For this year’s Wild About Gardens challenge, we have teamed up with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to encourage everyone to create a pond. From mini container ponds to larger sunken ponds, these attractive garden features are hugely beneficial for wildlife.

With much of the UK’s native flora and fauna under threat, often due to habitat loss, Wild About Gardens aims to raise awareness of the importance of gardens in supporting wildlife and offer tips and advice on how to make them more wildlife-friendly. 

The UK has lost ponds, rivers and streams at a rapid rate and only a small amount of our natural ponds and wetlands remain. Many of these are in poor condition and 13% of freshwater and wetland species are threatened with extinction from Great Britain. The loss of these important places – to development, drainage and intensive farming – is linked to a huge decline in wildlife, including frogs and toads, water voles and insects.

Adding a pond – by digging one in your back garden or simply by filling a waterproof container outside your front door – is one of the best ways you can help wildlife and enjoy the benefits of seeing water plants, birds and bees close to home. Digging a pond is great for hedgehogs to have somewhere to drink and for frogs, newts and other amphibians to feed and breed. All ponds – large, small, dug or container – are good news for bats, damselflies, dragonflies, other insects.

Download your free pond toolkit and find more inspiration for making your garden a wildlife haven at www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk. See our events page for wetland or wildlife gardening events. Subscribe to the Wild About Gardens e-newsletter for updates and wonderful wildlife gardening ideas!