Attract Wildlife to your Garden with a Pond

A pond is not only a beautiful focal point of your garden for you to enjoy, it is also a fantastic feature of a garden which will attract an abundance of wildlife. There are a diverse range of species which will utilise your pond and they will vary depending on the time of year.

Ponds in gardens can either be created by purchasing a pre-moulded or can be created by hollowing part of the garden and using a PVC pond liner which will mould to the shape of your desired pond. Pond liners are heavy duty and hard wearing, perfect for creating a long lasting feature in your garden. Here at UK Water Features, our Pond Liners are excellent value for money and come with a ten year guarantee they are available in a variety of sizes and are highly resistant to punctures and tearing.

 

Our Preformed Ponds are available in a variety of sizes and can be easily installed with minimal effort. If you want to shape your pond to a specific shape or size then a Pond Liner is perfect for you. It will require a sand base layer, and then simply place the liner to the shape you desire your pond to be.



What wildlife will my pond attract?

Ponds will attract a range of wildlife and plants depending on your location; these will also vary depending on the time of year due to the climate, breeding patterns and specie migration. Birds will use the pond as a water source for drinking and bathing, ponds enable birds to ruffle their feathers and spread their vital oils on their feathers which help to insulate them against the cold weather.

Depending on the depth of your pond, this will affect the species which will utilise the pond as certain species prefer shallower or deeper waters. Smaller frogs and palmate newts will inhabit shallower waters whereas deeper ponds may attract toads and great crested newts. Ponds provide a vital location in the reproduction of many wildlife species. Frogs need ponds in order to reproduce as tadpoles require the waterborne algae to feed on. Newts use leaf litter from pond plants to lay their eggs on in order to reproduce. Dragonflies will also love your pond; they will lay their eggs on plant leaves around the pond.



Hedgehogs are specie which we would never have thought use a pond, hedgehogs like to bathe in shallower ponds and search for snails and slugs in the surrounding pond areas. However it is very important to either cover your pond with a net or have a plank or branch coming out of the water so hedgehogs are able to get out of the pond safely and ensure they don’t drown.

Ponds attract a large variety of insects including dragon flies, water spiders, damselfly, water mite, diving beetle and many more. Insects help to pollinate plants as well as providing an important food source for birds, amphibians, birds and small mammals. Species which may be a common sighting at your pond will be water boatmen and water striders; they have similar characteristics as a spider but will skate along the surface of your pond.



Pond vegetation will not only help to give your pond a mature appearance but it will also attract an abundance of wildlife species. It is also important to ensure the plants you use in your pond are native to your location or else this may result in wildlife species being unable to adapt to the changing surroundings. On our online water features website we stock a large selection of water treatment products for ponds and water features, which can improve the water quality and help manage fungus and bacteria. Banish Fungus and Bacteria water additive is easy to use, whilst being safe to use with fish, pets and wildlife.


Having a pond is a fantastic opportunity for children to learn about wildlife and their surrounding natural environment. It is important that they are fully supervised at all times though as ponds can also be dangerous, especially for younger children. If you want to make your pond a little more child friendly then a net or metal grid cover will enable children to see the wildlife but will provide more safety. Another option would be to place a fence around the pond with a gate to ensure that access is only available with supervision. Ponds can be enjoyed all year round as a result of the diverse wildlife and plant life they will attract.



We hope you will choose to install a pond into your garden this summer and we’re sure you will see all the wonderful benefits of having one!

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