I've been learning a lot about wildlife ponds and about rainwater storage, but I've never heard the term "dipping pond" before. I've seen a little about people using ponds for emergency water storage, and about farm sloughs (which do the same thing, but are literally just dug out of the earth), but nothing specifically for gardening. And I hadn't made the connection that you can a) rig your downspouts to fill the pond and b) literally dip your watering can into the pond to water. I think my garden is too small to really maximize this, but this is a great idea.
I've been learning a lot about wildlife ponds and about rainwater storage, but I've never heard the term "dipping pond" before. I've seen a little about people using ponds for emergency water storage, and about farm sloughs (which do the same thing, but are literally just dug out of the earth), but nothing specifically for gardening. And I hadn't made the connection that you can a) rig your downspouts to fill the pond and b) literally dip your watering can into the pond to water. I think my garden is too small to really maximize this, but this is a great idea.