Sitting around the same home with the same old backyard and a boring old pond can get pretty monotonous - especially when you can't even go somewhere else! But hey, with all that free lock-down time on our hands, we can do something about with these garden pond ideas.
Changing your garden up can be quite the undertaking, and it can be even tougher when you have plants that have taken root already. But if you want a breath of fresh air and something to take your mind off the mess the world is in right now, there's no better project to take on.
Keep reading to learn more about all the ways you can redecorate your garden pond, including some pretty creative and cost-efficient ones that will almost certainly boost your home's value!
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How to Make a Garden Pond
A garden pond is different from a pool - unlike pools, you can't swim in them and they don't need that much maintenance. Once you set it up, a garden pond acts like its own little ecosystem. Then the only thing you need to do is to not disturb it.
Having a pond on your property can even drive the price of your property up by a bit, and it never hurts. People with small gardens can even set one up in one corner, and if you have one on the larger size you can use certain design elements to liven it up even more.
Guide into making a garden pond
- The Right Place: Make sure your garden isn't directly under the sun but gets adequate sunlight during the day. You should also keep it away from Any kids who might fall in or mess it up, and easy to reach for small animals like frogs.
Dig a hole in the right place and place pond liners inside it to retain water. To find out more about pond liners and other things, go to Aquatic Ponds and look around.
You can even make it in an elevated container or a blocked sink propped up on some bricks. High budget folks like to go all-out with the design and just use concrete. - The Right "Ingredients": When you're making a pond, you're trying to establish a self-sustaining ecosystem and you want to start it off right. Rainwater is ideal for any pond, but you should avoid mixing water from different ponds for your new one.
You risk introducing disease and other pests into your world, which is never a good idea. Miniature Water Lilies and other underwater plants are the great first step for a small garden pond.
Introduce some small rocks and sand inside the pond water as well, this will give your new pond animals (there will be many!) something to climb on to get out of the pond when they want. If you don't think your cat will go after them, you can even put some small fish inside.
- Maintaining Your Pond: There aren't too many rules to maintaining your pond except for this - don't touch it, and don't mix things inside it from other ponds.
Live we've mentioned before, ponds are self-sustaining and will be alright without any added help.
Top 29 Garden Pond Ideas
Now that you know how to make yourself a garden pond, let's look into designing a garden pond and all the things you can do to make it beautiful, or redecorate the pond you already have.
1. Add Fish to Your Pond
What's better than some cute fish inside your pond? If you're confident no small children or animals will try to hunt them down, adding some fish to your garden pond can really improve it.
Surely, adding fish is one of the top backyard pond ideas you'll see. For one, the fish can keep pests and fungi from overgrowing in the pond.
Sometimes when pond water is too nutrient rich algae or other pests end up taking over the pond until everything else dies off. Take the time to do your research before you settle on what type of fish you want.
Koi fish and other such species have the best chance of assimilating into your pond, but it needs to be done properly. You can check out Pond Academy for more help.
2. Incorporate in Your Raised Flower Bed
People love raised flower beds. They are easier to work with than traditional flower beds and they provide better drainage. If you have raised flower beds, why not incorporate a pond? Installing a pond in a raised bed is a lot easier than digging a hole in compacted dirt. And the pond will attract wildlife that will help pollinate your plants.
3. Don’t Forget to Add Ornaments
Never underestimate the importance of ornaments and accessories when it comes to ponds and pools. You'll thank yourself for changing it up when you do, and we have some great suggestions for you.
Waterfalls, beautiful stones in the clear water, vases, and statues can all add some great depth and beauty to your pond. They can make your pond look planned, stylish, and help it fit in instead of looking like a random puddle of water in the backyard that you forgot to drain.
Here are 25 Best Water Plants and Pond Plants to Grow in Your Garden.
4. Place a Water Fountain Inside the Pond
Nothing can really beat the beauty and grace of a water fountain inside a garden pond, and it doesn’t even have to be a big or fancy one. You can choose from options that range from fancy fountains that change color, fountains that run on solar energy, and even various designs and materials.
Once you’ve chosen a design, think about where you want to place it. The most obvious choice would be in the middle of the pond, but you can place it unsymmetrically for a visually striking effect, or even pair one big fountain in the middle with a few small ones thrown across the pond.
