How to build a garden pond video
You will need:
- Rigid pond liner
- Spade
- Wheelbarrow
- Level
- Shovel
- Fork (large garden variety)
- Marking paint
- 2 bags of building sand
- Straight edge of timber
TV gardeners are always banging on about how we should encourage wildlife into our patches. One of the best ways to attract birds, insects and small animals is to add a pond. You don't need a lot of space or a team of experts to do it either. A few hours and a bit of elbow grease is all it takes.
Time to complete the job: 3 hours.
-
Step 1: Choose your site
Your pond should be placed in a spot that gets some sunlight, but isn't in direct sun all day. Once you've chosen your spot, put your pond liner in position on the ground. Use the marking paint to mark its outline on the soil.
-
Step 2: Dig a hole
Move the pond liner out of the way and start digging. Get the topsoil out of the way first, using a spade. This will likely go down about a foot into the ground.
For the layer underneath, which could be rock, clay or rubble, use a garden fork. Push the fork into the ground using your foot and pry up to loosen the layer. Scoop the loosened matter out of the way with a shovel.
Tip: If the rubble layer is completely solid, you can use a pickaxe to chip away at the matter until it's loose. -
Step 3: Prepare the ground
Once the hole looks deep enough, scoop out any last loose bits from the bottom and try to get it roughly flat. Place your liner in the hole to check you've gone deep enough.
Remove the liner and shovel a layer of sand into the hole. If you're using a hard pond liner, you'll need about an inch of sand in the bottom of the hole.
For a rubber liner, cover the hole very carefully with about two inches of sand to ensure the liner doesn't get pierced by rubble or debris.
Tip: Instead of using sand to line the hole, you can use an piece of old carpet, rubber side up. -
Step 4: Level the pond
It is absolutely vital that you get this step right!
Place the liner back in the hole. Rest the piece of timber across the pond lengthwise and place the spirit level on top. If it's not level, adjust the liner and try again.
Rest the timber across the width of the pond and check that it's level that way as well. -
Step 5: Fill in the hole
Once the pond is perfectly level, fill the gaps around the edge of the pond loosely with topsoil from the hole. Fill the pond with water and keep an eye open for wildlife.
Tip: Don't pack the soil tightly around the pond before you fill it with water. It's best leave the soil loose and let things settle for about a week before packing it more tightly.
-
- Add to My UKTV
- Social Bookmarking
- Printer friendly version
- Send to a friend
- Comment on this
Text size: A- decrease text size A reset text size A+ increase text size
RELATED ARTICLES
-
How to buy a lawnmower
If you're looking for a snappy lawnmower to ...
-
Garden party decorating
Transform your garden into an al fresco dining ...
Advertisement
GALLERIES
Home galleries
-
Stylish Christmas gifts for under a tenner Gifts for under a tenner? It may seem a challenge ...
-
Barbarella bathroom Sensual curves and Sixties-style geometrics give ...
-
Christmas wreaths Create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for your ...
User galleries
-
Plum paradise Created by VikiC5995
It may be a bit 'matchy matchy' for some ...
-
Garden renovation Created by craigS98921
...
-
Cottage garden Created by christinaN94549
We like to follow the sun round the garden, so ...
Latest bookmarks
-
Garden design: exploring your options Take control of your garden by working with what ...
-
How to create a garden border Create a border in your garden for a constantly ...
-
How to build a pond Why not put a pond in your garden? It's easy ...
COMMENTS