Making your own water garden pond can be a fun and rewarding weekend project. This is a relatively inexpensive project that can be done on your own with a little hard work and lots of imagination. Although there are several different materials that can be used to line your pond, this article will discuss the PVC liner because it is the most economic and versatile material on the market today. Before you get your shovel out and begin digging, you will need to take into consideration several factors. These things will affect the appearance and finished product of your water garden.
Gardening Tips: Backyard Water Garden
Planning Your Garden
- Where do I plan to install my water garden? This is an important question for several reasons. Safety should be a main concern regarding the location of your pond. Small children and pets should not be able to access your pond. If you live in an area where this is a concern, your pond should be located within a fenced area. Another issue involving the location of your pond should be the amount of sunlight available. A water garden pond needs to have full sun for a good portion of the day. If you choose to place your pond in an area with minimal sunlight, you will easily develop algae problems. The water plants you choose to have in your pond will also not grow properly in areas that receive too much shade.
- Will I have fish in my water garden pond? This is an important question because most fish who make their homes in garden ponds require a depth of at least three feet in order to withstand summer heat and winter cold. This is an average depth for common goldfish who do very well in small outdoor water ponds. If you plan on keeping more exotic fish such as Koi, you will need to have a deeper pond. Fish are an asset to your pond as they will eat unwanted insects and work together with the water plants to keep your pond clean.
- What shape do I want my garden pond? The sky is the limit! Many experts recommend that you use a garden hose to outline several different shapes and see which one suits you best. You should keep in mind that the more curves you place in the outline of your pond, the more difficult it will be to calculate the size of your pond liner. A relatively square pond is the easiest shape to use when installing a PVC liner.
- How deep do I want my garden pond? As outlined above you need to keep proper depth for fish in mind if you are planning on having them reside in your pond. It is recommended that the bottom of your pond vary in depth from 6″ shelves at the edge to at least three feet. The different depths provide a larger selection when choosing water plants and give fish areas to warm themselves or cool off depending on the season. Many plants, called bog plants, only require a depth of six inches of water, while others like the water lily, must have deeper water to grow in. A sloping design or a pond with shelves of various heights is recommended to suit a variety of water plants.
Building Your Garden
Step #1 Excavation
The most difficult part of installing your water garden pond will be the excavation. If you are creating a smaller pond 4′X 6′ or less, a shovel and regular digging tools will work great. As recommended, use a garden hose or string to outline the area that will be dug out. Remember that you will need to have some areas more shallow than others. The easiest way to accomplish this is to either dig your pond shallow to deep at a slope from one end to the other or from side to side. It is also very important to remember that although the bottom of your pond does not need to be level, the top MUST be level. Failure to level the top edges of your pond will result in the water filling at an angle. Another important factor involving excavation that cannot be overlooked is that you will need to have at least three inches between the fill line of your pond and the ground that surrounds it. This ensures that rainwater and groundwater do not flood the pond.
Step #2 Preparing your pond for the liner
Once the area has been dug out you will need to smooth the sides and bottom to protect the liner from potential holes and tears. The bottom of the liner will carry the most weight and it is recommended that at least three inches of regular sand be spread in the bottom of the hole before the liner is installed.
The pond liner should be at least 45-mil thick. These liners can be purchased at many home improvement stores such as Lowe’s or Home Depot or at specialty water garden supply stores. They are usually sold by the foot or yard and you will need to use the following formula to calculate the proper amount of liner you will need.
- Length of pond + 2 times depth of pond + 2 feet = Length of liner you will need
- Depth of pond (deepest part) + 2 times width of pond + 2 feet = Width of liner you will need
- Example: for a 6′ long by 4′ wide pond that is 3 feet at the deepest part: 6 + 6 + 2 = 14 feet long and 3 + 8 + 2 = 13 feet wide
Step # 3 Installing the liner
It is best to let your pond liner warm in the sun for a few hours before installing it. This makes it more pliable and easier to work with. Pull the liner over the top of the hole and work it carefully down to the bottom of the pond making sure to leave plenty of extra liner all the way around the top edges. The liner edges will be covered and dealt with in the next few steps. You will need to try and remove as many creases and wrinkles as you can but some will remain depending on the shape of your pond.
Step # 4 Filling your water pond with water
Once the liner has been installed, you can begin filling your pond with water. Keep an eye on it as it fills and try to smooth or remove wrinkles and creases once again as the pond begins to fill. You may have to adjust here and there as the weight of the water changes the placement of the liner. You can stop filling when you are three inches from the top of the liner.
Step # 5 Setting the edge of the liner
The best way to set the edge of the pond liner is with stone, brick or concrete paving stones. Choose the material that will fit best with your design plans. The stone or brick should completely cover the edge of the pond liner and fill dirt can be used if needed to cover in between. At this point any excess pond liner can be cut away.
Step # 6 Adding plants to your pond
It is best to wait a few days before adding plants to your pond to allow the water to settle and chemicals such as chlorine to dissipate. There are numerous easy to care for water plants that can be placed in your pond. You will need to pot all of your water garden plants for easy care. You may need to use bricks or stones to set the pots on in order to adjust the depth of your plants. Water lily, Arrowhead, Iris and Cattails are just a few of the plants that will thrive in your new water garden pond.
Your plants will work together with fish (as mentioned earlier) to act as natural filters and cleaners in your pond. A properly planned pond does not require a pump or filter to keep the water clean. Newcomers to water gardening should read up on different types of plants and their growing requirements as well as pond maintenance.
Now you can sit back and relax and enjoy the results of your water garden pond. It is sure to provide hours of enjoyment for you and your friends.
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