Benefits of a basin pond:

• arrangement takes a minimum of time;
• fits perfectly into the design of any site;
• if necessary, the pond in the basin can be easily transferred to another part of the yard;
• needs minimal care;
• is a budget option, practically does not require financial costs.

Artificial reservoir from a basin make it very easy. An old metal or plastic basin is taken, dug into the ground. If the basin is full of holes, then its bottom is covered with a construction film. It is desirable that it be thick and durable. Optionally, the bottom of the basin can be decorated with stones and shells. A pond already filled with water is decorated with live or artificial plants, and the “shores” of the reservoir are lined with natural stone or pebbles. You can lay out paving slabs.

A mini-pond from a basin will be much stronger if the bottom and walls of the basin coat with cement mortar. In addition, if you plan to put frogs in the pond, it will be much easier for them to get to the surface on a cement surface than on a slippery film.

The solution is prepared as follows: mix cement and sand in a ratio of 1:3 and dilute with water. Stir well until the density of sour cream, so that there are no lumps left, and coat the basin. Layer thickness - 2 cm. Until the solution at the bottom of the basin has frozen, various compositions of stones can be made in it. A basin covered with cement is left to dry for at least a day. After that, it can be painted with black water-repellent paint. When the basin is filled with water, the black color will give the surface of the water the effect of a mirror.

For mini-reservoirs with aquatic plants, it is better to use basins with a depth of more than 15 cm. In shallow basins, the water will quickly heat up in summer, and in frosts it will freeze to the bottom and the plants will die.

Device

In order for the decorative pond to please the eye, first of all, it is necessary to choose the right place for the reservoir.

Basic selection rules:

1. Choose a place in partial shade, so the water will bloom less, and aquatic plants will not wither in the sun.
2. Avoid open and well-ventilated areas.
3. You should not place a pond under the trees, otherwise you will constantly have to remove foliage from the water, and the water will become clogged.

The pond should be located so that it can be clearly seen from everywhere. Choose a place so that the reflections in the pond are interesting and varied. For example, it can be clouds, trees, a house.

As a visual aid when choosing a place for a pond from a basin, you can use ordinary plastic wrap. Put it in the place of the planned reservoir, and take a walk, see: will the pond be visible from the main viewpoints of your site?

Mounting

How to make a small decorative pond from a basin in the country? The basin has been made, the place has been chosen, now we are starting to build a mini-pond with our own hands.

Tools and materials:

1. Shovel.
2. Pump (if a fountain is planned).
3. Clay or sand for the layer.
4. A small amount of cement mortar.
5. Natural stone of different sizes.
6. Pebbles for soil or gravel with non-sharp edges (if the basin is covered with a film).

Stages of work:

1. Dig a hole slightly larger than your pelvis. The edges of the basin should rise above the ground by 5 cm.
2. Make a layer of clay or sand under the bottom of the basin and between the walls of the basin and the pit. Such a “cushion” will allow you to install the basin more evenly, and the water in it will not heat up quickly.
3. The dug-in basin along the edges is poured with cement mortar. This is necessary in order for the reservoir to hold on tighter, and so that during rain the earth does not wash out from under the edges.
4. Soil is laid at the bottom of the basin, aquatic plants are planted in it (duckweed, vodokras, urut aquatic). You can decorate the pond with artificial flowers.
5. Fill the basin with water.
6. The area around the reservoir is decorated with pebbles or stones. It will look better when large stones are laid out first, and then medium and small ones.
7. Moisture-loving plants, such as ferns or callas, can be planted near the reservoir, and the adjacent area can be planted with lawn grass.

If the water in the pond is from the water supply, it must first be allowed to settle. The best option is water from the nearest natural reservoir, but rainwater can also be used.

Photo of finished ponds from a basin.

Basin Pond Care

In order for a miniature water garden to be clean and well-groomed, it needs change water regularly. Water is scooped out of the pond with a jar or bucket. If there are no planted plants at the bottom, pebbles are selected and washed with water. If the soil is shallow and difficult to choose, then pour a small amount of water and mix the soil with your hand, and then remove the water with a rag. This is repeated several times.

Walls and bottom of the basin wash with a sponge or cloth. It is worth doing this about once a month, otherwise the water will begin to “bloom” and microorganisms will start in it.

In nature, the role of natural orderlies of reservoirs is performed by snails. Therefore, you can populate your mini-pond with them so that they clean both plants and the pond itself from algae.

