A Guide to Building A Simple Decorative Pond

One of the best additions to a home garden or landscape is the element of water. Fish, plants and water are all of the makings of a small ecological unit that attracts a lot of life to the garden as well as beauty.

 Many choose to have a pond that is equipped with pumps, lights, fountains, fancy Koi fish and all of the bells and whistles that are provided by landscapers with the know-how and heavy construction equipment.

What some may not realize, is that a pond is an eco system in and of itself that does not need all of the mentioned luxuries to be stable and full of life. Once built, as long as oxygen, life elements, and protection from run-off of herbicides and pesticides are provided, the pond will sustain itself for long periods of time without any invasive maintenance.

 In this article, I will show you how to build a pond on a very modest budget and a lot of hard work. With careful planning, anyone can build a pond if they are truly interested in having one in their landscape. Huge budgets can be avoided by creating a pond with a good plan and a strong back.

Step 1: Finding The Right Location For the Pond

The area should be at a high point in the yard to prevent runoff from rain. This can cause many fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides to wash into the pond. Treatments in the lawn or the garden can cause an unbalance and possibly death of plants and aquatic life in the pond. A mostly sunny location is good, away from trees that will cause debris to fall into the pond however; a partially shaded location will work.

If there is any question of a lower lying area, while digging, raise the sides up with the soil that is being removed from the pond area. Plant tall grasses about 2 feet from the edge of the lower area of the pond where runoff may occur that will help keep contaminants out of the water and create a natural buffer zone.

Fo my project, the pond is close to the house so it can be seen every time someone walks outside into the garden. The gutter spout will make itself useful and empty into the pond, refreshing the water with each rainstorm. In the event of drought or very little rain, an addition of  water from a hose may be needed in case the water level drops more than six inches. The gutter spout is also incorporated into the design so its hidden and becomes a part of the pond by covering it with marble or river stones that will filter out any debris that may wash down from the spout. These are only a few examples of what can be created.

Step 2: The Hard Work Begins

Start by using a garden hose or rope to make the shape of the pond you are creating. A kidney shape, a heart, oval, a square, let the land tell you what will work well the area or just use creativity. Now, start digging…and digging until you have at least a two-foot depth (prevents freezing fish in the winter) all around the bottom to the top edge of the pond. Be sure to remove any stones or roots that may protrude from the hole and cause any future damage to the liner.

While digging out the pond, use the soil to help make the pond even deeper by mounding the side up and using a level with a 2” x 4” board to make sure the sides are all even by placing the board across from side to side and using the level on top of it. A decorative pond should be at least two feet deep to keep the water from freezing solid and the fish alive through the winter season here in Connecticut.

Caution: If you have small children, careful attention must be paid to the access of the pond as little ones may accidentally fall in.

Step 3: Shelving the Edge and Prepare For Liner.

Along the upper edge of the inside pond area, create a 12-15 inche wide shelf with a garden trowel that is even all around and about 12 inches deep. This will help with access to the pond as well as provide a shelf to place plants in shallow water such Cardinal Flowers, Cannas and Corkscrew Rush plants.

Do a double check to make sure there are no sharp stones, sticks or roots jutting out of the sides or bottom of the pond. Find some old blankets, a sleeping bag (remove zipper) or an old pool liner if you know someone who is replacing theirs to spread out on the bottom of the pond for extra protection under the liner from sharp stones that may work its way up to the surface after several winters or roots that may re-appear with time.

A liner for the pond will probably be your biggest investment. A heavy liner is important because our winters are very tough and a good liner will keep for a long time. Very nice flexible liners can be found on the Internet auction sites or from reputable dealers in many sizes for a very reasonable price. Hard shaped liners can also be used but these types of liners will dictate the size and shape you are creating. Don’t skimp on the purchase of the liner, because all of your hard work will be for nothing if the liner gives out in one year.

Step 4:  Adding the Liner and Water

Start by spreading out the liner outside of the pond area to check how it will best fit over the area. There should be at least 6” of extra liner over the edge. With most of the liners being cut in a rectangle or square, it may just hit the edge in places. In some cases, the liner will overlap the edge by a lot.

Step inside of the pond without shoes (to protect the liner) and try to work the liner in with your feet at the bottom and then into the shelf that was created to try to get the best fit before adding water. Step out and begin filling your new pond.

Monitor the bottom as it fills for any wrinkles forming and take them out while the pond fills by pulling on the liner from the outside edge to close the wrinkle as much as possible. This should be done meticulously as the water fills the pond to keep the liner as wrinkle free as possible. Once the pond is half filled, STOP, check each side for even edges and level water. If everything is looking fine, finish filling. If not, fix any problems before proceeding. 

