Cover for a wildlife habitat in & near the pond

Coverage plants to create a wildlife pond habitat:

• Should include both the pond water area and the planted areas around the outside of the pond.

1. Deep water plants to provide cover:

• Oxygenating plants will increase in volume in the warmer summer months and should be allowed to fill 30% of the volume of the pond.
• This gives places for young amphibians to hide in different depth zones of water as they grow and mature.

2. Surface pond cover plants:

• Start with cover across the pond in Spring with Aponogeton distachyos
• Use waterlilies for more surface cover for wildlife in Summer.
• The only Native waterlily is Nymphaea alba which can be too vigorous for a small pond so substitute with smaller whites - Nymphaea odorata alba
• Aim for 60% surface coverage by leaves
• Use the Native Frogbit (Hydrocharis Morsus Ranae) whose leaves only grow to 1" in diameter and Water Soldier (Stratiotes aloides)
• These plants will help to protect the young and vulnerable newts, frog and toad tadpoles during metamorphosis in different areas of the pond.

3. Cover from shelf plants:

• Plant growth on the shelf areas of the pond will give protection later in Summer as the young amphibians leave for the first time.
• Grow Veronica beccabunga and Myosotis scorpioides for the smaller pond or Mentha aquatica for a larger pond.
• Emergent pond plants like Iris whose rhizomes walk out into the water make the transition between water and land smoother.

4. Cover outside the pond:

• Moist and bog plantings around the outside of the pond water create a wildlife pond habitat.
• The area should be full and leafy in growth to keep emerging young creatures cool & protected as they leave the pond for the first time.
• Improve the chances of survival of these small, young frogs, toads or newts or they could be preyed on by birds.
• They provide foraging places for slugs and other insects
• These plants give the pond a backdrop and colourful flowers for the bees and butterflies.
• Create Bug Houses or log piles for overwintering places for wildlife.

Try these plants for moist soil to make a wildlife habitat around the pond :

For more ideas see our Create a Wildlife habitat page