In hot weather, the water from the water garden evaporates very quickly, and you need to constantly ensure that its level is sufficient. Add water you need in small portions and slowly, so as not to damage the plants and decorative compositions at the bottom of the pond. If necessary, the pond in the heat can be protected with an awning or a canopy.

A miniature pond from a basin can be made on any site, and there are a great many ways to decorate it, it all depends on the author's imagination.

Subject to all the simple rules for the arrangement and maintenance of such a mini-pond, an artificial water garden will become a real decoration of the country landscape and the pride of the owners.

Whether you like to swim or just relax near the water, relaxing on the shore of a reservoir is one of the great pleasures of summer. But not every summer resident has the opportunity to build a cottage near the water. Therefore, sooner or later, each of us thinks about how difficult it is to make a pond on the site with our own hands. Ideally, we see a pond in the country not only as a decorative element of landscape design, but also as a small body of water in which you can enjoy swimming on a hot day.

However, faced with colorful descriptions of the technical difficulties, costs and nuances of regular care, many of us give up this idea.

Let's start with the basics - what makes a pond fundamentally different from a pool is the self-regulation system.

Bathing pond with their own hands.

We will tell you the process of creating a pond step by step, and you can make a garden pond with your own hands - by building a cool oasis in the middle of the heat right on your summer cottage, where our everyday worries disappear with every light breath of fresh breeze.

A garden pond is a living organism.

The pond in the country house mimics the process that nature uses to keep the lake clean. Everything - from the size and shape of the pond, plant species and water circulation are designed to maintain the pond in a stable natural state.


The problems that the pond owner faces is maintaining the balance between plants and water - the plants either die or take over the entire surface of the pond. Only a pond that is a balanced ecosystem ensures optimal water clarity and quality, and maximum enjoyment of swimming in the pond.


The water in the pond must circulate among the roots of the plants in order to be purified. Plants enrich the water with oxygen, which supports the vital activity of beneficial bacteria that utilize pollution and potentially harmful organisms, and also create a habitat for dragonflies, frogs and other aquatic life. The result is a stable, ecologically diverse system. Nature has revealed its technology to us and we must carefully use it.

How to make a pond yourself. The principles of the pond.

Water is a living biologically active component and all purification occurs due to the work of plants and beneficial microbes. To do this, the pond provides a bathing area and a filtration area for plants. The filtration zone is actually the swamp part of our water zone, and just like in nature, it is this one that guarantees the purity of the entire reservoir. This zone should occupy at least 50 percent of the total area of ​​the water surface of the pond.
If you have noticed, then in nature there are almost no tiny reservoirs with a consistently clean surface of water - they quickly overgrow or silt. Natural stable biological balance can be achieved in ponds from 100 sq.m. Smaller ponds require more of our attention as they their biological balance is precarious. Therefore, these ponds include a skimmer and UV sterilizer to keep them clean, but still offer a chemical-free bathing area and support aquatic plant growth.


It is useful to add a small waterfall, stream or fountain to the pond for regular enrichment of water with oxygen. Although, for the same purpose, you can use an aerator.

How is pond water purified?

You can see that the process of filtering water in a pond is not complicated:
1. Water from the swimming area flows into the regeneration area.
2. Water circulates back to the bathing area.

Through the drainage pipes under the plant roots in the regeneration area or/and after the skimmer, the water is pumped through the UV sterilizer to the waterfall, stream or to the bottom of the swimming area. The pipe that goes to the bottom of the swimming area is slightly raised above the bottom so that the flow of water prevents the formation of silt at the bottom.

What should be the shape of the pond.

The bowl of the pond looks more like a soup bowl with large rims than a bathtub. The height difference should be about 30 cm for each meter of depth. It is this shape of the pond bowl that ensures the stability of the walls. The figure shows a cross section of a pond with a plant and bathing area:

After compaction of the surface layer of soil in the pit, geotextiles and a hermetic liner are laid on the bottom of the pond. In the plant zone - drainage pipes and gravel. In order to separate the swimming zone from the plant zone, a small hillock is formed - its top is 3 cm lower from the water surface. It can be made from sandbags or gravel. The mound allows water from the swimming area to pass into the plant area, where the water is filtered by the plant roots, and at the same time protects the plants from fluctuations in the water of the swimming area.


