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Hmmm plant pot or pond...

Have a broad, shallow plant pot thingy (it's not really a pot it had another name but I can't remember what it is) I'm thinking of plugging up the holes in and turning into a pond for the corner of the wildlife garden (bit of a joke that, the wildlife garden is the least overgrown part of the garden hahaha!).  Just need to find something to plug up the holes with and something to put in it to make a way for critters to climb in and out of it!  What plants are good for a small pond? 

  • Hi KatTai,

    I have a wildlife pond which is my main pond for the Frogs/Froglets etc, but I have also turned a square planter into another small water feature, this planter did not have holes as it was a new one, then I put a inverted plant pot inside and placed a some bricks on top, then added some water Hyacinth you can buy lots of different ones in the fish aquarium place in garden centers. Then I placed some rocks and stones near it and there are nearby shrubs just overhanging to one side, and the Frogs are using it, one seems to live in there most of the time, prefers it to the pond. It is full of rainwater this is best for all ponds and water feature containers, better than tapwater.! I have another pond which I am still finishing off I also put oxgenating pond plant  in there, which you can buy in bags at the garden centre aquarium, these are just small net bags  called Eloda Crispa, you can just drop that in your pond or containers and it keeps the water clearer. Worth doing the Frogs and Toads need this habitat, it all helps them  :)

  • Thanks Sharon, I'll have a look for those plants :D  

  • I have an old sink that had the plughole filled with concrete to make a bog garden years ago.  It holds the Yellow Flag (souvenir of visit to Skye years ago - loose piece found and taken home with fingers crossed) now it has also a rush (came in on a plant so don't know which one) a dwarf spearwort that it taking over and another plant whose name has been lost. It also is covered with that tiny pond weed.  I: don't seem to get frogs but toads have found it.  But never a tadpole in sight.  So how do I get rid of the larva of the mossie and midge variety?  My "garden" is the sunken clothes driying area of the flat, so only overhead sun reaches it all year, summer has half a day.

  • It all depends on how large the holes are. The plastic corks some wine bottles have would work and they can be cut down if they are too large. I would be tempted to line it with a good quality bin bag, make sure you test it for leaks before planting it up. Can you sink the planter into the ground so it is level with the soil? Another method would be to surround it with stones. If you plant an edge with marginals it would allow frogs etc to get out. Frogbit would suit a small pond, it looks like a mini water lily. Sisyrinchium brachypus is a tiny plant which looks similar to an iris, this would make a good marginal. Don't forget to add some oxygenation plants, Hornwort is a good one.

  • Not very large, was thinking of just lining it with bin bags.  Have a space just outside the wildlife garden where it can be dug into the ground so may do that.  Have most of next week off and OH is away from Wednesday so I may get digging then :D

  • My only concern is where the pond may go is where one of my dogs likes to sit...might end up with a doggy with a soggy botty LOL