Small gardens are a real challenge. You can’t grow trees there but you can’t really leave them barren either, and with the limited space all you can probably get away with is a couple of bushes and maybe a patio. But how do you make sure it looks great?
Besides, you might find out that you actually don’t have enough space for a table and chairs, but it won’t feel right to leave the garden completely bare either. Well, some simple changes in your garden’s layout might be the answer, and the good thing about garden ponds is that they can be as huge and as small as you want them to be.
Why a Garden Pond?
Garden ponds add personality to your garden and make it interesting. They might even help keep your garden cool in the summers, and sometimes they increase your property value.
Ponds are an ecosystem of their own, which means that once they’re up and running, all you have to do is leave them alone and watch them thrive. If you plant anything in the same space though, you’ll need to water it and take care of it.
With a few lights and statues, your garden pond can also be really decorative and look beautiful, even at night. The same can’t be said for any plants or trees in your garden.
How to Make a Garden Pond
If you want to install a pond in your garden, you’ll need a few things.
- Pond liner
- Plants for the pond
- Rainwater
- Sand or stones
- Pond filters
If you want, you can also put some fish in the pond along with decorative stones, statues, and lights.
To make the pond, first pick a spot that’s not in direct sunlight. You can either dig a hole in the ground and put a pond liner in it, or you can make your pond in an elevated tub or bucket. A concrete base might also look good.
Fill the pond with rainwater – make sure it isn’t tap water, and don’t mix water from different ponds for yours. This will only ruin the balance of bacteria and microbes in the water, possibly leading to a bad smelling pond.
Now, you can plant some aquatic plants like water lilies in the pond, and add some rocks or gravel. This will give frogs and any visiting animals room to enter and exit the pond. You can surround the pond with stones or bricks to secure the border.
Guppies and small fish do great in ponds, but be careful not to add them to the pond too soon.
You now have a garden pond for yourself to enjoy! Avoid adding anything to the pond, even food for the fish. In a little while, the pond will stabilize on it’s own and enriching the water too much will encourage algae and bacteria to grow. These bacteria can block sunlight for the rest of the pond, killing the plants and animals inside.
