Creating a Wildlife Pond

How do I attract wildlife to my pond?

Wildlife thrives in ponds with plenty of planting and natural habitat. A mix of oxygenating pond plants, marginal pond plants, deep-water plants and floating plants creates shade, shelter and food, while also helping to keep water clearer and cooler in summer.

As a guide, a maximum depth of around 60–75cm is ideal, deep enough for frogs and newts to overwinter, but shallow enough to include planting shelves and warm edges where insects can bask.

Dense planting is key. Don’t worry if your pond looks a little wild - wildlife prefers it that way. Floating leaves provide resting spots for emerging froglets and dragonflies, flowering marginals attract pollinators, and pondside planting helps blend the pond naturally into the surrounding garden while keeping soil damp for worms, beetles and other invertebrates.

Simple features make a big difference too. Log or stone piles offer shelter for frogs, toads and newts, longer grass around the pond gives cover for small mammals and birds and a gently sloping or beached area ensures safe access for wildlife. It’s also important to let wildlife arrive naturally, we explain why in Why We Don’t Sell Frogspawn.

Whether you’re creating a new wildlife pond or improving an existing one, choosing the right plants and embracing a slightly untidy, nature-first approach is the most effective way to attract and support wildlife year-round.