 Directing rainwaterinto a stone-edged stream |  Place the pond where water naturally |  Purple flowers of Senecio speciosus |  Keep some open water for dragonflies |  Pooling naturallyThe water pools in the flat section; a beach offers valuable wading area |  Cyperus are natural pond plants |  Water captureThis narrow stream captures water from 2 areas; the steep slope that edges it, and the stormwater from the roadside and house platform above. |  Cyperus species |  A narrow shelf of water lilies |  Add heightTrees, shrubs, and reeds soften the hard materials helping the pond to blend naturally into the plant habitat. |  Make it an entrance showstopperA faux-rock pool screens the front entrance to the house while providing a beautiful habitat for wildlife. |  Ornithogalum juncifolium |  Enjoying a batheSmall birds are happy to bathe here, able to dart quickly behind a rock or plant when feeling threatened. |  Catering for manyA waterfall keeps the water clean and provides a shallow shelf for small birds. The deeper pond is home to a few fish, dragonflies, frogs, and other aquatic creatures. |  Keep the pond water healthyThis small waterfall helps to oxygenate the pond water. |  Edge with flowersDragonflies and frogs feed on the insects attracted to these flowers. |  Bulbine latifolia |  IMG_1555Add shelves to the pond shel |  Direct the runoffIntelligent design is critical to capturing and using the water that falls on your property. |  A wildlife pond in a traffic islandThe entrance to this residential estate on the KZN South Coast is not too busy, but is dominated by hot, tarred roads. This pond is a beautiful entrance design but also provides habitat and a stepping stone for animals as they negotiate the road. |  Find the best positionThis pond edges the driveway and collects valuable runoff. Plants help to filter dust, oils, and other pollutants on the tarred surface. |  Red-hot PokersNo South African garden should be without these worldwide favourites. They thrive in normal garden situations, but look best around water features; here, they provide sustenance for birds and insects like dragonflies. Frogs will find shelter beneath the arching leaves. |  Shallow pond with water lillies |  Pond edge plant habitatAdd dense plant habitat around the pond for both an attractive garden and as foraging and hide-away sites for wildlife. |  Water-edge plantsKniphofias (Red-hot Pokers) are a must around ponds, providing beauty, as well as pollen and nectar for insects and birds. |  Wildlife pond designAdd shelves for small water plants that prefer just their feet getting wet. |  Pond pumpsThis small submersible pump helps to oxygenate the water. |
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