ds. Its good practice when removing plants and leaves to leave them by the pond for a while so that any small pond life that you have inadvertently plucked from home can make their way back to sanctuary.

The plants you use in natural ponds should be local to your habitat. This will ensure new growth and eliminate your frustration if everything you plant is dying. The important thing is to try and make your pond look and act as natural as possible. Don't add fountains, ornamental statuary or other man made objects to your pond or t

Natural ponds have lots of life. Natural ponds are some of the most important aspects of the conservation of our wildlife, both animal and plant. All types of species are drawn to them from dragonflies and pond skaters, to frogs, turtles and sometimes even the chance of a fox. Wild ponds are disappearing at a truly alarming rate and as they disappear forever they are taking the animals and plants that depend on them for their survival with them. Animals must seek out other watering holes that may not be safe for them.

These watering holes may be sewage ditches or chemical dumps. The animals drink from these contaminated sources and end up poisoned. There are also 1000's of pond life killed instantly when their pond is filled in to make way for a new road or building because its "uneconomical" to go round the pond or build a bridge over it.

Because of this shortage of natural ponds many pond keepers are now trying to build a style of ponds that is specifically aimed at wildlife. These man made ponds offer a sanctuary for wildlife and can bring their own kind of special interest, appeal and tranquility to any garden.

The Designing And Maintaining

Natural ponds should be as large as you can possibly make them but no matter what size, they are still very valuable to wildlife. There should be a good mixture of both shade and light and the sides should have gently sloping shelves to provide different depths. Natural ponds should be irregular in shape and look as if they have been there since time began. Your pond liner should be protected with two layers of sand, put one layer in the hole before laying the liner and then another layer on top of the liner. Water straight from the tap can be used to fill your natural pond. Plants will quickly start to fill your pond so you should remove any excess weeds, leaving about 70% of the pond clear.

You will have to clean the pond occasionally by removing weeds, unwanted plants and any leaves that have found there way in. Don't do any weeding in the first few months of the year as this is breeding time for invertebrates and amphibians and there eggs will be on the weeds. Its good practice when removing plants and leaves to leave them by the pond for a while so that any small pond life that you have inadvertently plucked from home can make their way back to sanctuary.

The plants you use in natural ponds should be local to your habitat. This will ensure new growth and eliminate your frustration if everything you plant is dying. The important thing is to try and make your pond look and act as natural as possible. Don't add fountains, ornamental statuary or other man made objects to your pond or th

ng holes may be sewage ditches or chemical dumps. The animals drink from these contaminated sources and end up poisoned. There are also 1000's of pond life killed instantly when their pond is filled in to make way for a new road or building because its "uneconomical" to go round the pond or build a bridge over it.

Because of this shortage of natural ponds many pond keepers are now trying to build a style of ponds that is specifically aimed at wildlife. These man made ponds offer a sanctuary for wildlife and can bring their own kind of special interest, appeal and tranquility to any garden.

The Designing And Maintaining

Natural ponds should be as large as you can possibly make them but no matter what size, they are still very valuable to wildlife. There should be a good mixture of both shade and light and the sides should have gently sloping shelves to provide different depths. Natural ponds should be irregular in shape and look as if they have been there since time began. Your pond liner should be protected with two layers of sand, put one layer in the hole before laying the liner and then another layer on top of the liner. Water straight from the tap can be used to fill your natural pond. Plants will quickly start to fill your pond so you should remove any excess weeds, leaving about 70% of the pond clear.

You will have to clean the pond occasionally by removing weeds, unwanted plants and any leaves that have found there way in. Don't do any weeding in the first few months of the year as this is breeding time for invertebrates and amphibians and there eggs will be on the weeds. Its good practice when removing plants and leaves to leave them by the pond for a while so that any small pond life that you have inadvertently plucked from home can make their way back to sanctuary.

The plants you use in natural ponds should be local to your habitat. This will ensure new growth and eliminate your frustration if everything you plant is dying. The important thing is to try and make your pond look and act as natural as possible. Don't add fountains, ornamental statuary or other man made objects to your pond or t

d of special interest, appeal and tranquility to any garden.

The Designing And Maintaining

Natural ponds should be as large as you can possibly make them but no matter what size, they are still very valuable to wildlife. There should be a good mixture of both shade and light and the sides should have gently sloping shelves to provide different depths. Natural ponds should be irregular in shape and look as if they have been there since time began. Your pond liner should be protected with two layers of sand, put one layer in the hole before laying the liner and then another layer on top of the liner. Water straight from the tap can be used to fill your natural pond. Plants will quickly start to fill your pond so you should remove any excess weeds, leaving about 70% of the pond clear.

You will have to clean the pond occasionally by removing weeds, unwanted plants and any leaves that have found there way in. Don't do any weeding in the first few months of the year as this is breeding time for invertebrates and amphibians and there eggs will be on the weeds. Its good practice when removing plants and leaves to leave them by the pond for a while so that any small pond life that you have inadvertently plucked from home can make their way back to sanctuary.

The plants you use in natural ponds should be local to your habitat. This will ensure new growth and eliminate your frustration if everything you plant is dying. The important thing is to try and make your pond look and act as natural as possible. Don't add fountains, ornamental statuary or other man made objects to your pond or t

ds. Its good practice when removing plants and leaves to leave them by the pond for a while so that any small pond life that you have inadvertently plucked from home can make their way back to sanctuary.

The plants you use in natural ponds should be local to your habitat. This will ensure new growth and eliminate your frustration if everything you plant is dying. The important thing is to try and make your pond look and act as natural as possible. Don't add fountains, ornamental statuary or other man made objects to your pond or the naturalness will be removed. Many animals would be frightened off by these small structures sticking up in the middle of a pond. Being eco-friendly and environmentally responsible will help you maintain a beautiful and wonderful natural pond that will attract wildlife to your garden in abundance.