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Chris Beardshaw demonstrates how to remove blanket weed from a pond and offers advice on adding marginal plants and oxygenators to reduce excess nitrogen.summerMore water gardening advicePlanting marginals in a containerGrowing marginal pond plants

. During the worst weather I've needed a whole kettle of boiling water to melt the ice completely.It's surprising how quickly birds find this fresh supply of water, but anyone who doesn't have a bird bath can simply fill a plant saucer or bowl with water

rectangular or square pond can still be wildlife friendly. Straight edges can easily be disguised with plants, both in and outside of the pond.To attract the widest range of wildlife, create areas of shallow water (around 2-3cm deep), which are essential

The soil here is rock solid. Fortunately, I planted the last of the garlic last week, before temperatures plummeted. Now, I'd need to use an ice axe, rather than a fork if I wanted to plant anything.I answered the door recently to a courier, who

wildlife, they can be made into great plant food and are a surprisingly versatile ingredient in the kitchen.The nettle we're used to in the UK is Urtica dioica, a perennial plant full of iron, calcium, magnesium and nitrogen, which makes it incredibly

with water.We're not quite all the way there. The pond is full of water and has already taken on a deep green bloom as the algae and microbes start to establish an ecological balance, but the pond surround needs to be planted up and after the soil has settled

survive if the pond freezes over - especially in ponds with lots of plants growing in them, as plants can still photosynthesise under ice and produce oxygen. But if there aren't sufficient oxygenating plants growing in the pond, if it contains lots of leaf

.The 'shallow pond' is only 2m in diameter, with a maximum depth of 30cm and gentle sloping sides. It's planted with water forget-me-not, brooklime, and hornwort to oxygenate the water. The day after I dug the pond, my mum's garden had a month's rain in 24 hours

lying dormant at the bottom of ponds, where they slow down their metabolism and breathe through their skin. They can survive if the pond freezes over, but only if it has oxygenating plants growing in it (plants can still photosynthesise and produce

at the back of our flat. I couldn't let them stay there, so filled a large trug with water, placed an upturned plant pot in the centre, added some watercress and stones to let them get in and out easily, and transported the frogs. At first, they were a little