Homeowners often spruce up their yard with landscaping changes, but hardscapes are also a valuable addition to any property or garden. Installing something more permanent, such as a pond, gives your yard a new look and adds a meditative ambiance to your private oasis.
Here are some tips for designing a pond for your backyard garden.
1. Find a Focal Point
Your new pond will be the focal point of your garden. Which places naturally draw your eye now? Install a pond where it fits naturally within your growing plants to avoid disrupting your current setup. Your plants will bloom around the pond without skipping a growth season because you had to move them around.
2. Decide the Depth
Ponds come in all shapes and sizes, which includes their depth. You might want a deeper pond if you’d like to take care of outdoor fish or make it shallower to fit into a small space. The depth also depends on what’s under your yard. It’s more challenging to dig a pond in rocky soil, but sandy lawns can handle any depth.
3. Protect Against Burrowing Visitors
You should protect your pond against burrowing animals that stop by for a visit. Moles may tunnel through your yard and dig 18 inches below ground, bursting through your pond lining. Keep an eye out for tunnels and learn how to prevent pests to get the most out of your pond.
4. Read About Algae
Algae grows in ponds for numerous reasons. Fertilizer runoff and still water encourage various algae blooms that could hurt your surrounding garden or kill your fish. Find out how to treat your pond and keep algae from ruining your new installation.
5. Go Big With Shape
You might design a pond shape with small dips and corners, but those are often lost when hardscaping begins. Skip the tiny design details and go big with your pond outline to make it look the same in your yard as it does on paper.
6. Remember the Maintenance
You may commit to a pond that requires regular care, but will you have time for it? You’ll have to monitor the water content and quality while keeping up with your garden through the year. Don’t waste money on something you won’t be able to fit into your schedule.
7. Plan for Spillover
Pond depth also depends on where you live. Rain causes spillover, which is easy to forget. Plan for this by researching your annual rainfall and noting how often you’ll need to drain your pond. Spillover drainage pipes can also assist in directing inevitable overflow.
8. Install a Skimmer
Homeowners must hand-skim their ponds to get rid of debris, but that takes time. Make your future a little easier by installing a skimmer and permanent filter. They’ll do the work for you and reduce your pond’s maintenance.
9. Look Into Fish
Koi fish thrive in backyard ponds, but only if you learn how to care for them and maintain the water quality. Decide whether you’d like to raise fish before installing your pond. It will affect depth and size, as well as what you’ll need to keep the water fresh.
10. Schedule When to Cover
Any backyard water feature needs a cover during winter. It protects the water from debris and keeps koi fish warm. Note when cold weather begins where you live to schedule covering your pond.
Design a Pond for Your Backyard Garden
Start designing a pond for your backyard garden with these helpful tips. Your yard will have a new gorgeous focal point before you know it, and it’ll be an excellent investment that will last for years.
Bio:
Jane is an environmental writer and the founder and editor-in-chief of Environment.co where she covers sustainability and eco-friendly living.