Is your new garden pond for fish, wildlife aquatic plants or as a focal point?
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- fish pond
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- wildlife in garden ponds
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- planted garden pond
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- focal point
How to site & choose the style of your garden pond:
If you want to build a garden pond in your garden start by thinking about:
- Why you want a pond in your garden will influence the style of your pond and its position within the garden
- A fish pond is likely to be a more formal shaped pond, possibly raised up not dug down, and nearer the house.
- A wildlife pond will be a more informal shape and further down the garden in a quiet area
- Swimming ponds allow you to join the wildlife in the water habitat you have created.
Considerations when about to build a pond:
1. Safety
- A raised pond may be safer for children.
- You can purchase an ornate pond cover made in steel that will allow plants to grow underneath it. See Creative pond covers
- It will give an edge for an elderly person to sit on when working on the pond.
2. Electricity
- For pumps, filters, waterfalls or fountains.
- Employ a registered electrician and lay the electric cable early in the dig.
3. Avoid underground services
- Sewers, pipes, cables! Find their route first.
4. Shade
- The garden pond should not be in the shade from trees to avoid leaf fall into the water.
- Choose a spot in the garden with about 6 hours sunshine a day if you want waterlilies and Iris to flower.
- Siting a garden pond in part shade from a building allows the water to remain cooler and the pond will be less likely to have algae bloom.
- A shaded pond is planted with foliage interest plants - structural shaped foliage and seed heads and some flowering plants.
Then think about the detail of pond design including your pond size and shape.