How to Make a Backyard Pond

Water lilies help make a backyard pond the focal point of your yard.

Backyard ponds are an attractive way to create visual appeal for your landscape. Located near a patio or deck, a pond becomes the focal point of your yard and a welcome sight when placed near a picture window. Backyard ponds attract dragonflies, birds and butterflies and provide a home for natural yard pest predators such as frogs and toads. Consider placing a bench or small patio table and chairs near the pond to take advantage of its relaxing ambiance.

Things You'll Need

• Pre-formed pond liner
• Shovel
• Uncooked rice
• Sand
• 2-inch-x-4-inch post
• Carpenter's level
• Bricks or flat rocks
• Landscape plants

Instructions

1. Locate your pond near a patio or deck in an area free of deciduous trees or heavy tree roots. An area that gets filtered sunlight, is convenient to access for maintenance and is near a water supply and an electrical outlet is best.

2. Turn the pond liner upside down and place in the area desired. Sprinkle rice around the edges of the pond liner perimeter to mark the pond shape.

3. Dig the soil out of the area marked, from 2 inches outside the outline, working toward the center. Remove the soil to the depth of the pond liner height plus 1 inch.

4. Pour 3 inches of sand into the bottom of the hole. Water well and allow the sand to drain. Place the pre-formed liner in the hole. Set the post on top of the liner and place the carpenter’s level on top of the board. Adjust the sand until the liner is level.

5. Fill the pond liner with 3 inches of water. Check that it is level and add sand underneath if necessary. Backfill the edges of the pond with soil. Fill the pond with water until it is 2 inches below the top of the pond liner.

6. Cover the edges of the pond with bricks or rocks and tuck bedding plants into the spaces between the rocks to hide the pond lip.

Tips & Warnings

• Pre-formed pond liners are available for purchase at home improvement centers and gardening centers.

• Add a pond pump and filter if you plan to add fish to the pond so the water moves continually.

• Do not locate a pond too close to your house in case the pond overflows.

References

• Texas A&M University: Fiberglass Preformed Ponds

Resources

• GardenOrganic: Creating a Pond