Creating a wildlife pond couldn’t be simpler and doesn’t require a garden or need to be an expensive project, so long as you have some outside space. You can dig and line a hole or use anything that will hold water, such as a bucket, washing-up bowl, trug or barrel (we used an old purple bath that had been left outside a house from a bathroom refurb!) If you have a plug to make water-tight, use marine sealant, as standard sealant is harmful to aquatic life.
When digging a hole for your pond, use a spirit-level to check it’s level to avoid seeing unsightly plastic borders at one end of the pond and if it’s going to be above ground, do provide some rocks or bricks for wildlife and to get in and out, (all ponds need either a gentle slope of 30% or less, or a ‘stairway’ made of rocks for this reason).When choosing where to position it, try to avoid too much sun or complete shade, and if possible, away from trees because the leaves are a nuisance when they fall, the roots will make digging difficult, and will probably break through the liner in time.
The pond depth should be at least 46cm, but no deeper than 3m to make maintenance easier. Build ‘ledges’ at 15cm and 40cm for marginal plants, along with an area around the edge for border plants to provide cover and encourage wildlife to visit.
Pond liners can be made from pre-cast plastic or rubber sheeting, both of which have a limited life span, or with ‘puddling clay’ for a natural and durable lining. To fill, you can add up to 1/3 tap water, but it’s best to use as much rainwater as possible. You can then let nature take it’s course and allow the pond to colonise with plants at it’s own pace as the succession of the pond as it matures is very important for different types of wildlife.
Alternatively, if you can’t wait, pond plants are best bought from an aquatic shop (to avoid introducing disease and non-native invaders) and should never be taken from the wild. Aim to use a variety of oxygenating plants to help keep the water clear.
Ornamental fish will eat natural pond-life and are best avoided in this type of pond. Lastly don’t forget to make the area safe for children by fencing or other means.
There are lots of useful and informative tutorials to help, including this one from the RSPB. https://www.rspb.org.uk/helping-nature/what-you-can-do/activities/making-a-wildlife-pond
Now you’ve made your pond, sit back, enjoy and wait for nature to take over!