Once the pond is full, the body of water should be left for at least 24 hours to make sure there are no leaks or breaks in the liner before proceeding. After the 24 hours has passed with no problems, cut the edges of  the liner to adjust it with the shape and size so there is enough of extra overlapping the edge of the pond to work with (a box cutter works well).

Step 5: Finishing the Pond Construction

This is the part where lots of imagination can be used. If there is an abundance of stones (old stone walls) in the area, or in my case I had disassembled a patio and had a lot of brick patio pavers that were handy (and free) to use and was also given 12 bags of marble chips that had holes in them. Don’t be too proud to ask about these things if you are on a tight budget. Use your imagination and creativity; just be careful not to use anything that may be toxic to the water.

Start by placing the first row of stones at the edge of the pond as this will help to hide the liner. The next row should come back a little further to begin covering the outside of the pond and make it beautiful. A strong edge should be used to keep the stones or pavers in place over time with winter and frost heaves without using concrete. This is done in case the liner needs to be replaced and the stones or bricks can be moved.  Landscape edging that is hidden by mulch or crushed stones works well. This way there will not have to be any major demolition if there is a future problem with a hole in the liner (some settling will occur over time).

Let the pond stand for at least 1 week before adding anything to make sure the water has had a chance to rid itself of chlorine that your water may have in it.

Step 6: Adding Plants and Life To The New Pond

This is the fun part. Adding plants to the pond will not only bring life, but also soften the harsh look of the finished stonework or any mistakes one may want to cover such as the downspout. It is amazing how adding plants will change the allover appearance of the decorative pond.

 Oxygen is needed in the water to sustain life in the pond. Add plants that live at the bottom such as the Lotus (Water Lily) right into the water, plants that float on the surface and plants that live in the shallow shelf area. All of these plants will help to oxygenate the water and ready it for new life in the pond.

Try to purchase plants that are hardy to our climate so they will survive our cold winters here in the Northeast. They can be planted in plastic pots or fabric. I choose to weigh the plant down with a stone so it can spread out on it’s own with no restrictions. If the plant overgrows the pond in time, just divide and share it with friends. One Lotus plant should be fine for a small pond. “Barbara Dobbins” is a white variety that will do well in partially shaded ponds and is hardy. “Attraction” is a pink variety that will thrive here in Connecticut.

Water Lettuce or Pistia stratiotes is a floating pond plant that looks beautiful but is not hardy through our winter. It can be brought indoors and wintered over in an aquarium. Water Lettuce will spread quickly so it may be a good thing that it is not hardy to our area. Fish like to chew on the roots of these plants.

One of my favorite shallow water plants is Corkscrew Rush or Juncus effusus spiralis.  This plant should be in at least six inches of water and will add some great interest to the pond. The spiraling Rush will grow 10- 18 inches tall on the shelf area of the pond. Ornamental Cattails can also be added to the shelf as well as Iris Louisiana plants adding a nice blue color to the shelf area.

The first living creatures that I bring into the pond are tadpoles or as I remember them being called, Pollywogs. If it is too late in the year to add these little critters, not to worry, frog will find your new pond. After a couple of days, travel to the local pets store and ask for at least a dozen feeder goldfish which cost no more than few cents each and add these fish to your new pond.

Unfortunately some of the goldfish will die very quickly because they are not used to the condition of the water. The survivors will live and grow to be beautiful specimens.  Several goldfish purchased at the pet store have lived for 4 years in my pond through some of the toughest and coldest winters. Mosquitoes are rarely a problem because the fish and the frogs are well fed by them. I Do not feed the fish in my pond.

After a period of adjustment by all of the additions to your new pond, a small eco system has been created and will be self-sufficient. The only maintenance I provide is in the fall and early spring to remove leaves and falling debris from the water. Keep a net handy to help remove this debris. Very soon other forms of life will magically appear such as dragonflies and birds stopping by for a cool drink.

A Delicate Balancing Act

Try to remember the balance to this tiny eco-system is very delicate. While mowing the grass, be sure not to let the grass blow into the pond and to keep any pesticide, fertilizer or insecticide away from the water. Careful attention must be paid on a windy days when fertilizers and sprays are applied. Grass clippings, especially ones that have been treated with fertilizers and herbicides can be a danger to the balance of a pond. Also, tossing coins into the water is a sure danger to the fish and wildlife in the pond and one must be careful to tell any visitors not to make any wishes with coins. I place a few glass stones in a bowl to visiting kids for this purpose in which no harm is done.

Once you have worked so hard on building this beautiful pond, set up a chair, sit back, relax and enjoy what you and nature have created. Well done!