Adding a pond to your garden can give a nice area for you or your guests to relax in. Backyard ponds come in all shapes and sizes so you have a huge selection when it comes to what will be right for your yard. Adding a garden pond is a very easy endeavor which should only take a weekend to install.

Placing the Pond

Your yard should have a natural flow to it and where your pond is located will add to that flow. Look for a flat place which doesn't have any obstructions and is big enough to hold the pond you want. Once you have found it, mark it out on the ground so you know the basic size and shape. Cover the ground you mapped out with sand or flour so you know where to dig. Remember, in nature ponds are not always shaped in a perfect square or circle so try to vary the shape up for a more aesthetically pleasing look.

Digging

The next step is to create the shelf for the pond. The shelf is where you can place water plants that need shallow water to grow in. This should be located approximately 12-inches below the surface and should be 10 to 12-inches wide. Start at the edge of your pond perimeter dig down slightly angled toward the center until you hit your desired shelf depth. Create the shelf to go all the way around the pond and then continue digging down at a slight angle from the inside edge of the shelf until you reach your desired depth.

Pond Liner

Once your pond has been dug out, you need to determine the size of the liner you need for it. All ponds need a liner which keeps the water from soaking into the ground. For this, you will need a liner which has a length of approximately the length of your pond with twice the depth and three additional feet added to it and a width of the width of the pond with plus twice the depth with three feet added to it. This will ensure your pond is adequately covered.

Installation

It's finally time to put the pond together. First, remove any obstructions like rocks and tree roots from the interior of the pond. The inside should be as smooth as possible. Then, place a layer of fine sand on the bottom which is approximately 2-inches wide to give a smooth surface for the liner to lay on. Place the layer on the sand, making sure that it fills the pond completely and is flat over all surfaces. The liner may be easier to work with if it is warmed up so leave it in the sun for 30 minutes or so. Hold the liner down with rocks or small stakes. Once the liner is in place, slowly fill the pond and make sure the liner is even and holds the water. Once your pond if full cut off any excess liner you may have and begin planting around the pond.

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Installing a Garden Pond