This design of the pond will allow you to conveniently clean the swimming area without affecting the plant area. In addition to purifying the water, the shallow water warms up quickly and serves as a habitat for frogs and other invertebrates, you will appreciate their benefits when they start eating mosquito larvae.

In order to mimic the natural contours of a pond, use a combination of different profiles for its shore. If you have plants on pond terraces, it is better to do this in pots so that they can be easily removed when cleaning the pond.

What size pond is suitable for our site?
The optimal size of the pond is 1/10 of the area of ​​​​your site.

How about mosquitoes?
One of the first questions that arises at the word “pond with your own hands” is mosquitoes? Mosquitoes breed only in stagnant water, while the water in the pond will never be static, so mosquitoes will find it unattractive for their habitat. Even if at some point they appear, the frog pond ecosystem will reduce their population to a minimum.


Why make a pond in the country?
Do-it-yourself pond people make this decision because they want to see their pond as a beautiful part of the landscape design and still have a clean, inviting place to swim on a hot day.
Is it possible to have fish in the swimming pond?
Unfortunately, fish, on the one hand, eats beneficial microflora with pleasure, on the other hand, it is a carrier of pathogenic bacteria, so there should not be fish in the baths.


Is it possible to make a sandy beach on a pond?
The best solution for entering the pond is walkways or stairs. For a beach entrance to the water, you need enough space, because. the angle of entry into the water is small. In addition, the sand quickly silts up - those beaches that we see are often simply trampled down to sand, most of the pond shore is usually densely overgrown with plants.

Should I swim with frogs?
Yes, frogs are full-fledged and important inhabitants of the pond. Additionally, to purify the water in the pond, it is good to have double-winged toothless shells or barley, which filter water up to 40 liters per day. You can also get snails (coils, livebearers) - they eat dead plants and clean the pond well.

What is the best place for a pond?
It is better to place the pond away from the trees, because. falling, the leaves will rot in the pond. Moreover, growing roots can damage the waterproofing film or tilt the finished container. The illumination of the site should be about 5 hours in the morning, and the rest of the time it should be in partial shade. The pond does not need large illumination. leads to increased formation of algae and overheating of water in the reservoir.

What to do with the pond in winter?
In winter, the pond, like natural reservoirs, freezes. You don't need to drain it. For the winter it is necessary to remove all equipment from the pond (pumps, filters, skimmers).

Does the type of soil affect the creation of a pond?
No, the composition of the soil does not affect. There is a misconception that it is good when the groundwater level is high. In fact, groundwater at the freezing level is more of a problem. Freezing, the ice can bulge the bottom of the pond. It is especially problematic if the pond is made on the basis of a rigid finished form.

Do-it-yourself pond from a film.

The main question when creating a pond: how to make it waterproof. There are several types of pond waterproofing - film, clay castle, concrete and rigid installation.

Rigid mold installation is a simple and durable method, but they usually come in small sizes up to 3.5 square meters. meters. Their service life is 10-50 years.

Waterproofing with concrete is the most expensive, in addition, to protect against frost, it needs additional treatment with a frost-resistant agent and liquid glass.

A clay castle is the cheapest in terms of materials, but the most labor-intensive. In order to waterproof the pit with clay, the compacted soil is covered with wood ash or soot. Then a 15 cm layer of clay dough is applied to the walls, compacted. When the layer dries, a second 30 cm is applied. When the layer is almost dry, crushed stone is poured on it, slightly pressing into the layer.

The optimal solution for the construction of ponds with an area of ​​more than 5-6 sq.m. - film waterproofing.


How much film is needed for the pond:
Film length= pond length + 2 pond depth + 50 cm margin for fasteners.
Film width= width of the pond + 2 depth of the pond + 50 cm margin for fasteners.

The film is produced in widths from 2 to 10 m, length 10-50 m. Knowing your needs, you can choose the optimal roll. The film is bought before digging the pit, this will allow you to cover it immediately when the pit is ready, preventing its edges from shedding.
What kind of film to choose for the pond.
PVC film for a pond is cheaper, but eventually destroyed by ultraviolet radiation, its service life is 8-10 years.
Butyl rubber sheeting is more expensive, but has both UV and cold protection. The service life of such a film is 50 years.

Do-it-yourself pond construction photo.

