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Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

What to plant near a wildlife pond for shade?

6 replies

Roundaboot · 13/07/2025 21:58

I'd really love to get a small container pond for the garden next year. If I can find a suitable container to use, I'll do that, otherwise I'm planning to use a kit like this
The trouble is that the spot I have in mind is quite exposed. It's next to a fence in a part.of the garden that gets sun most of the day. Firstly, is that a complete no-no? Secondly, if I do go for that spot, what I can I plant nearby to create a bit of shade around the pond? I'm thinking maybe some small trees in pots or perhaps planting some larger shrubs around the pond itself. Any suggestions?
And before anyone mentions it, I will be providing something for wildlife to climb out of the pond!

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OP posts:
bettbburg · 14/07/2025 02:33

An Acer would work

Nourishinghandcream · 14/07/2025 07:48

Think how hot it has been lately and how warm the container will get, especially as it is raised from the ground, water heating and evaporation could be a real issue.
I think you really need a shady spot with overhanging foliage to keep it cool, like the idea of an Acer but ferns are also a good solution (lots of types available) but again, they need shade to thrive.

Geneticsbunny · 14/07/2025 08:33

Ponds in shade dont tend to do very well. They get clogged up with leaves and nothing will grow. If you plant the pond with floating plants that will do the same job in terms of preventing evaporation and cooling the water.

bettbburg · 14/07/2025 17:27

Geneticsbunny · 14/07/2025 08:33

Ponds in shade dont tend to do very well. They get clogged up with leaves and nothing will grow. If you plant the pond with floating plants that will do the same job in terms of preventing evaporation and cooling the water.

My pond clearly hasn’t been told that then. It’s in the shade most of the day but the plants grow well, so do the frogs.it has trees all down one side and at the back.

Sunflowersinthesummer · 14/07/2025 17:28

Water lily as in the picture and grow ferns around it but don’t be afraid to put a parasol over it

Roundaboot · 14/07/2025 19:32

Nourishinghandcream · 14/07/2025 07:48

Think how hot it has been lately and how warm the container will get, especially as it is raised from the ground, water heating and evaporation could be a real issue.
I think you really need a shady spot with overhanging foliage to keep it cool, like the idea of an Acer but ferns are also a good solution (lots of types available) but again, they need shade to thrive.

Edited

Yes I definitely don't want to be creating a hot tub for the wildlife!
I'm not going to do anything until next Spring (there's no rainwater available to fill it, for one thing!) so I'll keep thinking about good spots. I guess one of the advantages of a container pond is I can move it if it doesn't work well in one place.
Really liking the idea of acers - thank you!

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