Tiny City Pond Help

Unknown said:

Hi all, so I've decided to try and fit a pond in to my small city garden and I'm looking for opinions about how small it really can be.

We don't have a big space and we've already got wildflower patches, a bedding area with seasonal flowers, bushes, log pile, a tree, a shed and we have a dog who needs to play on some grass.

This all doesn't leave us with much room and the only place we can squeeze a watery patch in is down next to the fence, near the shed and tree, not ideal, but its the only space left.

So I measured it out and it will be about 190 cm long (give or take) and only 70cm at its widest. From what I've read I need to make sure it is deeper than 90cm to avoid freezing completely. Does this small size sound even feasible?

We're not putting any fish in, its solely for attracting insects and if any frogs do happen to be on a city break.

The RSPB have a factsheet on ponds on the homes for wildlife section of the website

http://www.rspb.org.uk/hfw/factsheets/HFW14.pdf.

Hi Thomas
You'll not believe how excited I've been to read about all the fantastic features in your garden. My colleagues on the web team thought I was like a little boy in a chocolate factory :o) mmm yum chocolate!

Having put a pond in my own garden this year I'd say its the best thing you can do even if just from your own personal peace of mind - they are great to sit by and relax watching all the activity going on!

Some work by the Biodiversity in Urban Gardens in Sheffield project (BUGS) that even a water feature as small as 70 x 30 cm x 25cm deep can support aquatic life! So your plot is not too small and anything is possible. Try getting a copy of 'No Nettles Required' by Ken Thompson.

There is some advice for small ponds and water features you may want to look at: http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/gardening/pondsforwildlife/small_features.asp 

You may want to consider if are you trying to cram too many habitats into a small space? You already have lots of amazing features in the garden, which anyone serious about wildife should have in their garden - and for its size is more than many manage with a huge plot! If there are water features nearby, you may decide your dog will love you even more if you don't steal a chunk of its play space for all that amazing wildlife! 

A good wildlife garden is equally as important to our own well-being as that of the wildlife we want to share it with. Its good to plan the garden to suit everyones needs - take a look at how Sarah and Derek Niemann set about ensuring the family and wildlife were happy with plans for their small town garden. While visiting those pages you may want to sign up to our Homes for Wildlife project where there's all kinds of garden advice available: http://www.rspb.org.uk/hfw/about/casestudies/planning.asp

Good luck with what is a very difficult decision and I hope I've been of help? Looking forward to seeing more posts about how you've created your wildlife haven. It would be an inspiration to others if you could share them through this forum.

Hi Thomas,

I think you will get loads of enjoyment out of a pond and you will wonder why you never did it before. I have had one in my garden for 25 years. At first it started small but it has grown since it was firstput in and holds nearly 3000 galons of water. I also have a waterfall that flows into a stream that then returns back to the pond. This is pumped at the rate of 1000 gallons an hour and is like a magnet to the birds that want to drink or take a quick dip. When I first did it I thought the flow would be to fast for them but even the small birds that visit have no problems with this.

I would point out that you dont have to go to all the trouble of installing big pumps like I have, the reason I have done it is because my pond contains fish. But it still attracts lots of wildlife frogs newts and loads of different insects 

ha ha well I'm happy to have brought some chocolate factory excitement to your office over this. What a great compliment.

Whilst you've indulged chocolate fantasies today I've sweated in this muggy weather digging and filling my new pond, I'm already so pleased with it. Once we decided we could squeeze one in, I knew we'd love it, but I was concerned how viable it would be at such a small size, hence my questions. Once I knew it was fine at that size then it wasn't a difficult decision, its off in a corner of the garden anyway, so the dog just loses a small patch of running area and we gain a range of new things to observe.

I don't think our garden looks crowded (yet), even with the new addition and we still have the largest percent just grass for play and party, so I'm hoping that so far we've still got a good balance between our use and wildlife. There is of course the danger of too many small habitats, where just one larger one would have been best, but for now I'll just have to hope that isn't the case.