Do-it-yourself pond begins with marking the pit. The curved shape can be marked with a hose. We remove the sod along the coastline and take out the soil on the bayonet - this will be the line of the swamp zone, then the next level of the earth is taken out inside the resulting border, and so on. As a result, our terraces will be 50 cm wide with slopes of 20 cm. When the pond pit is ready, all hard objects that can damage the film: stones, roots, etc. , remove. We level and ram the walls and bottom of the pit.

Before work, the film is laid for several hours in a sunny place so that it warms up and becomes more elastic. Laying the film is done in warm weather. Overlapped geotextile or felt sheets are laid on the compacted pit, they are needed to protect the waterproofing film from protruding roots and stones over time.


A waterproofing film is spread on top of the geotextile with a margin of 50 cm along the edges of the pit. The edges are temporarily fixed with stones. The film is allowed to sag a little, smoothing and leveling it according to the shape of the pit.


The foil inside the swimming area can be protected with dry stacked stones.


Gravel or sand bags can be used instead of stones. But keep in mind that it is more convenient to take care of a pond with film walls. - it is easier to clean it from silt and mud.

In portions, the pit is poured with water, removing air bubbles from under the film.

When the pond is completely filled with water, the ends of the film are securely fixed in a trench, which is made at a distance of 15 cm from the edge of the pit. In a trench 20 cm deep, the edges of the film are wrapped in a roll and covered with stones and pebbles.

We make a pond with our own hands. Shore decoration.

After you have made a pond with your own hands, before you start decorating the shore, you need to pour plenty of water on it and wait 2-3 days, because. shrinkage is possible. In addition, during this time, the water in the pond will settle.
We mask the film on the shore with rubble, stones, snags. We plant plants in shallow water. The pond needs plants that saturate the water with oxygen. There are many suitable plants - reeds, meadowsweet, iris, bathing suit, marigold, arrowhead. Any plant that grows on the shore of a natural pond will work for your pond. Don't forget about algae, like hornwort, which just floats in the water. Deciduous ornamental shrubs are best planted behind marsh grasses, which are planted directly on the shore.


Additional charm is added to the pond backlight.


Floating flower beds look seductive on the surface of the pond.


Pond safety.

If there are very young children in the family, then perhaps the construction of the pond should be postponed until they are older. It is necessary to consider visiting the pond by the elderly and school-age children. Make a convenient ladder for entering the pond, don't forget to clean it so it doesn't get slippery! All other sides of the pond, except for the entrance, are best covered with plants.

Pond care.

The new pond will take on its natural form throughout the year - while it will form its ecosystem. The small world of your pond is very vulnerable. The pond may quickly heat up or freeze, the water may evaporate, or the pond may overflow after rain. This puts a strain on aquatic life that cannot instantly transition to a safer, more stable environment.


Therefore, your pond, like any living organism, requires care. On a hot day, you need to add water, collect garbage that floats on the surface with a net, check whether the plants have grown or perhaps something has not taken root and must be annoyed. However, a surprising number of life forms will colonize your new pond, they will quickly explore new waters and stay if conditions suit them.

The quiet splash of water is the most enchanting melody of a hot summer, water bewitches, attracts and seduces us with a playful play of light, transparent depth and life-giving coolness. A handmade pond will give your cottage a special charm.

However, if you are the owner of a small plot, you can think about a mini pond. A mini pond is usually placed on a terrace or in a front garden. But due to its modest size, it is quite possible to make it on the balcony or even inside the house.
In general, a mini pond is a body of water within 0.5 - 1 m3. (but not less than 20 liters of water), which is a small ecosystem with plants and even animals (fish). It can be complemented by a fountain and other decorative elements.
In order to make such a pond with your own hands, you will need a wooden box, a waterproof container made of plastic or anything else, the main thing is stainless material, waterproofing film, gravel, stones, sand, soil, and plants.
Here is a diagram of a mini pond device:

It should be remembered that in sunny summer weather a lot of water evaporates from the surface of the pond, so it must be topped up regularly.

Mini pond plants need 6-8 hours of sunlight per day. Therefore, northern and poorly lit areas are best avoided.
Almost all planted plants need a substrate for rooting (the exception is plants that float in water with roots. You can use gravel from the bottom of the stream, or you can buy special “building gravel”, which includes sand and pebbles 16-32 mm in size Some plants can be placed in a pond in separate bowls.For example, water lilies grow well in a substrate with a predominance of clay.

