No, I don't want ducks unless some wild ones happen past (which is unlikely with our roaming dogs). I might pop in a few fish then. It is only a hole currently that the weather is kindly trying to fill with water for me.
I am planning where the bench will go and a small area of paving of some kind to facilitate lying on ones stomach for long hours watching things.
We formed a smallish pond about 4 years ago and put in four goldfish. One died, next time we looked there were about 30 fish - some given away, the heron took a few but still have about 16 or so. Dragonflies, damselflies, water snails, water boatmen, frogs and toads have all taken up residence and live side by side with the fish.
I love ponds....do you have a photo?
I've recently written about water in the garden on our blog and you can see some photos on there if interested.
Two things I wish I had done differently is: Deeper and bigger - depth to allow the algae to sink into cooler water and bigger because I just love it and the wildlife it attracts....one day
If you wait you may find that wildlife turns up. Our pond seems to have intercepted newts on their journeying and the first year after we had dug it they turned up. We imported some frog spawn; you need to do that or tadpoles as frogs and toads go back to the pond they knew as tadpoles. Sadly we lost the frogs to redleg a few years ago. Had some apparantly healthy ones last year, but nothing this year. Btw, newts eat tadpoles too, but not toadpoles.
Treacodactyl Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 25795 Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
We imported some frog spawn; you need to do that or tadpoles as frogs and toads go back to the pond they knew as tadpoles.
I think that's a bit of a myth, we've always had frogs, toads and newts and turn up in ponds we've dug without moving spawn. I think they will try to return to near where they hatched but will happily find another pond, puddle or ditch.
As for fish I think it depends on how big the pond is, how much vegetation there is and how big the fish are. I've certainly seen fish completely hoover up spawn and tadpoles, on the other hand we introduced some small sticklebacks and after a few years I think they fell prey to dragonfly larvae.
With amphibians, if you bring an adult to the pond it will wander off; it has to have been a tadpole there, or ideally spawn. They will though, as you say, and as our newts prove, sometimes be intercepted on the way to their original pond it they like the look of it.
Lorrainelovesplants
Joined: 13 Oct 2006 Posts: 6521 Location: Dordogne
Posted: Sat May 25, 13 4:15 pm Post subject:
I moved newts from our swimming pool (dont ask) to our lily pond. This was 3 years ago....and the other day I had the priviledge of watching Mr newt flapping his tail at Ms newt trying to persuade her to do the deed...
gythagirl
Joined: 18 Feb 2010 Posts: 1467 Location: Somerset
Posted: Sat May 25, 13 9:29 pm Post subject:
I'm glad you already have the bench planned; our pond is one of the best things we ever did in our garden, we love love love it. Make sure you have very shallow edge areas for creeping plants to colonise so the local bees can access water safely - they drink huge amounts in warm weather.
Nick
Joined: 02 Nov 2004 Posts: 34535 Location: Hereford
With amphibians, if you bring an adult to the pond it will wander off; it has to have been a tadpole there, or ideally spawn. They will though, as you say, and as our newts prove, sometimes be intercepted on the way to their original pond it they like the look of it.
If that was nearly true there would only be one pond in the world with tadpoles in.
With amphibians, if you bring an adult to the pond it will wander off; it has to have been a tadpole there, or ideally spawn. They will though, as you say, and as our newts prove, sometimes be intercepted on the way to their original pond it they like the look of it.
If that was nearly true there would only be one pond in the world with tadpoles in.
They are all connected homeopathically.
Nick
Joined: 02 Nov 2004 Posts: 34535 Location: Hereford
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