How to Set Up a Decorative Pond at Home
An outdoor decorative pond is the ideal place for that peaceful meditative moment that reinvigorates you after a hard, hectic day. It is a project that you can achieve over a reasonable amount of time-two to three weekends-with hard work and dedication. Your new decorative pond setup will be a conversational point in your neighborhood and add value to your home. Many decorative outdoor ponds are elaborate while others display simple beauty. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Pond liner
- Pump
- Electrical outlet
- Landscaping rocks
- Water loving plants
Instructions
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Research Your Pond
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Explore ideas to know what is feasible for your yard. Talk with garden centers and join Internet discussion groups to find what works well in your area. You also need to research the type of vegetation that exists well in your area not only with a decorative pond setup, but also the general locale.
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Study your yard and make a scale drawing of your existing landscape. This will come in handy as you move further into the project.
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Determine the source of not only water but also electricity. If you have an outdoor plug, the job will be easier and you will hide the cord under some mulch after running it to the pond. However, if you do not have this plug, you must have an electrician hard wire in your decorative pond pump. This pump runs on a cycle that turns on and off at scheduled times and provides appropriate aeration.
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Find the area dedicated to setting up your pond. Make room for extras such as plants to highlight the pond. These extras need to be considered in the initial setup cost structure.
Install and Setup Your Decorative Pond
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Purchase the prefabricated pond liner that suits your needs. Turn it upside down and spray paint an outline of the liner opening on the ground. This is a guide for digging.
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Dig the hole using a shovel and a wheelbarrow to haul the dirt away. If the area is too large for manual digging, rent a small track hoe from your local home improvement store to do the heavy work.
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Install the pond liner in the hole, making sure it is a snug fit. You will need to work with the dirt (backfill with sand) to accomplish the right fit.
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Put the pump where it belongs (in accordance with your plans) before you begin to fill the pond. Fill the pond liner slowly with water, allowing it to settle into place. This slow fill will insure the stability of the decorative pond in the early stages of setup.
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Step back and see what you think of your creation. It's not finished yet. You have a vast array of additions you can choose from catalogs, websites and specialty stores. Landscaping rocks around the perimeter of the pond will be beautiful, and remember that water loving plants will be a great addition to the landscaping. Turtles and/or fish will give an even more spectacular feel when you are ready.
Landscape Your Decorative Pond
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Add a few comfortable chairs close enough to your decorative pond so that you can sit, relax and enjoy the area.
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Find detailed plans at your local home renovation or do it yourself store for all of the extras you want to add.
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Sit back and enjoy your hard work. The decorative pond setup is complete. You have succeeded in getting this beautiful area ready so that you can enjoy it every time you go outside.
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Tips & Warnings
It is important to find out about any permits needed to dig the hole, especially if you need to have electrical work done.
Join the local garden club and you will find a wealth of knowledge including possible help from experts.
If you are removing grass (sod) that you will want to use elsewhere, spread out a tarp to contain the sod. This way, you can move it easily when you want to cover bare spots in your lawn.
Water and electricity do not mix. Remember this when you lay out your cord. Use a ground fault plug so that it will kick the power off should water penetrate into the electrical line supplying power to the pump. Consult with an electrician if you do not know exactly how to setup the power for your decorative pond.
Don't forget, you will need to maintain your pond year round. While you are looking for the pond supplies, keep this in mind to see what instructions relate to maintenance.
Enclose access to the pond to be sure that it is not a drowning hazard for children.
