Preliminary Considerations Before Building Your Own Backyard Garden Pond

This article is geared towards the beginner water gardener, who is comtemplating the installation of his/her first garden pond. The key to a successful do-it-yourself project is to gather as much relevant information that you can. To follow are some preliminary considerations and design tips that must be taken into account, before embarking on a water gardening project.

PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS

1. Location

Install it as close as the house as possible to maximize enjoyment. For safety reasons, make sure that there are no underground utilities where you will be excavating. Check with your local utility company before you begin digging.

Be sure to consider the slope of the land and the location of the pond in order to avoid rainwater runoff. If the pond is located in a low-lying area, lawn fertilizers and other chemicals can wash into the pond and harm the fish and plants.

To grow healthy aquatic plants, you will require adequate sun exposure. Most aquatic plants require four to six hours of sunlight per day to ensure healthy growth.

2. Size

Make your pond as large as possible, to give you flexibility when you later fill up the pond with fish and plants.

3. Purpose

Do you want to focus on growing water lilies? If so, locate the pond in full sun. Do you want to raise pond fish? If so, shady areas would be preferred.

4. Edging

You can edge your pond with stones, boulders, plants, beaches, and docks. Plan ahead how you would like to edge your pond.

5. Style

Natural style ponds are built to create the illusion of a mountain stream with waterfalls. Larger boulders and flat stones can be used in combination to create the look of a naturally formed stream. The sound of falling water can be fine-tuned through the careful arrangement and placement of stone.

Urban ponds are typically smaller in area, and are designed to fit well in smaller backyards.

Koi ponds must be able to accomodate fish that can grow to about 2.5 feet in length. Many koi ponds have no plants because koi have a tendency to eat certain types of plants. You must plan for an extremely large pond, and provide adequate surface area for the absorption of oxygen into the water. Ponds for koi must be at least 3 feet deep to provide room for mobility. They also require filtration to keep the water clean.

DESIGN

Next, you must make a decision on the type of pond that you want.

Pre-formed ponds come in a variety of shapes, usually with plant shelves built in. They are ideal for first-time pond builders because they are extremely durable, and less susceptible to tears and punctures. Furthermore, their sturdy pond lips ease the task of leveling during installation. Preformed ponds are easy to install and clean, but require more skill to fit the hole in the ground with the shape of the pond. When properly supported, preformed ponds are ideal for above-ground, indoor, and patio setups.

Flexible liners are ideal for the more experienced water gardeners. They allow for easy and very forgiving installations, which consequently promotes greater creativity. Because you can create various shapes with liners, it is possible to construct larger, and deeper configurations (when compared to preformed ponds).

Concrete installations usually require a professional installation. Concrete is a medium that tends to crack as the ground freezes and thaws.

Use a garden hose to lay out your garden pond shape on the ground. This will allow you to experiment with the size and shape of your pond. Once you have a plan for your water garden, it is important to get your design on paper. The design drawing is paramount because it will help you to make an accurate estimate of the material you will need. The diagram also will allow you to plan for the placement of all the accessories. Be sure to take into consideration the space that rocks and aquatic plants will take in the final design. The pond may appear much smaller visually after all the ponds and rocks are added. At this point, you should also plan for the amount of plant material that you may need to landscape the pond.

Finally, it is now time to make a list of materials required. These materials can be purchased from our online store. In our next article, we will provide detailed instructions on how to install both liner and preformed ponds.

This article was reproduced with permission from http://www.gardensupermart.com/tips.asp

To view the complete article (with pictures), please go to http://www.gardensupermart.com/tips/intro.asp

In The News:

---

Manage Algae

There are several different ways to manage algae in your... Read More

What to Feed Your Fish During Colder Winter Months

With air and water temperatures dropping in most parts of... Read More

Landscaping Tips

When you want to create a beautiful and functional landscape,... Read More

Garden Sheds: Wood Finishing and Weatherproofing Tips

To keep wood garden sheds, arbors, or trellises looking their... Read More

Gardeners: Contain Yourselves!

Whether you live in a tiny city apartment or on... Read More

Fake Grass

The history of artificial or fake grass is to say... Read More

Easy to Grow Roses

There are many different types of roses. If you are... Read More

How to Make Your Backyard a Wonderland Oasis

Home and garden accessories make the difference between house and... Read More

Rock Gardens - A Different Kind of Garden

Planting a Rock Garden is a great alternative to the... Read More

How to Grow Cooking Herbs

Grow your own cooking herbs to add fresh zest and... Read More

Add Value to Your Home - Landscaping

Just recently my friend had his house appraised between $800,000... Read More

The Importance of Garden Decor

The Quest for SignificancePeople are looking for ways to add... Read More

Growing a Sustainable Garden!

Do you wish you could grow a sustainable vegetable garden?... Read More

Unique Flowers make a memorable gift!

Think "outside of the box" when sending your next floral... Read More

Tips For Successful Backyard Grape Growing

Growing grapes in the backyard or garden can be a... Read More

Compost YES, Epsom Salts NO

You'll often hear garden writers recommending the use of Epsom... Read More

Teak Furniture - The Proper Way to Care For & Clean It

Teak furniture is tropical hardwood that has a rich, golden... Read More

Fuchsia procumbens

Fuchsia (named after Leonhard Fuchs, a 16th century German botanist)... Read More

Garden Room Boundaries...

The areas of your landscape can be divided into several... Read More

Wind Chimes Soothe The Soul

They can be pretty to look at and soothing to... Read More

Hand Feeding your Koi

One of the most rewarding and entertaining things about having... Read More

Bonsai Trees - Our Own Little Forest

Bonsai trees have been grown in China and Japan for... Read More

Storm Warnings For Ponds

California has earthquakes; we in the south and east coast... Read More

Using Annuals in Your Perrenial Garden

Annuals in your pernnial garden are something to think about!... Read More

Gardening Tips for Early - Mid July

Now we are fast approaching the hottest time of the... Read More

Edgeworthia Chrysantha

Although it is a member of the Thymelaeaceae, the family... Read More

5 Secrets to Growing Beautiful Roses

A rose is a rose is a rose - and... Read More

Using Bulbs in Your Landscaping

Naturalized bulbs look beautiful in a wooded setting. You can... Read More

All About Hybrid Tea Roses

Hybrid tea roses and the original tea rose are the... Read More

Tarragon: A Favourite of French Chefs

Long a favourite of French chefs, the herb Artemisia dracunculus,... Read More

Growing Great Potatoes

Potatoes are so easy to grow in the no dig,... Read More

Create and Furnish Your Outdoor Room

More and more people are enjoying their time spent outdoors... Read More

Multi Purpose Tree ? Sugar Palm

Palm family is unique in the aspect that most of... Read More