A garden pond adds new dimensions to any garden. As well as providing a tranquil spot to sit and relax on a hot summer's day, it attracts a whole range of wildlife to your garden such as frogs, newts, and water birds and almost inevitably gives you a mini nature reserve. It also opens up new plant growing opportunities both in the water and at its edges.

Choosing the right location, shape and size of garden pond.

An ideal spot for a garden pond is in an open area with plenty of sunshine, but not too exposed to the wind and it is best not to locate it directly under trees to avoid accumulating soggy leaf mould every autumn. You should aim for as large a size as you can manage and the location will comfortably support, as larger ponds will gave a greater impact and are easier to clean and maintain than smaller ponds and are less prone to green water. The shape should be gently curving to blend with the environment and it is best to avoid narrow necks of water if possible. The ideal depth for a garden pond is around 2 feet deep, any shallower and it will be prone to drying in the summer and if much deeper it will accumulate mud in its base.

What lining material to use

Flexible liners are generally the best materials to use and are usually made of either butyl or PVC. If working to a lower budget then polythene can be used but this is thinner and generally won't last longer than 3 years before it needs to be replaced.

Preparing the hole

You should mark out the area to be excavated with a trail of sand or an old hosepipe and the best months for pond making are April and May, so you should start digging around March. The hole should be dug to a depth of about 3 feet at its lowest point and be prepared to dispose of a large amount of earth from the dig! If you want marginal plants it is a good idea to leave a shelf around the border and the sides of the hole should slope upwards at about 45 degrees. It is also advisable to protect the liner with a layer of fibreglass matting or sand in the base of the hole.

Laying the liner and filling the pond

Make sure the liner is large enough and then stretch it over the hole and hold the edges down with some heavy stones and check that it overlaps an even amount all around the pond and even out any wrinkles. Now you can start to fill it with water. Lay a hosepipe on the liner and run the water in, this will push the liner flat against the soil and again look out for wrinkles and smooth them out. Fill the hole to the brim.

Edging the pond

Usually the best way to edge a pond is by laying flagstones and tucking the liner under them, they should be laid so that they overlap the edge by about 2 inches. Fine soil or sand can be used to bed these down for a level finish. It is best to avoid concreting them in or repairs can be difficult. With the hard work done you should take a well earned rest and admire your new garden pond. Some restraint is also in order however as it will take about a fortnight to settle in and for the water to clear of unhealthy chemicals.

Then it is time to start planning to decorate it with water plants of your choice and for you local wildlife to discover it and hopefully take it up as their new residence.

Garden pond or any open stretch of water can obviously present a danger to small children. Appropriate safety measures should be taken if small children are likely to be around the pond.

Now that a new range of plants are at your disposal I will discuss these in detail in an upcoming article, as well as some of the fish that you may wish to introduce.