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Irish natterjack toads are only found on the Dingle Peninsula in Co Kerry and in Curracloe, Co Wexford, where they were introduced to a dune site. They specialise in breeding near sand dunes, so it would be highly unlikely for you to find some in your garden pond, unless you lived close to their breeding grounds.
Common frogs and smooth newts are widespread throughout the country, from isolated country pools and bogs to city centre parks. Unfortunately, their numbers are dropping, particularly in urban areas and around new housing developments, where existing breeding ponds are drained or blocked by new developments. There are stories of bemused new homeowners finding legions of newts crawling under door-frames and letterboxes, trying to reach a breeding pond situated behind a newly constructed row of houses.
If given new opportunities to breed elsewhere, these animals will continue to thrive in and around gardens and also become valuable horticultural allies, feeding on numerous garden pests.
When contemplating putting in a garden pond, four factors should be taken into consideration: safety, pond placement, pond size, and materials.
Safety around ponds
Any water feature in or around very young children poses a risk. It would be prudent to hold off on putting a pond in your garden if you have a toddler or are expecting a new arrival.
If you have an existing pond and are in a similar situation, temporarily fencing off the pond until the little one has grown bigger is the safest option.
Pond placement
Setting up your pond in the correct position is very important. Too much sunlight on the surface and you will be plagued by algal blooms, turning your pond into pea soup and leaving it too exposed for any amphibian’s liking. Leave your pond in too much shade and it won’t get enough sunlight to encourage pond plant growth and will become stagnant and dead.
It’s all about getting the right balance of light and shade in your pond – around 50/50 is a good rule to go by.
My own ponds, for example, get the full morning-to-late-afternoon sunshine and are in the shade for the rest of the day. This is the Goldilocks zone for ponds.
Avoid overhanging trees and bushes, if possible, as falling leaves will need to be removed or they will quickly clog up the water.
If you have a more exposed area for your pond, with limited shade options, you can always compensate by planting it up with surface-covering water lilies and tall grasses or iris in the margins. These will help provide cover and shade for wildlife entering or living in the pond and help keep the water clear and healthy.
Materials and size
When it comes to pond building materials and pond size, one will inevitably affect the other. Some people get unnecessarily obsessed with having large ponds, when the truth of the matter is most amphibians don’t care. With many frogs breeding in ditches and puddles on the roadside, a purpose-built spawning area will work well regardless of dimensions.
Anything from an old, plastic kitchen sink tub to an expensive pond liner from a garden centre can be used, depending on what suits your budget and available space, provided a few simple rules are followed.
If your space and/or your budget are limited but you wish to attract frogs, newts, and other pond life, I’d recommend a plastic tub about 1 to 3 feet deep and as large as your space allows. You can find these at hardware stores or second hand, as long as it’s thoroughly cleaned to remove any chemicals.
Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the container, making it level with the ground to prevent tipping.
Add cover and access points for animals: old bricks, stones, or broken pottery can be washed and placed at the bottom, creating shallow ledges for easy entry and exit.
Adding Plants
Plants play an essential role: marsh, water, and floating plants provide cover, while fully aquatic plants like water crowfoot and moss supply oxygen. Ask at your garden centre for suitable options and advice.
Once the pond is set up with ledges and plants, fill it with rainwater if possible; otherwise, tap water is fine, as chemicals will dissipate after a few days.
For a natural boost, add mud and water from a healthy pond. The micro-organisms and invertebrates will help establish a balanced ecosystem and break down organic debris.
Larger Ponds
Constructing a larger pond involves shaping the pond to your liking since you’re not confined to a container. Keep the centre deep (2–3 feet) and shallower toward the edges for amphibian access and safety.
Use pond liners or sand to protect against punctures, then add plants around the margins for habitat and basking.
Final Thoughts
Building a pond may seem daunting, especially in small urban spaces, but with some effort, you can create a vital refuge for amphibians—helping preserve these important creatures amid a sea of concrete.
The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan is about all of us returning land back to Nature so that plants and animals can survive. You can do this by reducing mowing to six weeks during summer, plant native pollinator-friendly flowers and herbs and stop pesticide use.
Let areas of your garden grow naturally and see what pops up!
Organic agriculture employs farming techniques which help to build healthy, robust soils and are beneficial to the environment. Conventional farming uses a wide range of chemicals (pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc.) and fertilizers which kill beneficial insects as well as pests, and end up in the wider ecosystem. Poisoned insects are consumed by birds and other animals who bio-accumulate the chemicals, causing health problems and death. No more than you would benefit from consuming these toxins, neither do other species.
Find out more with these links on organic agriculture and bio-dynamic food:
- Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association provides links to everything organic in Ireland, including land for sale, farm placements for workers, certification criteria, etc
- Biodynamic Association, UK provides training, reading materials and books on biodynamics
- Organic Consumers, UK has further resources and articles about biodynamics and organics
- Biodynamics Overview provides a short summary of the founding of biodynamic agriculture
75% of all fisheries are fully exploited or over-fished. Species like cod, haddock and halibut are already threatened with extinction. Check out this Irish Wildlife Trust Seafood Guide.
Small farmers (even if not organic producers) often grow much more diverse varieties of fruits and vegetables. Unlike supermarket chains, who invest in farmers who only grow one giant monoculture of fruits or vegetables, small local farmers usually grow more than one variety of a particular vegetable as well as growing a diversity of foods. All of this results in greater biodiversity overall.
Increase biodiversity around your house, in your garden, even if you are renting by planting native species of plants and flowers. Native species will provide pollen and nectar for butterflies, bees (which are under severe threat globally, including in Ireland) and other beneficial insects. These insects, in turn will provide food for small animals such as birds. By planting native species, you will be helping wildlife to survive in an increasingly less natural environment in the city.
Even if you are not studying science at Trinity, you can become a ‘Citizen Scientist’, contributing to the national database for biodiversity! You can take a photo of any plant, fungi or animal (mammal, reptile, bird, insect, etc.) and upload it to the national biodiversity database. This allows researchers in Ireland and abroad to have a real-time idea of what species are living in Ireland, when migrations happen and what invasive species are present. (More on invasive non-native species here). You can also have fun exploring the diversity of species other people have located across Ireland on the National Biodiversity Data Centre.