Fountains & waterfalls may look out of place in certain situations, or perhaps the ideas need to be scaled down somewhat in order to fit well.

EXCAVATION:

Depending on how ambitious you are, or on the size of your budget, you may choose to dig your pond by hand, or hire a backhoe to do it.  A backhoe should be able to dig a small to medium sized pond in under an hour, (realistically it only takes them about 10 minutes to dig a hole 4 ft wide, 4 ft long, & 3 ft deep) which is good for you as far as cost per hour goes, but many operators don't like to move any distance for a job that will take an hour or less, so if you have a few other things you've always wanted done around the yard, like moving trees or shrubs, cleaning out a firepit, etc., it would be a good idea to have that done at the same time, then you can tell the operator he has at least 2 hours of work to be done.  You could also discuss a minimum charge with the operator, remember, it takes him longer to get there, unload & load up again, than it does to actually dig the hole.  The other option is to wait until he happens to be in your area anyways, the downside of this is you could be waiting a couple of months!  If you live in our area (County of Camrose or close by), feel free to call 780-877-2547, DW BACKHOE SERVICES LTD., a reliable & reasonably priced backhoe service that is very experienced in doing yard work, especially in tight situations.  He's also very, very good at cleaning up his mess, he tends to surprise the most demanding of women when it comes to leaving things exactly as he found them, meaning he won't rip up your whole yard to dig a hole 4x4 feet!  (For those of you who might not know, the backhoe operator is my husband, and yes, I am a very demanding woman when it comes to my yard!)

When it comes to deciding on the size of your pond, be realistic.  A dedicated gardener will more than likely require a larger pond to accomodate a larger variety of plants, while another gardener will only require a tub to hold a water lily and a couple of goldfish.  Decide where you fit in here, and plan accordingly.  Remember that at least 60% of the water surface should be covered with plant life, no matter what the finished size will be.  The average water garden is 7'x4'x3' deep, as a finished size.

Most ponds have at least 3 different depths incorporated into their design, in order to accomodate the 5 different plant zones found with aquatic life.  Different types of water plants need different depths of water.  Planting ledges also have the added benefit of providing somewhere stable to step into the pond during maintenance.  Ideally, you would need the deepest part of your water garden to be at least 36" from ground level to bottom, and 2 ledges around the edges: one ledge at 12", and the other at 18".

To avoid ledge collapse when digging your ledges, compact the soil, and use a spirit level for leveling.  Be sure to slant the sides of the ledges for added stability.  Start digging from the edge, down to the depth of your first ledge, then graduate to the second ledge depth.  You may want to use clay or betonite to form your ledges, as these soil types compact very well, and harden well, keeping their shape.  Your ledges should be at least 12" wide, to accomodate your plant life in pots.  Try to keep the ledges level, so your plants will rest evenly.

The minimum depth of 36" is very important for fish, as they need this depth to get adequate oxygen.  Be sure to remove all protruding roots and rocks, as they can easily puncture your pond liner once it is installed.  After you are finished excavating, line the hole with about 2" of sand to cushion the liner.  Don't use newspaper, rug, etc., as it could attract mice and other rodents.

INSTALLING THE LINER:

Spread the pond liner over the hole, holding the liner in place with weights, such as large rocks.  Be careful when installing the liner around your ledges, that you don't inadvertently damage them.  If you must walk on your liner, do so barefoot to avoid damaging it.  Pond liners are much easier to work with when it is warm & sunny, so try to install yours under these conditions. How do you figure out the liner size needed? Click here to read how.

ADDING WATER:

Once your pond liner has been installed, fill your pond with water.  The weight of the water will force the liner to follow the contours of the hole, and iron out any creases, etc.  Allow it to settle for a couple of days, then trim the edge with a knife.  Leave at least 10" of liner exposed at the edge.  This excess lining can be covered with rock, grass, soil, sand, etc.

EDGING CONSIDERATIONS:

Irregular cut stone, large rocks, gravel, or boulders make a fine informal edging for any water garden.  Alternatively, you could use moisture loving plants or wildflowers as an edging as well.   Whatever you may choose to edge your pond, make sure the pond liner is not visible above the water line, blending your edging material into the edges of the pond, or place overhanging rocks to hide it.

BEFORE YOU ADD AQUATIC LIFE:

Allow the pond to sit and age for at least 3 days before introducing plants or animals.  This is necessary to establish a healthy bacteria balance, warm the water to the natural temperature, to allow metals & chlorine in the water to evaporate, and to start a natural pond life cycle.  Chemicals are available to speed up this process, but are not necessary if you have the patience to wait for it to happen naturally. Remember, water is one of the most important factors in the survival & well-being of plants in your garden. Click here for more detailed information on water quality.

After the water has naturalized, your ready to add plant life! Click here to learn more about aquatic plants, their requirements & different varieties available.