Pond liners are designed to contain water in a pond. They are not essential if there is no risk of water seeping into the ground. Rubber pond liners have over forty years of use over which period they have proved highly successful in lining garden ponds with little maintenance required provided they were installed with a protective pond underlay. These liners are also resistant to UV rays and a temperature extremes.

Due to the robust quality of a rubber pond liner, they can be used for many creative water feature designs. There is no need to be restricted to a formal, oval or round pond design. Features such as a plinth, large central statue or fountain can be included in the design.

Court Yard Pond Designs

The use of wooden barrels, ceramic baths, old wine vats and decorative bricks all have a place in creative water feature designs.

Before you begin the construction of your pond, it is well worth the time and effort to design and plan for it. There are five key areas, which must be considered in the planning process. These are the style of your pond, the size, type of pond, position and whether you want moving or still water.

Ponds are often described as ‘formal’ or ‘informal’ based on their design. A formal pond design is one with straight edges and is symmetrical, whereas an informal pond is designed to look natural and is suited. An informal pond design is most suited to those intended to attract wildlife.

The size of the pond is an important consideration and will depend on the intended purpose for the pond and the overall budget. The size of the pond should also reflect that of the garden. If the intention is to stock fish, the pond size and depth are important. For large fish such as Koi, you will need a depth of 90cm (3ft) and a large surface area versus that of smaller fish, which require a pond of 45cm (18in) deep and a surface area of at least 3m2.

The pond type is really dependent on what you want your garden pond for. You may wish to create a pond designed only to attract wildlife. These ponds tend to be informal in style, and require a lot of planting around the edge of the pond as well as in the pond to create a safe haven for wildlife. A wildlife pond must have at least one gently sloping edge to allow wildlife to enter and leave the pond easily.

Ideally a pond should be positioned where it can receive six hours of sunlight a day. Sunlight is important for plant growth. It should also be sited away from trees. The roots of trees can damage pond liners, so avoid placing your pond near them. You also need to build a pond where there is access to an electricity point as most pond pumps and filters require to function.

Then, lastly you need to decide whether you want to enjoy the sound and tranquillity of moving water through a waterfall or fountain. Moving water is also very beneficial to the pond and those that inhabit it, as it helps to aerate the water improving its oxygen level.

Construct Pond Using a Pond Liner

Having gone through the planning process, you will then need to decide how to construct your pond. The options are to use preformed moulded plastic, brickwork or flexible pond liners. The flexible liners are the most popular choice for constructing ponds as they allow for design flexibility and are easy to install. There are different types of liners available characterised by their durability, weight, cost and strength. Butyl and epalyn liners are stronger and more UV and weather resistant than PVC liners.

A pond liner calculator will assist you to calculate the dimensions of the liner required for your chosen pond design.