How to Build a Man Made Pond
A pond can be an attractive addition to any garden, giving life and motion contrasting against stillness and quiet. It can be very pleasing to the eye, and is also great for helping you unwind after a long, stressful day. Not only that, it's great for teaching the kids about nature, and for allowing you to enjoy the pond life in your garden sanctuary. And the best thing is, you don't have to hire in the professionals to build it. In this article, we will show you how to build a man made pond of your own, in your back yard, with minimal hassle and fuss, in no time at all.
What you will need
First of all you will need a shovel and wheelbarrow. Try to obtain a shovel with a larger face, as this will cut down the time you take dramatically. Also, find a good strong friend or family member to come along and help you with the digging.
You will also need to obtain some rockery, although this can be found from your garden, and some plastic sheeting which will be used to line the pond. Additionally you will need a source of water to fill the pond, preferably a hosepipe. If you are short for any of these materials, pop down to your local garden or DIY store, where you'll find an abundance of options for garden ponds.
Furthermore, you might like to consider adding a water feature to your pond to give motion and create the relaxing running water sound, such as a pump to create a fountain or waterfall. Again the garden store is the best place to go for these. Now you have everything in place, it's time to show you how to build a man made pond effectively in your own time, with your own resources.
Building your Pond
The best idea before starting to build a pond is to know in your mind what exactly you are looking for. If you are working with a friend, it is a good idea to get your vision onto paper, so you can both see the specifications, and to avoid timely mistakes.
First, start digging the basic outline of the pond. You need to dig fairly deep if you want to give your pond depth, and remember it is best to shovel into the wheelbarrow as you go to avoid this lengthy task afterwards. Also, make sure you arrange somewhere to dispose of the unwanted soil afterwards, as it can cause problems when it is in such a large volume.
Next, take the plastic pond liner and cut it to roughly the size of the pond, although ensuring it is slightly bigger to give some margin which will be required later on.
Next weight the lining down so that it covers the sides of the ponds as well as dipping down in the middle to reach the bottom. This should then be weighed down with rocks and the pond filled with water.
After the pond is full, cut the excess lining to size, and there you have your pond! To finish, why not decorate your pond with some appropriate plant life, or maybe even water lilies for that idyllic look? Now you know how to build a man made pond, why not give it a go and add life to your back garden today?
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