A tiny pond, a huge welcome

If you have a patch of garden — even a balcony with a few square feet — you can create a lifeline for wildlife. A mini pond made from a sunken washing-up bowl is one of the simplest, cheapest and most rewarding projects you can take on. It doesn't need a pump, a filter or a single fish. What it does need is a little thought, a sunny spot and a few native plants. In return, you'll get frogs, insects, birds and endless fascination.

Frogs and other amphibians need water to breed, but they also need it to drink and to keep their skin moist. Insects such as dragonflies, damselflies and water beetles rely on ponds for part of their life cycle. Even a bowl-sized pool can become a busy little ecosystem.

Choosing the right spot and container

Start with a sturdy washing-up bowl or similar plastic tub. Aim for at least 30cm deep and 40–50cm across; deeper bowls stay cooler and are less likely to dry out. Avoid anything with drainage holes. Pick a position that gets sun for part of the day but shade in the afternoon, so the water doesn't overheat in summer. Keep it away from overhanging trees that drop leaves, and make sure you can see it from a window — you'll want to watch.

Before you dig, check for buried cables or pipes. Then mark the bowl's outline with a trowel. If you have small children, always supervise them near any water, however shallow.

How to sink your bowl safely

Dig a hole slightly deeper and wider than the bowl. Place the bowl in, then check the rim is level with the surrounding soil. This is crucial: frogs and hedgehogs need to walk in, not fall in. Backfill around the sides with soil, firming gently as you go. Now build a ramp. A stack of stones, a piece of weathered wood or a gentle slope of gravel will let creatures climb out. Leave gaps between stones for insects to hide. Add a few larger stones around the rim for perching dragonflies and bathing birds.

• Ramp: stones or wood from water to dry land.
• Perches: flat rocks just above the surface.
• Hiding places: broken pots or logs at the edge.

Planting with native species

Native plants support native wildlife. Use a small basket of aquatic compost, topped with gravel, to stop soil clouding the water. Choose a mix of marginal, oxygenating and floating plants. Aim for a shallow shelf near the edge and a deeper area in the middle.

• Marginals: marsh marigold, water forget-me-not, brooklime or water mint. These give cover for froglets and landing pads for insects.
• Oxygenators: hornwort or water starwort. They keep the water clear and provide egg-laying sites for newts and dragonflies.
• Floating: a single water lily (dwarf varieties) or frogbit. Shade helps control algae.

Never take plants from the wild, and avoid invasive species such as parrot's feather or floating pennywort. If in doubt, ask a reputable nursery for native pond plants.

Keeping the water healthy

Top up with rainwater from a water butt, not tap water — tap water contains chlorine and nutrients that encourage algae. In hot spells, check the level every few days. Remove fallen leaves with a net before they sink and rot. Don't worry if the water looks slightly green at first; it usually clears as plants establish. Never add fertiliser or fish food. In winter, float a small ball or a piece of wood to keep a hole open in the ice. Never smash the ice — the shock can kill frogs hibernating at the bottom. Leave sludge alone; it's home to overwintering insects.

If you get blanketweed, twirl it out with a stick rather than using chemicals. A balanced pond looks after itself.

What you might see

Patience is part of the pleasure. Within days, pond skaters and water boatmen may arrive. Soon after, damselflies and dragonflies will hunt overhead. Frogs will appear once plants give them cover — they need shallow, warm water to spawn. Birds will bathe and drink, and hedgehogs may visit at dusk. Even bees will stop for a drink on a sunny day.

Don't add fish: they eat frogspawn and insect larvae. Let your mini pond be wild. Sit back, watch, and enjoy the small miracle you've made.