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Designing a Pond
Round ponds with no character are boring. When you’re building your pond it’s imperative that you pay attention to how it is built and the characteristics of it.
Here’s some design tips:
1.
Build your pond as big as you can. If you don’t you will regret it.
2.
Don’t build the pond in the shape of a circle, even kidneys are boring. Try to make it some random shape like nature would make.
3.
Figure out which side of the pond the wind will first hit and build any coves there. If you make your coves at the other side then the wind will push all the muck into your cove.
4.
Build a steep bank on one part of the pond if you can so that you can stand on the edge of the pond and look down into the pond.
5.
Your pond should drop off relatively quickly so that you don’t get any water weeds. If you want a beach though make sure the area gently slopes for about 15 feet into the water.
6. Figure out where you want to plant your weeping willows if they can survive in your area.
7.
Make your pond 20 feet deep in some areas. Most fish won’t travel below 12 feet of water but when you have a drought that extra 8 feet might save your fish.
8.
If your pond is big enough build an island in the middle of the pond. If it isn’t build a peninsula out into it.
9.
Dig deep trenches in the pond bottom and sink some logs for fish habitat.
10.
Line an area of the pond with river rock so that it feels like you are on a river bank
(See pebble beach).
11.
After the pond is built push in logs so that they are partly in the water and partly out of the water.
12.
If you are clearing out trees for the pond leave a few in so that they get that "grayed weathered look" when they die.
Your main goal in building your pond is to try to make as many different areas as possible. Believe me, if you just have grass around your pond you will get bored of it pretty darn quick.
Be sure to visit the
Pond section.
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