5. Add Decorative Lights Around the Pond
There’s nothing more mesmerizing than decorations that glow and shimmer at night. If you want to turn your garden into a night-time fairy land, or a neon extravaganza, invest in some decorative lights and spread them around the pond.
You can even install them inside floating plants like water lilies and turn on the switch at night. Go for safe options like solar powered or battery powered lights to avoid any shock hazards, but there are countless ways in which you can avoid that.
Once you decorate your pond like this, we guarantee that it will stay on the mind of anyone who sees it for days.
6. DIY Contemporary Garden Pond
A garden pond does not have to be extravagant and overflowing with stones and plants. Instead, create a streamlined silhouette. Searching the internet, I was able to find several contemporary pond ideas that use simple concrete forms and small pebbles.
7. Use a Preformed Pond Liner
Preformed polyethylene pond liners are a great choice for homeowners looking to install a pond. They come in several shapes and sizes that are designed to work together. You can install one liner or combine several to make a large pond. They are simple to install and easy to care for.
8. Build a Concrete Paver Pond
Concrete pavers are not only for walkways. You can find a lot of garden pond ideas that use pavers to create decorative edging. Pavers are a great choice because they are flat and easy to stack. They also come in a wide variety of colors.
9. Large Patio Container Pond
Ponds do not have to be out in your yard. You can have a pond on your deck or patio too. Instead of digging in the dirt and making a mess, use a large bowl-shaped concrete planter.
You can even incorporate plants, fish, and a small fountain. The moving water will create a calming place to relax after a long, stressful day.
10. Add a Deck Pond
Countless garden pond ideas use stones and plants to surround the water feature. However, if you do not want to deal with rocks moving out of place or plants getting out of hand, install a deck. Depending on the size of the deck, you could add seating and other decorations. You could even install a fire pit nearby.
11. Repurposed Galvanized Steel Stock Tank
You often see farmers using galvanized steel tanks for feed and water. But they can also be used as planters and ponds. Galvanized steel is extremely durable and slow to rust. Another plus is that galvanized steel stock tanks are very affordable. You can even find them cheaper than preformed pond liners.
12. Install a Mini Pond
Ponds do not have to be large. You can install a mini pond in a single afternoon. Mini ponds are great for attracting birds, other small wildlife, and pollinating insects. To have a successful garden, it is vital that you attract pollinating insects.
13. Build a Wood Box Patio Pond
If you do not have room for an in-ground garden pond, you can make a deck pond. There are many deck garden pond ideas. If you enjoy woodworking, you can follow along with this tutorial to make a pond box. If you are not a woodworker, that is ok. You can buy a premade flower box, seal it with water sealant, and install a liner.
14. Upcycle a Vintage Bathtub
Vintage claw foot bathtubs are all the rage right now. But what do you do with one once you have it? You can install it in your newly renovated bathroom or get creative and make it into a garden pond. The tub will definitely become a conversation piece.
15. Use River Rocks
Source: ohmy-creative.com
Do you have a bunch of river rocks on your property? Or do you have a quarry nearby that sells them? River rocks make great borders for garden ponds. They keep dirt and dead plants from falling in. They also create little homes for insects and wildlife that are essential for the environment.
Placing the heavy stones on the edge of a preformed pond liner will also help hold the pond in place.
16. Bury Some Old Tires
Tires are almost impossible to get rid of without paying high fees. Instead of allowing your old tires to sit and become mosquito pits, make them into a pond. The round shape makes it easy to create perfectly shaped circles. Since tires are resilient and durable, they will last for years.
17. Build a Raised Pond
Another way to elevate a pond is to build walls. You can use blocks, stones, and even poured concrete. Raising the pond out of the ground will attract the eye. If you work with concrete, you can create the pond itself out of concrete. If not, you can always use a preformed pond liner.
18. Make it a Focal Point
Do you have a bare wall or area that is not aesthetically pleasing? Installing a pond will add beauty to the area. There are so many garden pond ideas, there is certainly one that will work for you. You can install an in-ground pond with a waterfall or an above ground pond with a trellis.
