A backyard pond can transform your yard into a true oasis. Read our tips on how to create the most beautiful pond for your outdoor space.
Have you thought about building a pond in your backyard to beautify it? Is having a backyard pond part of reaching your goal for the dream home? Do you want to improve your lawn or garden with a water feature?
Landscaping is one of the best ways to increase the value of your home.
While there are many different projects to try, you can start with something simple, such as adding a backyard pond. Don’t fret if you’ve never done it before, we’ve got your back to give you a head start.
Keep reading below to find out a few tricks to making your pond beautiful.
1. Research Everything
You don’t need to be part of the Boy Scouts to learn how to prepare for anything. Sometimes, all it takes is a few extra minutes set aside for extra research. If you’re equipped with the knowledge you need, you can save half as much money, time, and effort.
Research everything from the materials needed to build a pond to pond maintenance. Even if you plan to hire landscapers to do the job, it may help if you know how they’ll do it. Before you commit to getting a pond, research how to maintain it.
Knowing the expected costs will also protect you from unpleasant surprises.
2. Cut Steps Into the Soil
You need to find a way to reach the middle of the backyard pond for maintenance purposes too. You don’t want to risk sliding to the middle of it, especially if it’s deep and sloped. This is why you need to plan how you want the pond layout to be.
Think about how easy it is to get in and out of a pool. As you dig, pick a side or corner on which you’ll create steps from the soil. You can also place a pond fountain in the middle and have all the sides of the pond lined with steps.
These steps can also serve as a spot for pots and plants. Don’t forget to keep the top step at least 6 inches under the water. Make the next steps below wider so they can hold large pots.
3. Keep Your Backyard Pond Easy to Empty
At some point, you have to empty the pond to give it a good cleaning. You also need to empty your pond in preparation for the winter. To facilitate this task, create a sump hole.
This way, you can place the pump in a single spot where all the water will gather in time. Your sump hole doesn’t need to be too deep, and the pond liner needs to conform to it to prevent leaks. Create a pit that’s dish-shaped and at least 3 inches deep.
4. Get a Pond Liner That’s Larger Than the Pond
As a general tip for buying pond liners, get one that’s larger than your pond layout. You want to have at least 10 to 12 extra inches of the pond liner.
To avoid land plants from invading the pond, extend the liner at least 12 inches out. Cover up the extension with stones, mulch, or gravel. The rubber liner will keep the roots of water-seeking land plants from finding the pond.
Make sure you get fish-safe pond liners if you plant to place fish in the pond. Also, if you’re installing the liners, get an extra pair of hands to help you lay it out. If you can’t find someone else to help you, take some heavy stones to hold the pond liner down.
5. Create a Deep Shelf for Aquatic Plants in the Winter
If you live in an area that experiences winter climates, keeping plants healthy can be a challenge. In most cases, you’ll need to place them in buckets indoors to keep them alive. However, there is a more convenient way of caring for them.
When you dig out dirt for the foundations of your pond, add a part that’s at least 3 feet deep. In the fall, you can move the hardy plants in pots or root sacks to this deep area. When winter rolls around, these plants will be able to survive in the depth.
6. Keep an Open Workspace Around the Pond
Plan where you’ll place the pond because you need to ensure there’s space around it. Create at least a 2-feet-wide space on all sides of the pond. This will help you maintain the pond easier.
You can reach the aquatic plants without having to wade into the water. It becomes easier to clean your pond waterfall if you can get right behind it. If you want to cover the space behind the waterfall, place potted plants or shrubs in the space. One way to keep your pond from growing out of control with algae and to naturally keep it clean you’ll want a way to move the water around and circulate more oxygen into the fold. There are many options at Living Water Aeration for fountains and other beautiful additions that look great and help with upkeep, health of the water, especially if you have fish in your pond.
7. Find the Right Location for Easier Maintenance
Backyard ponds look great and refreshing when they showcase clear waters. The disadvantage of having a backyard pond is the work involved in cleaning it.
You want a location that doesn’t get hit by the sun when it’s high in the sky. Too much warmth can speed up the spread of algae. Too many algae can overwhelm your water filter and damage it over time.
You also want to keep the pond away from overhead trees that often shed leaves. If you plan to get fish, stick to a low population count. Too many fish in a small pond can lead to too much waste, muddying the water quickly.
Build a Beautiful Backyard Pond
Now, you know how to create a beautiful and efficient pond in your backyard. Adding water features are a great way to keep your home refreshing and relaxing. A backyard is a great place for one because it offers privacy.
That’s it for our top seven tips on how to create a wonderful backyard pond. Of course, you shouldn’t stop here. If you want to see more guides on achieving your dream home, check out our other content today!