Do you fancy having a fish pond in your garden, or a fountain where you can enjoy the soothing sound of running water? What about a water garden that is afloat with beautiful water lillies? The options are endless when it comes to garden ponds.

In this guide we will look at how you can create your own basic garden pond. Once you have installed the shell of it, you can get creative and add finishing touches like lights, fountains, fish and ornamental plants.

The first thing you need to decide is if you're going to go with a preformed rigid liner or a flexible liner.

Preformed (Rigid) Ponds

	Use a spirit level throughout installation to ensure the surface at ground level is straight.
	Set the pool on the ground and mark the outline of the base of the mould.
	Start digging. You can dig deeper than the depth of the mould, but not wider, the sides need to be a snug fit.
	After the hole for the base has been dug, place the base in the hole. Mark where the shelf will be. Dig out the shallow shelf. When the pool fits snuggly, dig a few centimetres deeper and fill with sand.
	Evenly spread sand in the bottom of the hole. Remove or add sand if necessary to make the pool level. Fill in the sides with sand if necessary.
	When you are sure the pool is level and fits snugly, it is time to edge it.
Do not fill the pool with water just yet. It is easier to plant around the shelf before filling the pool with water. That way, soil will not fall into an already full pool, making it murky.

Ponds Made With Flexible Liner

There are three different types of liner: Polythene which is cheap, easy to lay, but perforates easily. PVC which does not stretch, but can be repaired if perforated. Butyl rubber which is elastic, easy to repair, but more expensive than the other two options.

Before starting, the length of liner required will need to be calculated. The formula is:

Liner length required = maximum length of pool + (depth x 3)

Liner width required = maximum width of pool + (depth x 3)

For example, if your pool is 3 metres long, 2 metres wide by 0.5metres deep you will need:

3 metres + (0.5 x 3) = 4.5 metres long

2 metres + (0.5 x 3) = 3.5 metres wide

It is better for the liner to be too big than too small. Lay the liner out away from the area being dug to warm up in the sun. This makes handling easier.

	Using a hose or rope, starting from the outside working in, mark out the outer edge of the pool.
	Next mark out the ledge.
	The inside mark is the base.
	Now start digging. Dig down about 25cm for the ledge.
	Next dig the sides of the base keeping them as straight as possible. The depth of the base needs to be at least 45cm, and no deeper than 65cm. Save all dug out soil for mounding or filling in gaps later on. The base does not need to be level but the top must be level. Use a spirit level to check.
	Sweep away any lump or stones. Line the hole with fine sand or liner underlay.
	Place the liner across the hole (not in it) as close to centred as possible.
	Anchor the liner tightly with rocks at the corners and around the edge.
	Slowly start filling the pool with water. As the liner sags with the weight of the water, lift up the anchoring rocks one at a time to release the liner. Replace the rock. The liner will fit far better with less pleating when filled this way. Fill the pool to within 10cm of the top.
If there is excess liner around the edge of the pool, do not trim it. Bury it under the surrounding soil. The pool is now ready to edge and plant.

Edging

Before edging, lay a piece of pipe from the shelf up over the outer edge of the liner and firm into place, ready to be covered with edging material. If a pump or water feature is added later, the pipe is there ready to thread a hose through.

A successful pool has the edge concealed. River stones and rocks are the most popular choice for edging. Other choices are paving slabs, bricks, railway sleepers, bamboo stakes, ponga logs or pebbles.

The pond edging should hang over the pool to protect exposed parts of the liner from sun damage. When laying pavers, lay them sloping away from the pool so that rainwater does not run into it.

Concrete is not advisable if putting fish in the pool as cement and concrete contain elements that are toxic to fish.

If your pool is being surrounded by lawn, it is best to add a mowing strip to create a buffer, as trimming becomes a problem.

Wait a month after filling and planting your pool before adding fish so that the plants have a chance to establish.

For ideas on what plants to have in and around your garden pond, please refer to our gardening article: Water Gardens.

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