Do you want a perfect pond? Consider your garden position, soil and plants before you start digging a garden pond
Relaxing next to a lake, watching dragon flies, mystical insects and being mesmerized by the graceful floating lilies can be quiet a special experience. The micro-climate created by the oasis is cool and refreshing and always gets you packing early for that summer holiday at the coast. It is quiet possible to create such an environment in your garden and you do not have to travel miles and miles to experience this peaceful setting. You can build a pond in your garden from scratch and this websites is going to show you exactly how you can do this.
Planning and building a pond
There are a lot of factors that you have to consider before plunging your spade into the garden soil to create your pond. You have to build the garden pond on the right position and ensure that the position allows you to build a pond with the required size. You can use an ordinary garden spade to dig your pond in the garden. This is a cheap method but it does have its short falls. Apart from it being time consuming, using a spade can be tiresome, resulting in some blisters on the hand, muscular aches and back pains. Using a small excavator is much better as it will handle all the dirty work. However hiring an excavator does tax the pocket a little when compared to using a spade.
Disposing the excavated soil
Excavated soil should not be left piling up in the garden as this will disturb the natural garden look. Excavated soil can be removed for building a protective wall against draught and other bad weather elements. Alternatively the soil can be used to build an attractive waterfall.
The size of the pond
The choice of whether to have a small or large pond is entirely up to the individual. However what is important is caring for the pond. The decisions about the garden ponds' size will also be greatly influenced by the settings in the garden. The overall size of the garden has a direct bearing on the particular size of pond one can have. You should measure the amount of maximum available space for the pond.
It is good design practice to create a garden pond in steps or in a shallow bowl with a gentle slope at an angel of 45`C 50`C creating 4 different zones.
Marginal zone
This is the area along the bank and has a depth of 0-15cm. this zone can also be filled with soil to a depth of 10cm, creating the perfect setting for plants that thrive in water logged positions.
Shallow water zone
This zone has a depth of water of 15-30 cm
Water lily zone
this is ideal for water lilies and is normally about 60cm deep
Deep water zone
this is where you will find fish and other water loving creatures. The deep water zone must be at least 70cm, especially if fish are to be over wintered here.
Biological zones size and biological equilibrium
Space is not the only factor that influences the ponds' size. There is a very close relationship between the size of the pond and the biological activities that go within it. A balance has to be maintained between nutrient suppliers (dead and decayed plants and creatures) and nutrient consumers (living plants and creatures that eat other plants and creatures). The balance should be maintained all the time if more nutrients are produced than consumed, then the quality of water in the pond will become bad.