Water adds a splash of magic to a garden, attracting all kinds of wildlife and providing the perfect environment for aquatic plants, but you don’t need a huge pond in order to create a water feature; a large container and a selection of plants adapted for wet conditions are all you need to bring your garden to life.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
A large container
Silicone sealant
Several bricks
Aquatic compost
Aquatic baskets
Washed pea gravel
Water plants
Oxygenators

METHOD:
Fill any holes in your container with silicone sealant. Position the bricks to create shelves at different heights.

Place the plants in the baskets using the aquatic compost then top with a layer of pea gravel to hold the compost in place. Place the baskets on the bottom of the container, or on the bricks, depending on height, then fill with rainwater to within 2cm of the rim.

Keep the water level topped up during periods of warm weather and remove any blanket weed that develops by twisting it around a stick.

Scottish Gardener:

PLANT SUGGESTIONS:
Tiny water lilies, such as Nymphae ‘Shade Lady’, which grows no higher than 30 cm in height, is ideal for a container pond. Water forget-me-nots and marsh marigolds will also be quite at home and so too will the miniature bulrush, Typha minima.

Choose a native oxygenator, such as water moss (Fontinalis antipyretica), to grow beneath the surface to help keep the water clear.

Scottish Gardener:

WILDLIFE:
A pond will attract birds and other small creatures, so make sure that anything that tumbles into the water can get out again by creating a ‘ladder’ from sticks. Soon pond skaters will start to appear and your pond could also attract damsel flies. A good time to observe wildlife is early in the morning when foxes and hedgehogs may stop by for a drink.