and excess nutrients. |
3. The Three Planting Zones
The plants you chose will be your filtration system for you. In an ideal world you don’t want to have to use an electric pump and UV/filter setup with a wildlife pond. If you manage to balance these three categories of plant you should be able to avoid it:
- Oxygenators: (e.g., Hornwort) These cheap and cheerful plants are a mainstay of the pond and will sit underwater and pump oxygen into the water while soaking up excess nutrients.
- Floating Plants: (e.g., Water Lilies) These plants are just as important in your pond as the oxygenators. As well as looking very attractive, they will also provide shade, which helps to keep the water cool and as a consequence also reduces algae growth.
- Marginals: (e.g., Marsh Marigold, Water Forget-me-not) These sort of plants will normally grow in the shallow “shelves” at the edges of your pond. Plants such as these will then provide the best cover for emerging froglets.
4. Step-by-Step Execution
- Mark it out: Find yourself something long and flexible such as a garden hose or rope so that you can play with the shape and change it until you are happy.
- Dig with levels: Create flat planting shelves at different depths throughout (e.g., 20cm, 40cm, and the deep hole) that you can place your plants on once filled with water.
- Remove sharp stones: Line the hole with sand or underlay.
- Lay the liner: Drape it loosely. Fill with water slowly; the weight of the water will pull the liner into the shape of the pond.
- Edge it: Only trim the excess liner after the pond is full. Tuck any remaining edges you may have under gravel or turf to hide the black plastic.
5. Pro-Tips for Success
Skip the Fish: If you want a “wildlife” pond, avoid adding goldfish or koi. They are voracious predators that will eat the dragonfly larvae, frogspawn, and newts you’re trying to attract.
- Be Patient: Don’t go to a local lake and “steal” buckets of water or frogspawn. This can spread diseases and invasive species. If you build it, they will come—usually within the first season!
- Log Piles: Build a small pile of logs or stones right next to the pond. This gives damp cover for frogs when they leave the water.
