Having your own pond in your garden is probably the dream of many hobby gardeners. The sounds of the water, the lush pond plants and the swimming fish create a real oasis of peace and invite you to linger. Garden ponds suit every garden style and the size of the garden doesn't matter. However, how can garden ponds be created, what requirements should the chosen location meet and many inspiring ideas for a pond in your own garden can be found in today's article.
Creating garden ponds – tips for proper planning
If you have decided to add variety to your garden, you should first choose the type of pond. You can buy and create garden ponds ready-made, or build them yourself from the start. With prefabricated ponds, the shape is predetermined and you simply have to dig a suitable hole for it. At aFoil pondOn the other hand, you have more flexibility in terms of the shape and size of the pond. The design options in this case are almost unlimited.
Before investing, the focus is on good planning. First you should choose the location for the pond. If you want to always have your own water oasis in view, then the area next to the terrace is best suited for this. On a property that is not level, you should create the garden pond at the lowest point for beautiful landscaping. The best location gets the right mix of sun and shade, with five hours of sunshine per day being a good guideline.
DIY instructions for a foil pond
Creating garden ponds is not such a difficult task and can be done easily by even the skilled hobby gardener. We'll show you how it's done! The classic garden pond is built with different water depths and step-like transitions. Located on the shorea shallow swamp zone, which merges into a shallow water zone. A deep water zone will be created in the middle of the pond.
After you have chosen the location for the garden pond, you should now mark the outline of the pond. To do this, you can use spray paint or draw a line out of sand. Then dig the ground by creating the different water zones.
Now the pond liner is used. To protect the liner from tears and damage, you can pad the bottom of the pond with an old carpet. Make sure that there are no sharp stones sticking out. Then lay the foil and adapt it to the floor. If you wish, you can take the unsightly pond bottom with youstones and gravelconceal.
Before cutting off the excess pond liner, fill the pond with water and wait a day. This allows the water to settle on the bottom of the pond. The best way to create the edge is to use stones. When doing this, place the edge of the film vertically to avoid a connection between the water and the rest of the garden soil. You can also joint the stones for more stability. All that's left is yoursPlanting a garden pondand create your own oasis of peace.
Original DIY project:smallBuild your own garden pond out of tractor tires
If you are looking for a cost-effective idea, then this DIY project is perfect for you. You can build a small garden pond yourself from old tractor tires and create a real eye-catcher in the garden. In addition to the tire, all you need is a shovel, pond liner and stones and plants to decorate. First, a round hole is dug at the selected location and the tractor tire is placed in it. Then cut off the top part of the tire with an electric saw so that the hole is wider. Finally, lay the pond liner and decorate the edge with stones. Finally, fill the garden pond with water and plant and decorate as desired.
Plant beautifully
No matter whether large or small, the pond always looks more beautiful with suitable plants. However, to ensure that the water always remains clear, there are a few important tips to consider. When planting, it is important to ensure that at least a third of the water surface remains free. In addition, the choice of plants should be coordinated with the size and depth of the pond. For example, overgrown plants are rather unsuitable for a small pond.
Of course, water lilies should not be missing from the planting. However, different varieties suit every pond size, so it is best to ask the dealer which variety would best suit your own pond. The water lily flowers appear from May to October and usually open in the morning when the weather is nice. The water lily leaves are also particularly decorative because they float gracefully on the surface of the water.
However, not only water lilies, but also other aquatic plants are suitablePlanting for the garden pondsplendid. A distinction can be made between plants for the swamp zone and plants for the riparian zone. The transition area from the water to the garden soil is called the swamp zone. In this zone, the water depth is no more than 10 centimeters, so you should take this into account when choosing plants. Suitable plants for this area of the garden pond include:
- Dwarf rush
- Bachbunge
- Swamp iris
- Sumpfdotterblume
- Sumpfwolfsmilch u.a.
Although the bank zone is not part of the garden pond, it is characterized by moist soil and can also be planted to create a beautiful overall picture. Plants that require a lot of water but can still survive short dry periods are particularly suitable for this. Examples of suitable plants for the edge zone are:
- water dost
- Gaukerblume
- cotton grass
- Fieberklee
- Loosestrife among others
Design with water features
If you want to replace the still water with atmospheric water effects, you can design your own garden pond with various water features. Small, bubbling waterfalls are particularly suitable for thisDIY Welland artificial cascades that add a playful touch to the garden. The small waterfall can be a special highlight for the garden pond and can be perfectly installed at the edge of the pond.
In addition to its beautiful visual effect, the waterfall also has a practical use for the garden pond. It ensures a constant supply of oxygen, which improves the water quality in the garden pond and thus ensures lush plant life.
If you want to create larger garden ponds, swimming fish also fit in really well. However, not every type of fish is suitable for every garden pond. Water depth, temperature, food supply and shade all play an important role. A Koi garden pond, for example, should be relatively large because the Koi fish grow up to 60 centimeters. You should also think about a suitable water filter system if you want to add fish to the garden pond.
