Step One: Choosing the Best Location for Your Garden Pond

Before you start digging, buying a pond liner or deciding on the shape of your pond, take some time to look carefully at your garden. Choosing the right location is one of the most important decisions you will make when building a garden pond.

A pond can become the focal point of a garden, provide valuable habitat for wildlife and create a relaxing place to sit and enjoy your outdoor space. However, placing it in the wrong position can lead to problems with excessive shade, falling leaves, poor water quality, surface water run-off and difficult maintenance.

So before you reach for the spade, spend some time observing your garden.

Where is the best place to build a garden pond?

There is no single perfect position for every garden. The best location will depend on the size and shape of your garden, the amount of sunlight it receives, existing trees and planting, ground conditions and how you intend to use the pond.

Here are some important points to consider.

1. Observe your garden throughout the day

Walk around your garden at different times of the day and, if possible, in different weather conditions.

Notice:

• Where does the sun reach the garden?
• Which areas are shaded in the morning and afternoon?
• Where do you naturally look from your house or favourite seating area?
• Which parts of the garden feel spacious?
• Are there areas that become particularly wet after heavy rain?
• Is there an attractive view that could be enhanced by a pond?

Think about how the pond will look not just from outside, but from the places where you spend most of your time.

A pond doesn't necessarily have to be in the centre of the garden. Sometimes positioning it where it can be viewed from a kitchen, dining room or seating area creates a much stronger feature.

2. How much sunlight does a pond need?

Most garden ponds benefit from several hours of sunlight each day. Around 4–6 hours of direct sunlight is a useful general guide, although the ideal amount will depend on the type of pond and the plants you intend to grow.

Aquatic plants need sunlight to thrive, while some shade can help prevent the water from becoming excessively warm during periods of hot weather.

A location that receives some morning or afternoon sun, with a degree of natural shade later in the day, can work particularly well.

Try to avoid placing a pond in deep, permanent shade unless you are specifically planning a pond suitable for shade-tolerant plants.

3. Be careful when positioning a pond near trees

Trees can provide welcome shade and are an important part of a wildlife-friendly garden, but planting a pond directly underneath a large tree can create additional maintenance.

Falling leaves can accumulate on the surface and eventually sink to the bottom of the pond. As they decompose, they add organic matter to the water and can contribute to sludge accumulation and poorer water quality.

Large trees can also have extensive root systems, which may make excavation more difficult and could potentially damage a pond liner if adequate protection is not provided.

This doesn't mean you have to avoid trees completely. Instead, consider the tree's canopy, root system and the amount of shade it will cast before choosing the final position.

4. Consider children and pets

Think carefully about pond safety, particularly if you have young children or pets.

Consider how easily the pond can be accessed and whether you need additional safety measures around the water. You should also think about the depth and design of the pond, the surrounding planting and whether there are places where a child or animal could accidentally enter the water.

Planning safety into the design from the beginning is much easier than trying to solve the problem after the pond has been built.

5. Check the soil and drainage

Before choosing your final position, examine the ground conditions.

Does the garden become waterlogged after heavy rain? Is the soil naturally free-draining or does water remain on the surface?

A naturally damp area might initially seem like the ideal place for a pond, but it is important to understand why the ground is wet.

If rainwater is running down a slope towards the proposed pond, for example, surface water could carry soil, fertilisers, weedkillers and other contaminants into the pond.

Where appropriate, drainage channels, raised edges or retaining structures can help control surface water and prevent unwanted run-off entering the pond.

If your garden has a particularly wet area, you could also consider incorporating a bog garden or wetland planting area into your overall garden design.

6. Don't overlook a sloping garden

A sloping garden doesn't necessarily present a problem. In fact, a slope can provide an opportunity to create a much more interesting water feature.

Instead of trying to create one large pond on uneven ground, you could incorporate different levels, with smaller ponds connected by a stream or series of waterfalls.

A sloping site can therefore become an important feature of the design rather than an obstacle.

However, changes in ground level need careful planning. Retaining structures must be stable and capable of supporting the surrounding soil and water.

7. Think about the sound of moving water

If you are planning to install a fountain, waterfall or stream, consider where the sound of moving water will be heard.

The gentle sound of running water can be relaxing, but a pump, fountain or waterfall positioned close to a bedroom window could become irritating at night.

Also consider your neighbours, particularly if the pond will be close to a boundary.

Think about where you would most like to hear the sound of water and position the feature accordingly.

How big should a garden pond be?

Once you have identified a suitable location, consider how much space you want your pond to occupy.

A common mistake is to design a pond that is too small for the available space. A larger pond can often provide a more stable aquatic environment because it contains a greater volume of water, which is less susceptible to rapid changes in temperature.

A generously proportioned pond can also provide more room for aquatic plants and wildlife.

However, bigger isn't always better. The pond should be appropriate for the size of your garden and, importantly, a size that you can realistically build and maintain.

Think about the whole water garden rather than simply the hole you are going to dig. Leave sufficient space around the pond for planting, edging, access and maintenance.

Turn potential problems into design opportunities

As you examine your garden, don't immediately dismiss an area because it has an awkward shape, a slope or an unusual feature.

A narrow section could become a stream. A change in level could be incorporated into a waterfall. A naturally damp area could become a bog garden. An unattractive corner could be transformed into a wildlife pond surrounded by native planting.

Good pond design is often about working with the garden rather than trying to make the garden fit a predetermined pond shape.

Make a simple plan before you start digging

Once you have studied your garden, put your ideas on paper.

You don't need to be an artist or landscape designer. A simple sketch showing the house, boundaries, trees, existing paths, planting and proposed pond is enough to get started.

Mark the position of:

• The pond
• Any streams or waterfalls
• Existing trees and shrubs
• Seating areas
• Paths and access
• Nearby buildings
• Areas of shade and sunlight
• Proposed aquatic and marginal planting

Then think about how you will actually build and maintain the pond.

Will you be able to reach the edge easily? Where will excavated soil go? How will you get the pond liner and underlay into the garden? Where will electrical supplies for pumps or fountains be located?

These practical considerations are much easier to solve before construction begins.

Your garden pond planning checklist

Before moving on to the next stage, make sure you have considered:

• The amount of sunlight the pond will receive
• Existing trees and their root systems
• Falling leaves and future maintenance
• Children and pets
• Soil type and drainage
• Surface water run-off
• The slope and levels of the garden
• The position of buildings and neighbouring properties
• The sound of pumps, fountains and waterfalls
• How the pond will look from your house and seating areas
• Access for construction and future maintenance
• The overall size and shape of the pond
• Where excavated soil will be stored or reused

Once you have chosen the location, you can start turning your ideas into a practical pond design.

What's the next step?

Step Two is to decide on the size, shape and depth of your garden pond. This is where you can turn your initial ideas into a more detailed plan before any digging begins.

And when you are ready to calculate the amount of liner you need, the Pond Liner Size Calculator at Pond Liners Online can help you work out the required liner dimensions.

You can also read our guide to installing a pond liner for practical advice on preparing the ground, installing protective underlay and positioning your liner.