Why Autumn is ideal to build a pond and install a pond liner?

Autumn is an excellent time to build a new garden pond. The ground is generally easier to work with after the dry summer months, temperatures are cooler and many pond creatures are becoming less active as winter approaches.

Building your pond in autumn also gives the pond time to settle before spring, when amphibians, insects and other wildlife become increasingly active.

According to the RHS, ponds are valuable habitats for a wide variety of wildlife, and the loss of natural ponds means that even a small garden pond can provide an important source of water, food and shelter.

Whether you are planning a small wildlife pond, an ornamental garden pond or a larger water feature, autumn can be an ideal time to get started.

Why build a pond in autumn?

There are several good reasons to consider building a pond during the autumn months.

The ground is easier to dig

After the warmer and often drier summer months, autumn rainfall can leave the soil softer and easier to excavate. This can make digging the pond considerably easier than working with hard, dry ground during summer.

It is also a more comfortable time of year to undertake a physical garden project, without the heat and intense sunshine that can make pond construction challenging during the summer.

Wildlife is less disturbed

Autumn is generally quieter for many garden creatures. Amphibians and other pond wildlife are beginning to prepare for winter, while many summer visitors have moved on.

This means that constructing your pond in autumn can give the new habitat several months to settle before the busy breeding season begins in spring.

Your pond will be ready for spring

One of the biggest advantages of building a pond in autumn is that you can have the basic pond structure completed before spring arrives.

As temperatures rise, aquatic and marginal plants can begin growing and wildlife will naturally start to investigate the new water source.

A newly constructed pond can therefore become an active part of your garden ecosystem when wildlife is at its most active.

How do garden ponds help wildlife?

A pond can provide much more than an attractive feature in a garden. Water is essential to many species for drinking, feeding, breeding and completing their life cycles.

Frogs, toads and newts use ponds for breeding, while aquatic insects such as dragonflies, damselflies, water beetles and pond skaters depend on freshwater habitats.

Birds can also benefit from ponds. They may visit to drink and bathe, while insect-eating birds can feed on insects around the surface of the water.

Even a relatively small pond can therefore create a valuable habitat in a garden.

Choose the right location for your pond

Before reaching for the spade, spend some time choosing the best location.

Ideally, a pond should receive some sunlight during the day but should not be exposed to strong sunlight throughout the entire day. Excessive sunlight can encourage algae growth, particularly during warm weather.

Avoid placing your pond directly underneath large deciduous trees where possible. Falling leaves can add large quantities of organic matter to the water and may also make maintenance more difficult.

You should also consider how easily you will be able to access the pond for planting, cleaning and general maintenance.

Make your pond safe for wildlife

If you are creating a wildlife pond, providing an easy way into and out of the water is particularly important.

A shallow, gently sloping area at one edge of the pond can allow frogs, toads, newts, insects and other creatures to enter and leave the water more easily.

This is particularly important for mammals such as hedgehogs, which may visit ponds to drink. A pond with steep sides and no escape route can create a drowning risk.

If you are building a more formal pond with steep sides, consider incorporating a shallow shelf or a suitable wildlife ramp into the design.

The aim is simple: wildlife should be able to get into the pond without struggling to get out again.

Add aquatic and marginal plants

Plants are an important part of a healthy pond ecosystem. They provide shelter, shade and habitat for insects and amphibians, while aquatic plants can also help to absorb nutrients from the water.

Marginal plants can be planted around the shallow edges of the pond, providing cover and creating a more natural transition between the water and surrounding garden.

Floating plants can provide shade across parts of the water surface, while submerged plants provide additional habitat below the surface.

When choosing plants, consider native species where appropriate and check how large they are expected to grow. Some aquatic plants can spread rapidly and may need to be managed to prevent them taking over the pond.

Why use a flexible pond liner?

Once you have decided on the size and shape of your pond, you need to choose a suitable method of making it watertight.

A flexible rubber pond liner gives you considerable freedom when designing a pond because it can be shaped to follow the contours of your excavation.

This makes flexible liners particularly suitable for natural-looking wildlife ponds with irregular shapes, shelves and varying depths.

EPDM rubber liners such as Epalyn are also designed to provide a durable, waterproof barrier between the pond water and surrounding soil. When installed correctly and protected with a suitable underlay, a quality rubber pond liner can provide many years of reliable service.

A protective geotextile underlay should be installed beneath the liner to help protect it from stones, roots and other potential sources of damage.

Plan your pond before you start digging

Good preparation is the key to a successful pond build.

Before excavating, decide:

• The overall size and shape of your pond
• The deepest part of the pond
• Where shallow shelves will be positioned
• How wildlife will enter and leave the water
• Where aquatic and marginal plants will be planted
• Where excess liner will be concealed around the pond edge
• Whether you need a protective underlay beneath the liner

Remember to allow enough material around the edges when calculating the size of your liner. It is always better to have sufficient liner to create a secure edge than to discover that the liner is too small once the pond has been excavated.

Choose your pond liner

At Pond Liners Online, we supply flexible rubber pond liners for ponds and water features in a range of sizes.

Our standard pond liner kits are available for common pond sizes, while made-to-measure liners can be ordered to suit the dimensions of your individual pond.

Whether you are creating a small wildlife pond or a larger ornamental water feature, autumn is a great time to start planning your project.

Build your pond now and, by spring, you could have a new water habitat ready to welcome frogs, newts, insects, birds and other garden wildlife.

A pond does not have to be large to make a difference. Even a small garden pond can provide valuable water and habitat for wildlife.