How to make a pond in a garden?

Making a pond in a garden is not limited to the aesthetic character of the project. A pond enriches the biodiversity of the garden and thus makes life pleasant for insects, fish, frogs, but also other animals and flora whose survival could depend on this reservoir of water. However, the care taken in the creation of the work will depend on its success. It is therefore better to take all the measures for its success.

Choose a good location

The position of the pond in relation to the other buildings located on the land on which it will be created is essential. The location of the structure will optimize its use. It should not be forgotten that a pond is not a work to be moved like any other. Therefore, it is better to think deeply before starting. Generally, one holds other buildings, already raised on the ground.

Also, the existence on the ground of wetlands or slopes where rainwater has the habit of stagnating. These considerations can be decisive in locating the ideal place to pond. The reason is simple: it would be easier to make such places water reservoirs because of their natural disposition to serve as a framework for this work.

A more or less grassy place could also be ideal for making a pond. The presence of trees could be very favorable to the smooth running of the project as long as they are not too numerous. Other considerations may also be taken into account. This is the case, for example, of the distance that will separate the pond from the use to which it will be assigned. It would be stupid to do the work at the other end of the domain and to have to go back and forth in the use of the retained water.

A design that promotes biodiversity

The best pond is one whose characteristics allow the life of several species. A grassy pond here but clear of any meadow there will allow several species of animals to live together more easily. The same is true of depth. A deep and half-filled pond on both sides would arrange the habitat of the animals just as much. It must be ensured that the depth is made in stages of 10, 30, 50 cm. A non-geometric outline of the banks can be traced on the ground in order to promote biodiversity. You can take a few herbs and place them around the edges.

How to make the hole?

This is a question asked by all those who embark on the project. Several options are available to them. You can decide to dig the hole by hand using a mechanical shovel. However, the greatest difficulty is that of being able to retain water and ensure the sealing of the hole. What is not won in advance. This is why, generally, one resorts to other methods.

You can buy a preformed plastic basin. You can find it in almost any store. It will be enough, just after to dig a hole, to put the basin there. The only drawback is that the size of these basins is relatively small. To circumvent this difficulty, one can resort to the use of tarpaulins. They allow you to cover a larger area. Easy to use, just dig the hole and lay the cover on a bed of sand.

Better yet, you can spread a geotextile fabric on the sand bed before laying the tarp to prevent roots and other weeds from rising. 1.14mm thick EPDM rubber sheets are the most recommended. You can lay down a layer of soil and a few aquatic plants before filling the hole with water. It is necessary to ensure that the hole is 50 or even 80 cm deep.

How to fill the water hole?

This is the last phase of the project. It consists in filling the hole. The easiest way is to do it with tap water. However, this method has the disadvantage of using water treated with unbearable products from micro-organisms such as chlorine. Also, it would be a waste to use potable water for such a purpose.

For small installations, rainwater could also be used. It is suitable for making a pond unless it has been reserved for other uses. Runoff water appears to be the best source of supply for artificial ponds. It drains micro-organisms useful for the project in its path and pours directly into the hole without the need for additional work. Increasingly, some builders are using a pre-existing natural stream to fill the pond. They just divert the waters towards the dug hole. Once filled, the rest of the water is returned to the stream. However, although easy, this solution can only be considered when a stream exists in the vicinity. There is one last solution. But it turns out to be more restrictive. This is the reuse of wastewater from his home. All the same, it will have been necessary to install a phyto-purification system; an installation which is subject to authorisation.