A natural pond is a hive of activity. All sorts of animals such frogs, pond skaters, dragonflies, turtles, even the odd fox will pay a visit. These ponds are very important for the conservation of wildlife, animal and plant. As these wild oasis disappear, and they are going at a very fast rate, the plants and animals disappear too. Animals travel to man made watering holes that may be dangerous 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 these wild ponds are disappearing many pond keepers now consider building a natural pond in their garden. More than ever, this type of pond attracts wildlife in abundance simply because the animals are running out of places to go. These mini oasis give pond keepers hours of enjoyment and fun as well as a feeling of well being.

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.

It will also be necessary to periodically clean the pond by removing any dead leaves or unwanted plants but do not clear out in the first few months of the year because that is the time that amphibians and invertebrates are breeding and their eggs could be attached to the weeds. Always leave removed weeds and leaves spread out along the edge of the pond to allow for any creatures to escape that may have been accidentally removed from the natural pond.

Always choose plants that are local to your area. This will keep the wildlife happy and you happy because they are much more likely to thrive and not die off. When choosing your plants at the garden center don't be tempted by any pond statues or other ornaments. I've seen several ponds where the owner has created a lovely natural presence only to ruin it by sticking a statue of a little boy peeing! It will ruin your hard work and the animals don't like it either. You have created a natural pond that will attract plenty of wildlife and your pond itself will be full of life once your eco system kicks in. You will get endless enjoyment from a natural pond and you can pat yourself on the back for being eco friendly.