I’m going to share with you how we made our small wildlife pond.
My daughter Chloe loves animals, birds and wildlife and is often found at various RSPB nature reserves across the UK. When we are on family walks she likes to point out different moths, bees, butterflies and birds.
A couple of months ago she asked if she could make a small wildlife pond in the garden, using an old plastic storage box. She tried to dig a hole in the garden to for the box to sit in but we live in a new build house and I think they just put a bit of soil down, over the concrete and then coverewd with some turf, so trying to dig a hole is near on impossible!
I suggested to Chloe that she make a wildlife pond at our allotment instead. We found a suitable spot near the back of our plot and Chloe set to work digging a hole.
Chloe started by digging a square that was about a foot deep, she then extended it into a rectangle shape and created different levels to help it be more appealing to different types of wildlife. She also made one end of the pond shallow so that wildlife can climb in and out easily.
We tried to get some pond lining but we were too impatient to wait for it to arrive, so we actually used some weed membrane which is actually thinner than pond lining but we were very careful with it so we didn’t rip it (so far the lining has been good but I don’t know how long it will last, if you want a long term pond I would recommend getting proper pond lining)
When fitting the lining into the hole Chloe gently pushed the lining into the different levels in the pond. You also want to make sure that you have a good amount of overlap around the edge of the pond, which we then covered in soil to hold it in place.
Then comes the fun bit of filling it up!!!
Once the pond was filled up Chloe added some pebbles and stones to the bottom of the pond to create a great habitat for different wildlife. She also added some fallen sticks and logs that we found to one end of the pond, again to allow wildlife to get in and out and some shingle around the outside. Now we just need to get some plants to put round the outside and some that overhang to create shade as this helps reduce problems with algae, although in saying that you don’t want the whole thing in shade.
Chloe added a little ‘welcome’ sign and some sticks and shingle around the outside. We are looking forward to seeing the pond and the surrounding area progress and grow.
Chloe often shares places she has been and the wildlife she sees on instagram.
Amy