We create a pond in the country with our own hands – from idea to design

We create a pond in the country with our own hands

Psychologists say that the contemplation of water has a beneficial effect on a person, relieving fatigue due to everyday fuss, negative thoughts and restoring the internal balance of power. If the source of water is in the arms of nature, then the effect is greatly enhanced. Do you have your own piece of land, want to protect yourself from stress and recharge your batteries, but don’t know how to make a pond in the country with your own hands? No problem, learn now!

Content

• Choosing a place is the basis of a well-kept pond
• Shape and size – everything matters
• Style is the destiny of creative landowners
• Pond making

Choosing a place is the basis of a well-kept pond

A pond is not only a component of the landscape and a place to relax, but also a natural microorganism with its own biological system, in which processes must occur correctly and harmoniously. A competent choice of a place is the guarantee that everything will work together, and you don’t have to redo the pond.

So, what you need to consider when thinking where to build a pond with your own hands?

• the site must be open. The presence of trees in the neighborhood is not welcome, because, firstly, leaves and branches will fall from them, clogging the reservoir, secondly, the growing roots of trees can damage the walls of the pond;
• a sunny place is not the best solution, since an excess of direct rays provokes the active development of microorganisms, which leads to flowering of water and the appearance of a swamp. In addition, the pond will dry quickly, and you will have to constantly replenish it with water;
• the shadow side can also ruin your water “brainchild”. A pond with its unique system will simply perish. Choose a place where the sun’s rays reach the surface for about 8 hours a day – this is enough to warm the water well, and your pond retains its “life” and beauty;
• When creating a decorative pond with your own hands, avoid the windy side, otherwise your pond will turn into a garbage container. The robber wind will drive everything that is on the site and spoil your water masterpiece.

This is important to know! When creating an artificial pond with your own hands, carefully think about whether you will change it in the future. If the area allows, but there is still no budget, then choose a place where the pond can expand over time. After all, money is a bargain, maybe soon you will have it, as well as new ideas for creating a fountain, bridge, beach around a source of water pleasures.

Shape and size – everything matters

It is indisputable that in many respects the construction of a pond with one’s own hands depends on the allocated budget for the project. But even if money allows you to create any kind of pond, according to professionals, it is worth considering the following points.

• If you are the owner of a standard plot of land of 6 acres, then experts recommend building a pond in the form of a square with sides of 3-4 meters and a depth of about 0.8-1.2 meters. You can also make a pond 2 by 2 meters, but with a depth of about 0.5 meters. Want a larger pond? It’s your business, but keep in mind that it can be ridiculous to look at such a tiny site;
• The optimal size of the water source is 3% of the total area, but you can also less, start from the budget, your desires and the style of your “brainchild”.
• Ponds in the form of a drop or beans look the most harmonious, but you can create your own author’s project in the form of a rhombus, circle, hexagon or even a star – this is your right. However, keep in mind that the more bizarre the contour of the pond and the more acute angles, the more difficult it will be for you to clean the surface of the water from debris;
• Your land is a continuous drop in relief, so you think it’s impossible to build a pond on it? But in vain! On the contrary, this is an excellent opportunity to create a special pond with a stream, a waterfall and a quiet backwater. Do you remember that running water is a wonderful means of relaxation ?! You see, even in the bad you can always find the good side.
• Do you want to bring “inhabitants” – fish – to the pond and leave them for the winter? Keep in mind that then a depth of 2.5 meters is required, but there are also disadvantages, because the bottom meter of water will not warm up well. It’s up to you to decide which option is preferred..
• You have enough plants, but you do not want them to die with the onset of cold weather? Then dig a hole one and a half meters deep – this is enough to comfortably winter the plants.

 

Worth paying attention to! Want to make a stylish pond? Then choose a form based on the material described in the next block.

Style is the destiny of creative landowners

The design of the reservoir is also important, because it is not just a pit with water, but the decoration of the site, right ?! Beginning fans of the water element on their possessions will help to create a stylish pond with their own hands, photos and tips of experienced designers.

So, which styles are most in demand today?

1. Formal – a lifesaver for those who know little about design but want to have a beautiful pond. In simple terms, the formal style implies symmetrical, neat, “calm” forms that make the site harmonious, beautiful (in the classical sense of beauty), even a little solemn;

2. Landscape style, born in the East (where the formal style was never developed) and migrated to Europe. The main goal of this style is to preserve the primordial nature as much as possible, moreover, the shape of the reservoir can be asymmetric. The pond should seem to some extent wild, forest, created by mother nature. The good news for those who have chosen a landscape style is the economics of work, both in terms of finances and time, because such a reservoir is the embodiment of freedom in everything.

3. Country (rural style) – an outlet for summer residents tired of the bustle of the city. Simple forms, natural materials, lack of “pretentiousness” – these are the main characteristics of country style. However, the plants in the pond and around it, on the contrary, should be bright, variegated, contrasting. The abundance of wooden objects and decorations in the neighborhood is welcome..

4. Modern is the choice for landowners who love order and refined tranquility. With this style, as a rule, the reservoir is located in the center of the possessions. Designers advise to make the forms of the pond simple, plants to use monophonic and color matching with each other. Art Nouveau is somewhat reminiscent of formal style, but it is less strict and more elegant.

5. Japanese style – a “squeak” of a fashionable landscape. Some designers insist that the Japanese pond is a subspecies of landscape style, just more modest in size than its “parent”. The “trick” of the Japanese style is large-scale spatial depth with tiny sizes. To do this, the pond is surrounded by dwarf trees, rocks, waterfalls and other miniature copies of the landscape “decor”. Despite its modest size, the Japanese style is laborious to implement, since every centimeter of the water space is carefully thought out. Such a water masterpiece is probably not a place for entertainment, but a corner for contemplation, relaxation, relaxation.

Pond making

So, the place was found, the sizes, style and shape were chosen, but you still do not know how to make a pond with your own hands? Be guided by such options:

• low budget pond;
• a pond made from prefabricated forms;
• traditional construction.

We consider each option in detail.

What is a low-budget pond? Everything is simple here: use improvised materials that are in the barn or buy a “cheap” film and line it with the bottom of the pond. But first things first. If money is tight, look for an old bathtub or trough. Did not find in your barn? Interrogate neighbors, friends, relatives, someone will certainly have a capacity. Further, the procedure is as follows:

• digging a hole:
• place the bath in the recess;
• fill with water;
• decorate a pond with stones and plants.

If you have some money and want a larger pond, then buy a black film with a thickness of 150 microns. The only thing is that the recess should be done with a mound around the perimeter, which will fix the film in the required position, as well as cover the bottom of the pit with sand. The edges of the pond (over the embankment) should be decorated with stones. For reliability, lay two layers of film on the bottom of the pond..

Do you want water possessions to serve for several decades, but there is no time to “play” with concrete? Buy the finished form of the desired size. Then proceed according to the procedure described in the installation of the bath. True, the volumes of such finished forms do not exceed 900 liters.

If you want a larger reservoir, you still have to be patient and concrete, as well as prepare for the fact that such a pond will fly you a penny and take a lot of time and energy. To make a reliable and large body of water, you need:

• dig a pit;
• waterproof the recess;
• pour in special (water-resistant) concrete;
• decorate the “brainchild”;
• settle fish (optional).

A pond made by yourself is not only the most beautiful place on the site and a paradise for relaxation, but also a reason for the pride of the author of the project.