19. Raise Koi
Do you enjoy watching fish swim around? If so, install a koi pond. A koi pond will create a relaxing environment and relieve stress. Koi fish are also low maintenance. However, if your pond is not deep, you will need to move the fish before the pond freezes. If the pond is deep enough, koi will swim to the bottom and hibernate.
Should you decide to add Koi fish to you pond, be sure to check out our article on Best Koi Pond Plants.
20. Use a Concrete Planter
There are so many beautiful concrete planters available at garden stores. It can be hard to pass them up. But what can you do with them other than grow plants? You can turn them into an eye-catching pond. Simply plug the drainage hole, if it has one, fill it with water, and install an electric pump or aquatic plants.
21. Cut a Whiskey Barrel in Half
Old whiskey barrels make wonderful patio ponds. They are designed to seal themselves and not leak. However, they will leak for a few days until the wood soaks up the water and swells. Simply cut the barrel in half and fill it up. Whiskey barrel garden ponds are great additions to farmhouses and man caves.
22. Attract Ducks to Your Property
Source: www.decoist.com
Do you go to the park to feed the ducks? Attract them to your home with a pond. You will want a shallow pond with clear water and duck food plants. Do not feed the ducks bread. Bread does not provide adequate nutrition. It can also pollute the water and increase disease and algae growth.
23. Create an Eye-catching Oasis
A pond should be a relaxing place to sit and enjoy life. When installing a new pond, take into consideration how it makes you feel. You do not want an ugly pond that is depressing to look at. Instead, check out lots of garden pond ideas. This way you can get ideas of what you like and how you can incorporate them into your garden.
24. Easy D.I.Y. Small Pond
You do not have to use elaborate pond ideas to make a statement. This easy DIY will walk you through installing a simple, small garden pond that is perfect for homeowners who do not have a lot of space to work with. All you need is a 35 gallon pond liner, a shovel, and some blocks or stones.
25. Incorporate a Lighted Waterfall
Ponds are often hard to enjoy at night because they are dark. If you like sitting outside at night, you should have the ability to appreciate your creation. If you have an electrical outlet nearby you can add LED ponds lights. Or to make it even easier, you can use solar lights.
26. Use Clear Glass Sides
If you have an indoor aquarium, you know just how peaceful it can be watching the fish swim around. Believe it or not, you can create this relaxing atmosphere outdoors as well. Instead of using traditional garden pond ideas, install glass walls. All your friends will be so jealous of the visually stunning water feature.
27. Repurpose an Old Hot Tub
Source: pondplantgirl.blogspot.com
A lot of us have old hot tubs sitting around that no longer work. You can even find people giving them away for free. Hot tubs make great garden ponds. You can fill them up and leave the outside just as it is. Or build a decorative wall or deck around it.
28. Burry a Plastic Kiddie Pool
Source: thehomesteadsurvival.com
A kiddie pool may not be the most appealing choice when looking at garden pond ideas. But it will work. It is a great choice when you are in a pinch and need to make a pond for your ducks or other animals. Kiddie pools are affordable and very easy to work with.
29. Build a Concrete Pond
If you are looking for a permanent fixture that will last, look at concrete garden pond ideas. Concrete ponds are made using rebar that strengthens the walls.
If you work in the concrete industry, this may be a great option for you. If you do not, installing a concrete pond can be costly because you will need to hire a professional.
Set Barriers in Your Garden Pond Design
A lack of barriers around water sources is one of the factors that increase drowning risks. Therefore, design your garden pond in a way that allows you to install fencing around it.
As a general rule of thumb, the fence should be at least 1.1 meters high with a lockable door or gate. While fencing your pond is a practical way of preventing kids from drowning, it can ruin your garden's aesthetics.
To keep your backyard attractive, invest in a temporary fence, mesh, or grill covers. This way, you can fence the pool area when children are near to enhance safety.
Enjoy this Garden Pond Ideas
The pond in your backyard isn't just a simple body of water, but a magical thing. Not only does it lend a little charm to your garden, but it's also completely self-sustaining. Just imagine - that little pond is a whole world of its own, sustaining itself without any outside help!
Once you start seeing the wonder of it all, you'll be able to reflect that in the pond's decoration and design, so don't hold back, be creative, and create something you'll love and people will remember these garden pond ideas.