Building a Garden Pond Step By Step – Extra Aesthetics and Value

A pond in your garden completes this space of relaxation and brings a note of freshness, originality and personalizes the little green corner. It also allows you to grow a wider range of plants and to rear some attractive fish – not to mention all the wildlife that will be drawn to your new pond. A well-planned pond can be the visual center piece of your garden. More than the aesthetic plus, a pond can increase the property value and will instantly draw the attention of any potential customer more than anything else. Even though options are many, we have picked the tips given by Wikihow on building a garden pond step by step.

The first step is deciding on the location. The ideal site should be in a sunny spot, sheltered from cold northerly winds and well away from trees that shed their leaves. To have a broader view, check the garden from an upper floor and see how the chosen site fits in the garden. After making your mind about the site, decide on the shape, square, rectangular, oval or round, preferably the last shape to avoid sharp corners.

Building a garden pond step by step – decide on the site and shape

As concerns the materials to use, you can create a pond either by sinking a preformed rigid plastic or glass fiber shell in the ground, or by lining the excavation with a flexible liner. The latter is the more popular choice for several reasons: it’s easier to transport since it comes folded in a box; it’s easier to install, it also allows you complete freedom of choice as far as the pond shape and depth is concerned. If you go for s simple pond, without any water pump, then things should be simple. But if you want to have that soothing moving water sound, then you need one and a source of power nearby. Get an electrician to get the job done in this stage of construction.

Dig and excavate the soil, scraping away any sharp edges, stones or roots that could tear the liner. It is recommended that you slope the sides of the pond at an angle of 45 degrees so the liner is firmly positioned. The depth is again your choice, but keep in mind a low depth means the pond could freeze solid in winter. In any case, various sources we checked recommend a pond which is at least one meter deep, especially since we are talking about a pond with a decorative role in the garden.

 

Building a garden pond step by step – line the bottom with sand

Building a garden pond step by step – drape the liner, pleat and fold it neatly

Line the hole with sand, patting it into place and firming it down on the bottom of the pond. Drape the liner over the excavation without disturbing the sand or any underlay, aiming for an even overlap all round. On concave curves, pleat and fold it neatly. Fill the hole with water and, as it fills, neaten folds as necessary and ease off the perimeter bricks to allow the liner to bed against the contours of the excavation. Trim off excess liner all the way round the pond with a sharp knife, leaving an overlap of about 23 cm which will be concealed by the edging stones. Complete the natural landscape by adding marginal or deep-water oxygenating plants.

Building a garden pond step by step – fill the pond with water

Building a garden pond step by step – trim the liner

Building a garden pond step by step – use decorative stones on the edge

Building a garden pond step by step – the small artificial lake is ready