In need of some advice about a neglected pond

I'll try and take some.

 

you need a frog/toad/newt friendly ladder...............................

 

A ramp will do and for hedgehogs.

 

I had a ramp in my pond and one night a hedgehog fell in, it kept swimming around the edges of the pond and went under the ramp.
So I now have a pile of bricks that are built up in the pond forming a kind of staircase and blocks anything from swimming under it

 

Good that you found a solution to the problem. It's just that they say put a ramp in, i don't have a pond myself so i wouldn't know.

 

My parents have always had ponds in all of my childhood homes (4) and in the last house they had two. The first was there when the house was purchased and was big with a little island in the middle , as this far end of the garden was wooded it never got that much sunshine but with my parents experience and knowledge there were able to manage and maintain it in the manner that was needed to keep it thriving and healthy. Over the 50 years in their care fish were added and it was full of other wildlife, newts, frogs, snails... The water fall that tumbled down from a higher point ( it resembled a stairway as pete mentioned without any chance of trapping anything underneath) proved to be a safe and well used watering hole for all visitors.

The second pond was more ornamental ,with fish and in the open and was lovely too.
The big pond was a far more beautiful and offered a natural environment to wildlife.

I think what I'm trying to say is no two ponds are alike and whatever their environments place upon there is always an appropriate method to their management ....just do your own research.

Yes the bigger pond needed the leaves scooping ,very regularly. and the fallen Chestnuts removed in Autumn.... but trees are treasures and should be saved ,so think hard...where there's a will there's a way.


https://freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Managing-Trees-around-ponds-NEW.pdf

 

Well, I just found a small brown newt while clearing some brambles. It was perfectly healthy and I moved it to a safer space near the pond where I won't accidentally cause it any harm.