Freestanding Pond

Hi Andy

This thread has gone all stretched off the right edge of the page on my PC so I hope it isn't me.

This is a good idea for a thread, because I have been thinking of the same sort of thing.

I would love a pond but I don't think I have room for one, and like you I don't want the hassle of digging one out in my heavy clay garden.

I have seen some very nice marble type free standing ponds in my local garden centres, but they are really expensive. I also wonder if they might crack in winter if they are subjected to hard frosts.

I will also be very interested to hear from members who have had experiences with them. :-)

UK WaterFeatures.com

Marble water features

Hi Chris,

Haven't had experience with these I'm afraid but if you are struggling for space have you thought of using an old bath tub? Sounds daft I know but my dad has one sunk into a raised rockery in his garden. He actually lined it with cheap pond liner which he tucked under the rocks to hide the edges. Once it was planted with some pond plants and the surrounding ground planted up it looked really good!

Whatever you decide to use make sure that it is perfectly level otherwise the edges will show and it will look dreadful. 

If you think out of the box a bit there are lots of things which would work in this way. Whatever you chose it needn't cost too much or may even be free if you can find someone chucking one in a skip!?  

HI,

Well Higgy I'm going to have to build my own because its going to be a bit bespoke. After making a plan of what I want to do I have found that to make the pond big enough it will have to turn a corner i.e. and L shape so I think it will be logs and a liner. I'll post some pictures of how the work is progressing.....I'm sure as with all my works there will be some design changes along the way:) I had thought of a bath myself but now with the corner that is out.

Woodpecker those marble water features look great but a little expensive, I saw a few at my local garden centre and they would look great....may be another time:)

Question - with a pond do you have to have running water or a pump to keep the water healthy or can it just sit there?

Phoenix said:

HI,

Well Higgy I'm going to have to build my own because its going to be a bit bespoke. After making a plan of what I want to do I have found that to make the pond big enough it will have to turn a corner i.e. and L shape so I think it will be logs and a liner. I'll post some pictures of how the work is progressing.....I'm sure as with all my works there will be some design changes along the way:) I had thought of a bath myself but now with the corner that is out.

Woodpecker those marble water features look great but a little expensive, I saw a few at my local garden centre and they would look great....may be another time:)

Question - with a pond do you have to have running water or a pump to keep the water healthy or can it just sit there?

Hi Pheonix,

This sounds interesting!

Have you thought how you will fix the logs together? I can assure you that when lined and filled with water there will be a lot of pressure on them?

Wooden sleepers are easy to work with(albeit a bit heavy) but you will create a nice 'L' shape with them?

Here are a couple of ideas for easily fixing sleepers together which might work with logs also?

The metal building ties can be bought in 'Tool Station' for a pound or so each. This is much cheaper than buying 'purpose made' fixings which will cost you several pounds each! I found Tool Station best for the long screw bolts designed for heavy wood fixing also and again they worked out nearly half the price of 'other' DIY stores...

Apologies if this isn't relevant to your plan but felt it worth mentioning just in case!....

Thanks Higgy,

When I say logs I actually mean the 'logs' you get from a garden centre that have the planed top and bottom so the fixings will be much like your photos. Also it's not going on a concrete base just on the soil so I'm getting a few metal stakes made that can be driven through both logs and into the clay soil to give extra strength. May eb I'm over confident but i think the L shape shouldn't be to much of a problem.......anyway that's the plan....at the moment:)

Ah good sounds like you have it all sorted out. The pictures were just for reference if you hadn't considered fixings. I will watch this space to see how it comes along...