In summer, ornamental plants in a small pond tolerate diurnal temperature fluctuations well; in the cold period, with proper preparation, they tolerate frosts, with the exception of foreign heat-loving plants, which are best transferred indoors for wintering.
On the terrace, a pond looks very impressive when the tub is deepened in the ground. And decorate the perimeter of the reservoir with stones and various plants.

We build a pond with our own hands for the garden

Create a do-it-yourself pond for goldfish and aquatic plants within your capacity. Make sure your garden pond is at least 60 to 90cm deep. Nothing beats a garden pond if you want to make your garden even more inviting. It is surprisingly easy to make and care for. Dig a hole, fill it with a layer of sand, line everything with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film, and you will have a pond of any shape you want.

Before you begin, make sure that: your pond is on a level surface with enough sunlight for at least five hours a day, can be reached with a garden hose, and can be seen from your home, porch, or patio. Surprisingly, the bigger your pond, the better.

Anything less than 60cm deep and 2.5m in diameter collects heat and becomes clogged with algae. In cold climates, it is necessary to dig a hole at least 90 cm deep so that the fish can survive the winter.

Check before you dig. Mark the desired shape of the pond with a hose. Sprinkle the hose with sand or flour to outline your pond.

You will need:

PVC coating

fine gravel

bricks

stone slabs

Round stones for the bottom of the pond

Step 1

Dig a hole at least 60cm deep, tilting the sides slightly. Completely remove large roots or sharp stones.

Step 2

Make sure the edges of the pond are even with a level. Lay a 5-7cm layer of wet sand on the bottom and sides of the pit. This helps to smooth the sides and protect the finish from punctures.

Step 3

Lay a PVC cover in the hole, leaving an extra 30cm of cover around the entire pond. Line the pond with bricks so that the PVC covering is not visible.

Step 4

Lay the slab so that it is 2.5-5cm from the brickwork. Let the water sit for two days to remove any chemicals.

Step 5

Lower the pots of aquatic plants to the desired depth. For example, a water lily should be placed in such a way that the edge of the pot is 15-30 cm from the surface of the water.

Carefully place round stones on the bottom of the pond. When choosing aquatic creatures such as fish, snails and tadpoles, contact your supplier to determine the amount of space they need.

It is worth taking a small plastic sealed box or a suitable container, and having a little imagination, decorate it so that it turns into a small reservoir with its own ecosystem.
To do this, you need to take some soil, pebbles and green vegetation and the water container will turn into a pretty pond.
On the terrace you can place a large wooden tub hidden in the ground. Water, of course, will need to be changed periodically, and if the pond is located in the sun, then add it during the day. But nevertheless, such a piece of the water element, combined with the general style of the entire garden, will become a real decoration and highlight of the garden.

Photo: fancy2110 (home-and-garden.webshots.com)
This pond is arranged in a concrete flower pot

The front garden is a great place for a mini-pond. In the shade of plants, a small pool with water lilies will look good. As a container, you can use a galvanized basin or a trough covered with natural material.

In a seedling box or in a basin.
On balconies and verandas, a mini pond can be arranged in a seedling box, in a basin or in a tub. If you decide to make a pond on the balcony, then it is better to install it on a low table or even hang it. The outer sides can be decorated by sticking stones, pebbles or mosaics on them. We cover the bottom of the container with a layer of humus, then a layer of sand and a layer of pebbles. You can also make a small hole to drain the water, although this is not necessary for such a small reservoir.

Mini pond. A corner of quiet retreat in your garden

Marina Savinykh

Water is the source of life, a symbol of eternity and inviolability. It is known that nothing can soothe and relax like admiring the water. So in landscape design, mini-reservoirs have gained their popularity.

The tradition of decorating gardens with artificial ponds originates in Japan. Truly the pearl of the Japanese garden is water. Reservoirs are represented by the most diverse forms and are always decorated with finely selected aquatic plants, and often their inhabitants are goldfish. It is no secret that the Japanese landscape is more than aesthetic beauty, it is also a tribute to ancient traditions, legends and wisdom. Each landscape object contains a certain symbol that can influence the viewer.

In order for the mini pond to please throughout the summer, it is worth thinking about its project now. Many plants that will serve as decoration for a mini-pond need to be planted in early spring, by which time the type of small reservoir, its shape and location should already be determined.

Today, modern technologies make it possible to create miniature ponds on a site of any size, with various levels of complexity. Even on a minimal area, you can place such a reservoir that will significantly enliven the landscape.

