Moving into the second phase of transforming your garden, this guide takes you from planning to the actual building of your dream pond. After laying the groundwork for Part 1 of this three-part series, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and bring those designs to life.
This stage is where your vision starts taking shape, from the first dig to the final touch. Let’s explore the basics of building a pond with Keltie & Clark’s help, creating a perfect home for Koi or a wildlife haven.
After exploring garden pond design in our first guide, it’s time to dive into the construction phase. Our team first uses rope or hose to outline the pond area with a detailed guide. Then, we carefully dig out the soil, making sure every part, from the bottom of the pond to the edges, is precise. Clear excess soil from the site unless it has a designated use within the garden.
Our guide stresses the importance of the right water level and depth for fish ponds, especially deep ones for Koi. A minimum for this purpose is around 0.9 metres. However, Koi carp would require a deep pond as they are large fish and need room to move.
A large wildlife pond we constructed in 2021
Making sure the liner is secure to keep your pond’s shape and prevent leaks is crucial. This depends on the pond’s size, shape, and your budget.
For a quick and easy pond installation, choose preformed rigid liners made from hard plastic or fibreglass. Then there are flexible pond liners. These come in various thicknesses and qualities, from basic PVC liners to butyl & EPDM rubber pond liners.
Use geotextile underlays under the liner for added protection. Soft builder’s sand at the bottom of the pond also helps protect the liner from sharp objects. Fibreglass, also known as GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic), is another method of lining ponds.
Eco-friendly and customisable! This sustainable product comes in a variety of colours to match your preferences. We used it to line this dipping pool and finished it off with the client’s chosen pale blue colour.
A series of photographs (below) show the construction of a circular pond, built to house the clients’ fish.
During the design and planning phase, our guide covers choosing fountains, filters, lights, pumps, and waterfalls for your pond. Our expert electricians handle the installation of all electrical needs safely.
They ensure the safety of water levels, pumps, and lights in your fish pond. We disguise & house all the essential equipment with clever design solutions while ensuring ease of access for maintenance purposes.
This will come down to the overall design. A wildlife pond should have a sloping beach at its edge, making it easy for wildlife to access, with pebbles or turf. It should also have shallower areas.
Customise your formal or contemporary pond with a variety of finishing materials. Some popular choices include bricks, renders, paving, or stone.
Gardens by Keltie & Clark transform challenging sites into beautiful ponds of all shapes and sizes, catering to both fish and wildlife. To alter and enlarge an existing lake, you may need specialised equipment. An amphibious excavator can effectively clear reeds and other debris. Once your pond is constructed, consider adding pond plants to enhance its beauty and provide habitat for wildlife.
We build everything from serene dipping pools and enchanting water features to full-scale swimming pools, always ensuring beauty and vibrant life. With an excellent and dedicated team, we are always ready & excited for the next challenge. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to pond construction:
Why not contact us and see what we can create for you?
