blank canvas

[hawthorns]

i have a blank canvas of 4ft by 13ft which i want to make into a pond wildlife area. i intend to have a log pile and rocks with a flower bed. what else should i be looking to add. all ideas welcome

[Two_Sheds]

Building a wildlife garden pond

Wildlife ponds / Royal Horticultural Society

I'm looking for a water lily today, to provide shade and suppress the duckweed

[Verinda]

Nothing that I know of suppresses the horrible duckweed.

Hawthorns, how about a wildflower area and some nettles as peacock butterfly caterpillers love them. And maybe an insect hotel or two and birdboxes, plenty of bee friendly flowers. Oh and a bumble bee box, I'd love one of those. And sand at the bottom of your pond as this is what dragonfly lava favour. Good luck with your site, I bet it will be fab.

[hawthorns]

So far have done small log pile which i have rehomed 2slow worms into. My tin bath has now been slotted into the soil. Next plan is to sow cornflower phacelia marigold and poached egg plants. Like the idea of adding a few nttles. I already have a widlfe stack near by.

[Verinda]

It sounds great. You can eat the nettle tops in spring, nettle quiche is really tasty, and extremely good for you too