Greener Garden Choices: Pond plants

The number one thing you can do to help nature in your garden is to have a pond or other source of water.

Saucers will be appreciated by everything from birds, bees, butterflies and hedgehogs as somewhere to get a drink.

Ponds can help even more wildlife as they provide habitat. They don’t need to be deep and in fact shallow sides make it much easier for creatures to get in and out. Birds in particular enjoy a shallow end for a splash rather than a swim.

You don’t need to get into pumps, chemicals or filtration systems with wildlife ponds. Instead rely on aquatic and marginal plants to naturally filter the water, clean up excess nutrients and oxygenate the water to keep it healthy.

Frogs and toads can hide up in leafy plants. Tall-stemmed types such as grasses help the damselflies and dragonflies, and flowers feed the pollinators.

• A range of pond plants is available this May at Katie’s Garden Plant Centre