Build a pond

In the last gardening activity for this series, Andrew demonstrates how to build a pond in your garden to create an attractive focus point.

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What you will need for this activity

• Shovel
• Black heavy duty
• PVC liner
• River pebbles (e.g. delatite pebbles)
• Crushed rocks
• A mixture of large and small deorative rocks for pond edge
• Builder's sand
• Water Solar pump (optional)
• Lotus lily or Nelumbo (optional)

1. Plan you pond dimensions

If you would like a lotus lily in your pond, determine how deep you need to make the pond by how much water the lily needs to be grown in. The particular lily we have chosen requires about 600 mm water depth.  You can get smaller lilies that only require a water depth of 200mm.

2. Dig your pond hole

Dig a rough hole in the approximate shape of the pond.

3. Build a terrace

Build a terrace around the bottom of the pond roughly to height of your medium sized rocks. This is where the rocks will sit and form the border of the pond.

4. Level the top ridge

Just above the trench prepare the pond's top ridge. Make the ridge even so it will sit level with the water when you fill the pond. Use a leveller to help you with this task.  Use crushed rocks and builders sand to fine-tune.

5. Dig a small trench around top

Dig a small trench just around the top ridge of the pond.

6. Line the pond with builder's sand

Line the trench and top level of the pond with builders' sand.  The sand provides a layer between the PVC liner that will go on top and any sharp bits of rock.

7. Prepare a drainage point

Carve a drain outlet into the top level of the pond directing it to a low point in your garden.

8. Line the pond with PVC

Use black heavy duty PVC liner to line the pond.  Black is better as it reflects the light. Spread the PVC over the hole making sure that it isn't stretched tight between the different levels of the pond.

9. Secure the PVC liner

Roughly cut the PVC to the shape of the pond (leaving a small bit in excess).  Secure the PVC layer by tucking it into the small trench and then filling the trench with small rocks.

As the hole is circular, you will need to fold the excess PVC liner occasionally as you work around the pond.  This will become a seam that you will never see.  Again, make sure that the PVC that sits around the trenches isn't stretched taught.

10. Trim the PVC liner

Once the liner is secured, trim any excess around the small trench.

11. Place rocks around terrace layer

Place a mixture of the large rocks and small pebbles along the pond's terrace and the top ridge.  Aim to cover the PVC liner at the top of the pond so that it is no longer visible.  Use the small pebbles to fill in the gaps.  

12. Fill the pond

Position the water lily in the centre of the pond keeping it in its pot, and then fill the pond with water.

13. Install solar water pump

As still water can lead to mosquitoes breeding in your pond, it is a good idea to install a solar water pump.  The solar panel will sit out of the pond and the wires can run underneath the rocks.