Dragons in your Garden - mini-ponds and bog gardens

Dragons in your Garden

Enhancing your garden: Mini-ponds and bog gardens

Amphibians generally need to stay quite moist so any kind of water feature in the garden is likely to be beneficial. Mini-ponds and bog gardens can be less work than a 'proper' pond, and safer. A small pond may not be big enough for amphibians to spawn in but it will still help them cool off in the summer, as will a bog garden.

Mini-ponds
Ponds don't necessarily need to be large to attract wildlife, so another way to introduce water into the garden is to create a mini-pond. These may be used by amphibians to cool off in during hot weather. All you need is a container (large tub, old sink, half-barrel) which you can fill with water and aquatic plants. Your mini-pond can be sunk into the ground or, with safety in mind, left standing; if this is the case, make sure there are plenty of pebbles, logs and plants in and around the pond to provide access for wildlife.

Bog gardens
If you're not keen on a full-size pond how about a bog garden? These damp, marshy areas are invaluable to animals during the summer. They're very simple to make: dig a hole to a depth of around 30cm and line with a cheap butyl liner. Place the removed soil back over the liner and then pierce it with a garden fork to allow some drainage. Choose native marsh plants from your local garden centre, for example marsh marigold or purple loosestrife.