The beauty of water! David Domoney offers some advice for those considering a garden pond.

18 March 2021

Water Sound & Vision

Add an enchanting element to your garden with a raised pond to bring the tranquil aura and the beauty of water to your space.

 

Raise your spirits

The presence of water in the garden is certain to help you to relax and de-stress with the sound of its movement and the sight of the sun reflecting off the surface. By positioning seating near your new pond, you can sit and watch the life in your pond such as fish, butterflies, birds and bees.

 

fish, birds and Insects

Not only will it benefit your mind, but it will add a fantastic focal point in your garden that adds a new dimension to the space. A raised pond can help to transform a flat garden into a space where the eye is drawn to the different elements.

 

Movement & Colour

Also, for family homes with children and pets, raised ponds are a safer and more secure option compared to sunken ponds which can be a worry when the little ones go wandering. Designing your own raised pond will ensure that it’s perfectly suited for your space in terms of its appearance and size.

 

Child Proof The Design

Before you get started take a little time to think about the safety of your own, or visiting children. Measure the area, bearing in mind that the bigger the pond, the more room there is for fish. Although, if you are short on space, a small pond will still bring all the same elements to your garden. Think of the shape of your garden and how the pond will fit into it. You can get creative with the shapes; rectangular, square, or L-shaped for more interest.

 

Starting your project

Dig and remove the soil from the pre-planned area to lay the foundations. Lay down and compact firm the hard core, finishing with a layer of fine concrete on top that is around 10-15cm thick. The foundation should overlap 10cm either side of the brick wall forming the sides of your pond. After the concrete has set, begin to lay the walls using bricks or blocks such as Burford Walling, there is guaranteed to be a shade of Burford Walling to perfectly suit your garden design. Ideally, the pond should be no less than 1m deep, with 500cm underground and 500cm above the ground.

 

Burford Walling

Burford Walling blocks are ideal for building raised ponds as they are nationally available, in almost all local stone colours, ensuring your walling will be sympathetic other walling, house or garden that is existing. A top tip for a strong and sturdy wall is to overlap the corners of the bricks which will cushion the pressure of the water. Then, once the walls are in place it’s ideal to render the inside of the structure, with a skin of sand cement mortar, to level out the surface and prevent any rough or sharp edges from piercing the liner.

 

INCORPORATE Seating

Next is time to fit the liner, and a good way to do this is to gradually fill the pond with water, folding and creasing as you go to get it perfectly in place. Secure the lining in place with the finishing touches – coping. These will give the pond the completed look and what’s more, they are also perfect for perching or leaning on to sit and appreciate your pond.
 

Design to Intrigue

Fit the pump and filtration system to ensure your pond is well circulated with water and oxygen to avoid stagnant water and to decrease the amount of algae build-up.

 

Dynamic design

Of course, when adding a focal feature to your garden you want to ensure it seamlessly matches your garden design, whether you are opting for a sophisticated, contemporary design or a classic cottage style.

 

Clad that boring wall

Pavestone has many natural stone and porcelain wall cladding colours, so if you already have a raised structure in place and want to update it to suit your space, look no further than Pavestone’s garden walling. If you want darker slate tones for a modern theme, the Blue/Black Slate Slack Cladding is sure to supply. On the other hand, for lighter hues to add an air of calm and tranquillity, the grey, white, sandy tones of Porcelain Wall Cladding will give it a new lease of life.

 

Pond plants

Bring more life to your raised pond by incorporating pond plants to make it even more of a delightful setting. What’s a pond without a water lily? Nyphaea ‘Rosanna Supreme’ has marvellous pink flowers from June to September if they get full sun.

 

Bring more life to your raised pond by incorporating pond plants to make it even more of a delightful setting. What’s a pond without a water lily? Nyphaea ‘Rosanna Supreme’ has marvellous pink flowers from June to September if they get full sun.
Myositis scorpiodes (water forget-me-not) has beautiful blue flowers that bloom from May to July and can be grown in aquatic compost in water that’s no deeper than 10cm so ensure they are in the right spot that also has access to full sun or partial shade.
 

Iris pseudacorus (yellow flag iris) is a fantastic choice for bright, cheery flowers that grow to 1.2m tall. They will grace your garden with blooms from May to September and bees will enjoy their presence too.

Iris pseudacorus (yellow flag iris) is a fantastic choice for bright, cheery flowers that grow to 1.2m tall. They will grace your garden with blooms from May to September and bees will enjoy their presence too.

 

This month I've selected a video featuring Slate Stack Wall Cladding with a water feature in a classic garden patio project.
 

There are many more inspirational garden videos featured here for you to explore.
 

David Domoney, TV gardener, horticultural expert and Pavestone brand ambassador blogs monthly on the Pavestone website on all things landscaping related.

I look forward to seeing you back again next month.
 

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