A great garden can really make a house a home, welcoming you to spend time both indoors and out. Planning is, therefore key to unlocking the perfect garden which may well include a garden pond. There are many creative designs to consider and so it is worth looking at what designs are available, materials required such as type of pond liner, filter plus pond pump, and how to go about building your own.

Before you begin making a start on your garden pond, there are a few points to keep in mind. Safety is key, particularly if you have young children. Therefore, consider the depth of your pond plans, whether it will need to be in a securely fenced off area of your garden and that the material chosen to add to the edging of your pond won’t be too slippery. Electrical supplies used to power filters and lights need to be taken care of properly. It is worth considering getting commissioning a qualified electrician if you are unsure of what to do.

Now, depending on how creative you are you might want a non-uniformly shaped pond. Pond liners allow for completely flexible shapes and designs. Rubber pond liners mould easily into the corners of ponds and are their installation is straightforward provided you excavate to hole correctly and take out any sharp stones and rocks first.

Pond liners vary in price and quality so do your research, read the description on the product and match it to your requirements. A preformed garden pond is a quick and easy fix to getting your pond created in a day. Sure, it’s not overly creative. If your local store has only a couple of models, expect to have a few matching ponds with other people in your area. You can always jazz it up with a good selection of plants.

Concrete is another option, although this is no longer a popular choice as it requires good construction skills to install such a pond. The other two previously mentioned methods come with good recommendation depending on how creative a pond you want and whether you intend it to attract wildlife, stock Koi fish or a natural pond. A concrete pond may have an advantage in being easier to ‘repair’ if you make mistakes.

You have a blank canvas, so it is entirely up to you what materials you chose for your pond and how creative you want to be. It also depends on how much time you can put in creating your garden pond and adding the appropriate landscape around it.