| Building a backyard fish pond is a big undertaking | | | | around two feet deep although more depth may |
| that involves a fair amount of hard work and, as | | | | be required in very cold areas to prevent the |
| it will be a permanent feature of your garden, it is | | | | pond freezing in winter. If you want a koi fish |
| worthwhile spending some time in the planning | | | | pond it will need to be at least three feet deep or |
| stage.So before you rush into the garden with a | | | | more.The biggest mistake that water gardeners |
| shovel, pause for a while and think about your fish | | | | tend to make is to build a pond that is too small. |
| pond design and the type of pond that you want | | | | Your finished pond will appear much smaller than |
| ...Natural Pond - follows the curves and forms of | | | | your original layout!If your backyard fish pond is |
| nature and may include an outcrop of stone or a | | | | to be dug out rather than raised consider how |
| natural beach. This will often allow planting at the | | | | you will remove the excavated material. It may |
| edge of the pool and can create the impression | | | | be possible to use it in another part of the |
| that the pond was there long before the rest of | | | | garden, alternatively you may need to have it |
| the garden or the house were constructed.Formal | | | | removed which can be difficult and |
| Pond - a geometric design works best when | | | | expensive.Assuming you are going to build a |
| there is a relationship in design and materials with | | | | sunken pond the next step is to start digging! Dig |
| the buidings that are close by. It will usually be | | | | the pond to the desired shape and dig a shelf |
| symmetrical in design and could be rectangular or | | | | around the perimeter of the pond about one foot |
| square in shape and may have a paved edge. | | | | deep and one or more feet wide. Dig the |
| Formal ponds are often planted but usually with | | | | remainder of the pond. If you are planning a |
| artfully chosen plants rather than the wilder | | | | waterfall dig the pond with a slight slope away |
| plantings of a natural pond.Raised Pond - a formal | | | | from the waterfall.Line the excavated pond with |
| pond can also be construced above ground from | | | | underlay. This is to stop the flexible liner from |
| bricks, blocks or stone. There will be less waste | | | | being pierced by sharp stones. Pond underlay can |
| to carry from the site, however the cost of the | | | | be made from geotextile or old carpet, providing |
| construction materials will be higher than an | | | | it is non-organic and non-rotting can be used to |
| in-ground pond.Once you've decided on the type | | | | save money. A butyl rubber pond liner is laid on |
| of backyard fish pond spend some time working | | | | top of the underlay. Position to liner evenly in the |
| out possible locations and mark out the locations | | | | pond and try to minimize the folds and wrinkles. |
| with a garden hose or a length or rope. Take into | | | | Leave an overhang of at least six inches. Avoid |
| consideration the amount of light in different | | | | walking on the newly laid liner as much as possible. |
| locations. If you want to grown water lilies you will | | | | If you must walk on it wear socks!Fill the pond |
| require four to six hours of direct sunlight on the | | | | and try to ease the wrinkles out of the liner while |
| pond during the day. Shade is fine for fish-only | | | | the pond is filling. Arrange coping stones around |
| ponds. Check the overhanging trees as these | | | | the edge of the pond and fold the liner up behind |
| could also be a source of pond pollution. If you | | | | the stones ensuring the edge of the liner is above |
| must build a pond beneath a tree at least try to | | | | the water level. A more natural edge can be |
| avoid deciduous trees - the leaves will create a lot | | | | created by planting shallow-water plants around |
| of pond waste.When deciding on the location of | | | | the edge of the pond. You may need to consider |
| your pond avoid the temptation to locate the | | | | cementing the coping stones in place if the pond |
| pond in the lowest point in the garden. The low | | | | edge will be subjected to much foot traffic.Now |
| point can be subject to flooding in heavy rain and | | | | sit back and enjoy your new garden pond!Alison |
| will often collect runoff from the garden. This may | | | | Stevens makes it easy to design and build your |
| carry fertilizers and organic debris into the pond.A | | | | own fish pond. |
| pond for goldfish or aquatic plants need only be | | | | |