The only inhabitants who don't seem thrilled with the new feature are the mice as I think I blocked up a few of their trails next to the fence as I shifted earth around, I heard some crazy squeaking as they tried to get around me and one even ran over my foot!

Additionally with all the recent rain our water butt was full and so I managed to fill the whole thing with rain water. I'm now just trying to figure out what plants, how many and where from to stock it with.

Hi Thomas
Don't know how long it'll take for you to read this as you're probably sat by the pond relaxing and enjoying it after all your hard work. I'm glad you've taken the plunge so to speak - you'll not regret it I'm sure.

Now, at risk of being discovered running an illegal gambling emporium on this forum - I bet you'll have pond skaters move in by next Monday!!

If anyone on this forum has any advance on that please place your 'bets' here!

Hopefully to you will soon get whirly gig beetles - they and the pond skaters were first to inhabit my pond even before I'd finished filling it. They have now bred and the whirligigs are mad! There's loads of them swimming about like they are on speed or something! It’s enough to make you dizzy.

Good luck with your plants it is a very risky affair getting species of good native provenance. I begged and brought mine. I'd look in a good wild plant book first (Try 'The Wildflower Key' by Francis Rose) before you do anything - at least that will identify what is native, the distribution and optimum growing conditions. Make a list from that and then you can't go far wrong, plus you'll have a good idea of what they all should look like. You may want to try looking on this website to:
http://www.floralocale.org/content.asp?did=23794 

You do have to be very careful in garden centres because still there are many selling non-native invasive aquatics. So much a concern this is, that Plantlife are running a survey, which I would urge anyone to take part or at least read about the issues and threats, from these non-natives. You will find information and the survey here: http://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/plantlife-get-involved-againsttheflow-surveyform.html

Don't forget everyone, please post your bets here as to when Thomas will have his first insects move in and what they might be.

I shall be watching this post with anticipation of a picture of your first pond skater early next week. In the meantime, I'm dipping back into the chocolates :o)

John

I am not a gambling person but I thought I would dive in at the deep end on this occassion!!!!!!

I say Tuesday or Wednesday for Thomas's Pond Skaters.

Thomas, you are lucky to have a pond : hopefully you will have frogs next  year.

I'll back the dark horse at long odds and say whirlygig beetles on Tuesday. :)

Hi Thomas
I guess there's still no sign of anything yet? I never have been a gambling man - it looks as though things ain't improved.

It's taken me a while to return a post - I could use the excuse I had to work out the botanic names to your plant list :o) and its taken me all this time! But no, I confess there was a couple I had to double check on but I had an idea what most were. I've actually been busy on other duties - mainly sparrows including in London, advising on this project: http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/details.asp?id=tcm:9-219230 

As you are going away, you could put your friends in charge of checking when the first bugs arrive :o) They will then see what excites you so much about a pond. Once you start getting insects breeding in the pond, the birds, especially sparrow will love it. They can be right little devils at picking off emerging damselflies.

You mention about the birds coming to the edge of the pond, I'd be interested to know what you and others are using by way of techniques to finish the edge of their ponds. So many people use a hard edge often all the way round, but there are better methods which would be good to share here and pass on.

I personally have gone mostly for a soft grass edge. On one edge there is a series of small logs holding back the grass. The edge that is under decking, animals are able to get out and find all kinds of nooks and crannies I have created using bricks, logs and wood chippings under the deck as per the work in progress picture.

The plank of wood on the near edge is a temporary feature until the grass establishes and I can take it away to allow the grass to hangover into the pond. The logs across what appears to be the back of the pond actually form the edge of a bog garden which extends behind the logs and is all part of the pond when full. 

Look forward to reading anyone's ideas and seeing pictures on the subject of pond edges.

John

Oooh John, that looks exciting. Could you please keep us updated, especially a photo when it's completed. Have fun! I'd love to have a pond but I'm struggling to keep up with the work in the garden as it is due to arthritis. The other day I even considered  (hope you're sitting down)  lock blocking the lawn area. Don't worry, I woke up the following morning shocked that the thought had even entered my head. I put it down to the painkillers!!