Garden ponds are challenging to create and maintain but very rewarding. Any water feature in the garden will help attract wildlife, even a bird bath.
Adding native plants to the pond provides habitat for aquatic insects and perches for birds. In my pond I have Lizards tail which has graceful arched white flowers and smells like licorice when you crush the leaves. For inch wide white flowers try, Sagitaria, also know an katness, and the roots can be eaten. My favorite pond plant, Thalia, the wild canna has exciting purple spiral seed heads and huge leaves. Soft rush provides upright structure and can help support other plants. All pond plants can be aggressive and it is best to plant them in containers in the pond to keep them from taking over. If you do plant them directly in the soil they are great for erosion control.
I like to keep plants around the pond edge short so I can view the birds bathing in the pond. Wildlife also feels more comfortable if they are not worried about predators lurking in the heavy vegetation nearby. Good plants for the pond edge are mist flower with it’s dense root system to keep dirt out of the pond. Wild strawberry likes dry soil but will do well on the berm and drape it’s tendrils into the pond. Sensitive fern does well around the edge of a shady pond. Birds love a tree, shrub, or other perch nearby where they can preen after a bath.
The mosquitoes are always the challenge with water because we want to keep them out. For very small ponds mosquito dunks can solve the problem since they are said to be safe for birds. Larger ponds can use fish or fountains or both. Using fish has the downside of the fish eating everything in the pond including dragonfly larva, tadpoles, and other desirable invertebrates. A fountain requires power that may involve hiring an electrician and digging a trench across the garden. Solar panels can provide enough power for a fountain but can be expensive to buy and may look out of place in a natural garden.
The most recent pond addition to my garden is placed right outside my kitchen window to be easily enjoyed during morning coffee and many other times throughout the day. We even have a camera set up at the window to catch any action we miss ourselves. To decide exactly where to place the pond I used a hose to outline where the pond would go and then went into my kitchen to look out the window and see if it was in the right place. Using a hose is a great way to outline any new garden bed or feature before getting out the shovel. I wanted the pond to be centered in the window, be completely visible, look natural, and to hide me from view of pond visitors. It took about 10 trips in and out of the house but I finally was happy. When digging out the hole I used a board across the pond with a level on it to make sure the sides were of even height. Pond pots need ledges to set on so I put ledges at the different heights of my pond plant pots. In the middle of the pond is a deep hole that the pump can sit in. Our pond has a rubber liner because our soil does not hold water naturally. Try setting everything out in the pond before putting down the liner to make sure there is space.
During the winter ponds require special maintenance during freezing weather. Ponds with fish must be deep enough that the fish have space below any ice. In the winter the pump needs to be kept clear of ice and make sure there is enough water to keep circulating. Or turn the pump off during the winter and either winterize it or bring it inside so water doesn't freeze and burst the hoses. Winter wildlife really appreciate running water. Birds still need to bath and will crowd the fountain on a warm winter day. A heater can be added to the pond or birdbath during the winter to keep it free of ice.
The electrical source for the pond is located just across the path so I just burred the cable in a plastic pipe about an inch under ground and across the path. I put it in the pipe to protect it from my accidentally shoveling it. If you have an electrician put in your pond wiring they will make sure the electrical wiring is deep and safely protected. We estimated how many gallons our pond held and then bought a pump sized for it. We also have a supplemental UV light filter to prevent algae growth. My pond has two places where the water goes into the pond. In the deep in there is a little fountain that shoots up about an inch. The fountain disturbs the water to keep the mosquitoes out. At the shallow end of the pond a hose spills over a rock. The birds love to bath in the shallow water on the rock.
This little pond is a very popular place in my garden. A robin and a mocking bird both claim it as their personal bath. Raccoons, woodchucks, and squirrels come for a drink. The mud dauber wasps collect mud at the edges to build their nests. Hundred of tinny tadpoles hide in the submerged pots and frogs sing nearby at night. I really enjoy the extra life this small addition has brought to my garden.
