How to Build a Garden Pond

Ponds add something a bit special to a garden. You can fill them with beautiful plants such as lilies, and enjoy the wildlife haven that they create - tadpoles in the spring and pairs of beady frog eyes staring at you in the summer. If you add a water feature such as a solar or mains powered fountain, you can listen to the gentle sound of water trickling whilst you lay back in the sun and sip a nice cold drink... But enough of dreams! We have to create the pond first. Here's what you need to do:

• First of all, decide whether you want to line your pool with concrete, or use a pond liner of preformed pond. For ease of use I would recommend either a pond liner or a preformed pond. Mixing concrete and hiring a cement mixer is just not worth the effort involved.
• The easiest way to create a pond is to create one above the ground, so that you don't have to do any digging. This is only recommended if your pond is going to be quite shallow. You can make an edging for the pond from, eg treated planks, piles of stone, blocks or anything about 30-40 cm tall. Attach them together into a shape that will surround the pond liner, eg a square, rectangle, circle.... You can place the surround anywhere you like, and then you need to place a layer of something that will provide padding between the base of the pond and the floor. Old carpet is a good thing to use.
• Place the pond liner into the surround and flatten into position and into the edges. Next attach it, with a few staples, to the edge, to stop it falling into the surround. (Staple onto the outside edge so there is spare pond liner left inside if required - if you are using blocks just use a few to weigh down the edge of the liner).
• Fill the pond liner with water. This should further smooth out the lining.
• Once you have filled the pond, trim off any excess pond liner and permanently attach it to the surround.
• An extensive supply of pond liners, pond pumps, filters and other accessories can be bought online at Bradshaws.  
  

• Start digging! The pond should be about 30 - 40 cm deep and you can choose any shape you like as the pond liner will shape itself to the hole you dig. Use some rope to lay out the shape you want in advance, so that you know what you are working towards.
• Once you have finished digging the hole, line the area with old carpet (or new carpet if you have some left over!). The carpet should completely line the base and the sides
• Place the pond liner in the pond, and weigh it down with a few rocks (that don't have sharp edges)
• Fill the pond.
• Place stones, planks or paving materials around the edge of the pond to secure and cover the plastic liner. Pond liners degenerate when exposed to UV light so it is best to keep all the edges covered if possible.

Click here to visit the Royal Horticultural Society website for advice on when and how to clean your pond.