If you were an amphibian, would you want to live here?

[TulipJ]

The pond is only a week old and I still have to put in the nymphaea lily as well as the starwort to balance it out.
First impressions though... Does it look ok for attracting amphibians and other critters to my garden? I got speaking to a neighbour today and he told me that there are no other ponds nearby and he's only ever seen a few frogs in yrs. it's left me a bit disheartened, however I will hope for the best that we attract something to the garden.

[rustylady]

Let the grass grow long round the edges of the pond so that the critters have some shelter, and fill the pond right to the top. You'll probably attract something.

[TulipJ]

The wildlife ramp. It came built into the pond.

[TulipJ]

Thanks Rustylady. I will fill it today. It's tricky with the sloping sides.

[rustylady]

I think the wildlife will have more success with the pebbles you have at the other end to be honest.

[TulipJ]

Well I have just filled it up and the stones haven't dislodged so hopefully it should be ok. It's such a lovely warm day here in Cheshire that I could be in the garden all day

[veggiechicken]

I have frogs and toads in this garden - and no pond!! I'm sure they're in your garden too but you may need to wait until next year to find frogspawn.
You may need some shady plants around it to keep the water cool - or it may evaporate.

[Verinda]

You'd be surprised how pondlife just appears in a pond, apparently out of nowhere! Waterbeetles often turn up first. Enjoy the garden

[TulipJ]

Thanks for your replies. I have planted grass seed round the pond and I'm hoping it will sprout up soon. I'm planning on keeping the grass long at the back and the weeds certainly seem to be having a ball there!

[dogsbody]

They will arrive - I don't know of another pond near me yet in the first year the insects, frogs and newts were all there, and still are. Many a happy hour spent just sat watching and spotting......

[Two_Sheds]

a neighbour ... told me that there are no other ponds nearby

Frogs only use a pond for spawning. The rest of the time they hang about in long grass, in the cool damp shade.

You need an "untidy" area for wildlife. Long grass, leaf litter, old logs, overhanging trees etc

[TulipJ]

That's reassuring to know Two Sheds. Here are plenty of those things in this garden so it should tick all the boxes for the frogs.

[binley100]

Even though I have a sloping/shallow stepped end I've got some old branches resting into my pond as an extra aid for any hedgehogs..I've only had mine just over a year and already it's teeming with pondlife, so will yours be too

[Creemteez]

Once your pond has settled for a week or two - assuming you filled it from a piped water supply as opposed to rainwater - it wouldn't hurt to pop to your nearest estblished pond and help yourself to a bucket of water- preferably with a bit of pond muck in in. This will be teeming with microscopic life which will breed like crazy in your pond and encourage wildlife that's further up the food chain.

[TulipJ]

Thanks for that tip Creemteez, I gathered a bucket yesterday and tipped it in. It's already starting to attract beetles of some sort.