Hi all, I've been looking into getting a small 1.5 metre by 1.5 metre pond in my garden, to just attract some wildlife into my garden including amphibians.
Searching online people are saying it costs into the thousands or at least over £500, this doesn't seem right though, are these quotes only for specialised / custom made ponds with fancy features?
Is it as simple as digging a hole, putting some pond liner in, filling it up, and putting some oxygenating plants in?
Thanks.
Depends how you build it. Basic methods are
1. Dig hole and line it
2. Buy preformed pond (normally plastic or fibre glass), dig hole and insert it.
3. Build raised pond, much like raised bed - fair amount of engineering here.
Looking at method 1.
Dig your hole - advise varies as to where to place it. Some suggest shady area, some say full sun is alright, or mixture of two. The pond needs to have deep bits say a 1 1/2 to 2 feet deep (45cm-60cm) in places, but then have shelves. Aquatic plants have various depths for 'planting'.
Remove as many stones as you can. Line pond with something soft e.g. felt, liner, sand, old non-biogradable carpet, etc. This is to stop waterproof liner being punctured.
Add waterproof liner - always a bit of fun. Add water slowly to form waterproof liner to contours of pond. Trim to size. Add plants and wait.
Looking at method 2.
Preformed liners are available at many garden centres, nurseries and pond specialists. Also online.
Decide on the one you want, depending on site, design, budget, etc. Can be as little as £100, but can be a lot more depending on material made of and size. I sniffed my local garden centre for a good brand, then waited for them to go on offer/sale - 50% off.
Installation pretty much same as method 1. Dig hole. Removed stones. Line with barrier material to stop hidden stones puncturing liner. Inert preformed pond line. Make sure bedded firmly and level. Fill.
Looking at method 3.
I have seen these, with raised sides between 2 to 3 feet high. Need reasonable strong supports. Some garden centres have them to stock plants.
Recycling options
I once used a bath tub we were throwing away. Plug up plug hole really, really well. Dig hole. Insert. Dead cheap i.e. costs nothing. And deep enough. Added bricks to provide shelving. It was really good and attracting a lot of wildlife.
You can get quite interesting shaped bath tubs, these days.
There is always someone around renovating their house. I bet the builders will be only too pleased if you hauled one off their skip - ask permission first.
I also looked at roof water tanks, other cisterns, etc. These are strong enough to be free standing i.e. above ground. Though you can bury them. Again, you might get one free if someone is renovating their home - or a cheap on from reclaimation yard.
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