Do It Yourself Garden Pond
- Decide the location, size and style of your garden pond. Maybe you'd like it to be in the sun or shade, among already-existing plants or in a space to which you'll add new plants. Perhaps you want a pond that is large enough to be the main feature of your garden or maybe you prefer a smaller size.
Consider the shape you want. Natural shapes, rather than geometrical shapes, are easier to maintain. Also, think about what plants you'd like to surround the pond and whether you want them to blend in with or stand out from the rest of your yard. Think about what you're going to line and rim your pond with: flat stones are good, as are polished rocks. Decide if you want waterfalls, fountains or other water features within the pond. - Check building regulations in your area: for deeper ponds, you may need a permit to dig. You might also be required to put a fence around your pond if it is a certain depth.
If you're planning to put fish in your pond, determine the depth of water those fish need to thrive. Fourteen to 24 inches is generally a good depth unless you want your pond to contain larger fish. A deeper pond is fine too, especially if you have fish and you're in an area that has cold winters. For fish to survive the winter, they need to be in a pond that's deep enough not to freeze completely. Before you dig, make sure you're not going to hit any pipes. - Mark the shape of your pond with a spray-painted line. Every 2 feet or so, check the height of the ground along this line: These points should be level with one another. Now begin digging along the line. Make a trench that's around 8 inches wide and 2 inches deep all the way around. This is the lip of your pond.
Dig your hole. Start at the inner edge of the lip you just dug. You can use leftover dirt to shape waterfalls after you've dug your hole. You can also use this dirt to level out the edges of the pond. When you've finished digging the hole, you'll place your filtering equipment. A basic filter will have a pump, a cleaning mechanism and a water sterilizer or clarifier. You'll install it on the bottom of the pond. - One of several ways to line a pond involves using a flexible polythene liner. Make sure you buy enough liner: With this type of liner, you'll need twice the amount you thought you did. Account for the edging, so that around 6 inches of the liner overlaps the edges of the pond on all sides. Line the surface of the freshly dug pond with soft sand or smooth rocks, so that nothing punctures the polythene liner. Alternately, you can purchase underlayment, polythene sheets that go under the liner to prevent punctures. Secure the liner by covering it with flat rocks or pour concrete over it. If you've lined it with rocks, try to fill any gaps with smaller stones.
Stiff pre-formed pond liners can be purchased instead. - Add water to your pond. If you've lined it with concrete, put down a sheet of polythene when filling it, to make sure you don't erode the concrete with the flow of water. After you've filled it, wait a week for it to set, then refill it three or four times to reduce the alkaline level of the water. Get a lime purifier if you're planning to put fish into a concrete-lined pond.
- Arrange the stones at the lip of your pond in an attractive way. Add bog or aquatic plants to the pond for decoration. Waterlilies are beautiful choices. Plants that add oxygen to the water are essential: water buttercup and curly pond weed. Add colored stones to the bottom of the pond: They'll sparkle under the water when the light hits them. Don't forget an underwater lighting system. Finally, add your fish.
