Edge an informal pond

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Use stones or piles of cobbles to trap the liner to finish vertically:

To edge an informal pond:

  • Before adding sharp rocks to the shelf area lay an off cut of liner on the shelf to protect it from damage.
  • Add the rocks or cobbles to trap the liner upright between them and the ground around the pond.
  • Hold the folds in place and the vertical upstand in position by piling the stones up against the rim.
  • Blend the hard landscaping from the shelf level up and over the rim edge.
  • The vertical liner should be covered and not seen.
  • Fill with water halfway up the vertical liner upstand.
  • Use rainwater if possible as this does not contain chlorine from tap water.
  • If you use tapwater please use Chlorine Guard.
  • Leave pockets or gaps between the rocks to add baskets of suitable plants later.
  • Plants will grow between or over the hard landscaping and soften the look.
Edge an informal pond by adding stone to the top shelf edge

Edge an informal pond by adding stone to the top shelf edge

  • When all the stone work is in place there should be no slack in the liner.
  • All folds should be weighted into position.
  • Fill the top shelf with water to its planned level.
  • Wait a few days to check your pond holds water and is not leaking.
  • Trim off the surplus liner.
  • The finished pond with all edges complete has no liner visible.
One side of the pond edge completed and trimmed off at ground level

One side of the pond edge completed and trimmed off at ground level

  • The stone forms the link between the water and the rest of the garden both visually and for the wildlife visitors.
  • You can also use logs and place plant baskets behind a curving wood branch (see Right-hand side of image)
  • Next add shelf pond plants in baskets onto shelf areas and waterlilies, Aponogeton distachyos and oxygenating plants to deep area of water.

Read our Tips and Advice on How to plant a pond

completed pond edge with no liner showing

Completed pond edge with no liner showing

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