If there is one garden feature that will give you hours of pleasure for years to some it is a garden pond. You can make it safe for kids with guards and nets that can be removed when they get older. Ponds are infinitely variable and can take up as much space as you choose.
This is one of those household jobs that you can do yourself. Constructing your own pond in your garden only takes a weekend and will cost you very little if you follow these 5 easy steps.
Image source
- Choose your site
Start in late Winter and choose a sunny position. It is best to avoid a lot of trees because they will drop leaves into the pond and you will have to remove them every year. Somewhere near a water supply is ideal. Mark out some different shapes with some strong chord or a hosepipe so that you can choose which one you like the best. The final pond will look about two-thirds smaller than your shape once you have dug it. It could butt up to a lawn or to a path. There are some koi fish that have particular requirements so it is worth getting some further advice on suitable locations.
- Start digging your pond
This is the fun part and all the family can get involved. Dig the entire area straight down to a depth of around 12 inches. As you do this you should try hard to cut cleanly with your spade. The undug soil should be compacted. You can use the spare topsoil to make a raised vegetable beds or you can even sell it to keen gardeners.
- Fit the pond liner
You can choose which liner you would prefer. Some people think that PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) is the strongest. It is perfect for small and medium sized ponds and very common for koi ponds. You can choose from a wide variety of lengths and thicknesses and the price is reasonable.
If your pond requires a more flexible liner, LDPE (Low-density polyethylene) is an economical alternative. To save even more money, find out what sizes the liner comes in, and then dig your pond accordingly.
Don’t try to fit it on a windy day because you need to open out the liner and drape it over the pond. Several people are needed for this job because it can be fiddly. As you add the water, smooth and pull out the liner. There will inevitably be folds but keep them simple and near the surface. Leave the pond overnight to ensure there are no leaks.
- Finish off the edges
Now you can cut off the excess liner with a sharp scissors leaving an extra foot (lying horizontally) all the way around the pond. Ideally, the water should be pressing the liner outwards.
- Add some decoration
This is the fun part! Plant lovely foliage around the outside of the pond and place ornamental stones and sculptures. Now sit back and enjoy it!