There are the following types of ready-made containers for artificial mini-ponds:

• constructions using polymeric materials;
• finished structures;
• monolithic structures.

Structures using polymeric materials are arranged according to the following principle: a recess of at least one and a half meters is dug and completely covered with a polymer film, the edges of the film are decorated on the outside with tiles, natural stones, wooden frames, etc. The device of the reservoir will cost inexpensively, if necessary, it can be easily disassembled, so there is an opportunity to clean the room for the winter. But there are also disadvantages - the polymer film loses strength over time and can leak.

Finished structures are made of polymeric materials, metal, wood or ceramics, and can be mounted at different levels. Unlike polymer films, finished structures will last longer.

For monolithic ones, a recess of at least one and a half meters is initially dug, then walls are formed from reinforcement, which are subsequently poured with concrete. The advantages of such a tank are durability, increased strength, as well as the ability to realize any conceived shape.

The principle of caring for a mini-pond depends on the presence of plants and animals in it. If the design of the pond is limited exclusively to external decor, then it is enough to change the water once a month. Care becomes much more complicated if aquatic plants, as well as fish and other aquatic inhabitants, are placed in a mini-pond.

It must be remembered that the mini-pond sets the overall style of landscape design. A mini-type pond can be played as a corner of the wild, decorating it with boulders and planting climbing and moss plants. You can create a small piece of a fairy tale by placing goldfish and water lilies in a mini-pond, and plant marshy plants (reeds, cyperus, etc.) around the pond. A small pond will look more impressive if you set the backlight in a gentle tone. Then the mini-pond will become a favorite place of quiet solitude in the evenings.

Corner mini-pond made of bricks

landscape design this is not only the green part of the plot with plants, but also the territory adjacent to the house. Suppose your site has a boring corner where, for some reason, plants cannot be placed. You can revive it with this mini pond from brick. Height and width reservoir is selected according to the size of your free space.

Brick for reservoir we take the usual not rounded one, we derive a semicircle due to the wide seams between the bricks. Interior reservoir: either a finished form or we concrete the structure inside, a film for ponds is also suitable. Plants planted in containers will add to your water mini pond naturalness and beauty.

Do-it-yourself pond from an old bath

Let's talk about how our hands in the garden do old bath pond. After repairs in the house often remains an old cast-iron bath. You can use it further - make it garden pond. The most important thing is to determine the location of the future pond. Then dig a pit under bath. At the bottom of the pit, it is necessary to pour gravel, crushed stone 10-20 cm, then sand 20 cm. In the place where the drain hole is in the bathroom, make the drainage layer deeper. This is so that later, if desired, you can leave a drain hole and drain water from it for the winter. If there is good drainage under the drain, the water in bathroom not so much and it will absorb into the ground without any problems. The second drain hole must be cemented. Lay bricks in the corners, it is installed on it bath. Pour the earth, gradually tamping and adding water. Leave the top of the tub slightly above ground level. Decorate bath under pond paving stone. For this we have set bath a little above ground level, so that around baths Pour crushed stone 20-30 cm. On the crushed stone we lay the flagstone stone on the cement mortar. Flagstone stones, as it were, “we start” inside baths, thereby closing its ugly edge. So that the shape of the pond does not really resemble a bath, we lay out the stones along the edges of the bath and go beyond baths. Layers of stone must be laid at least 3-4.

Surface baths white, for pond it is not beautiful and unnatural. You can cover the inside of the bathtub with a black film, then this must be done before the stone work. Bring the edges of the film under the stone.

Can you paint bath, but the surface of the bath is smooth, the paint from it peels off over time. Therefore, enamel baths for pond must be cleaned to give it porosity for better paint application.

For surface cleaning baths a “grinder” is needed, a special nozzle on it with a sticky surface, to which the “Petal” emery wheel or the “Foreman” wire nozzle is attached. What kind of paint to cover the surface will be advised by a consultant in any building market. And the color is better to choose dark gray. To the bottom pond you can sprinkle some pebbles.

We pour water and old bath pond garden ready. Done do it yourself.

Now you need to choose plants for pond, drop them in small groups near the pud to your liking. Near pond irises, hostas, bergenia look beautiful. It will be beautiful inside pond from the bathroom plant aquatic plants in containers, maybe even run fish.

You can not drain the water for the winter, if in your garden pond there will already be a biological environment, it will try to survive. Still, a bath in the depths of the earth is the warmth of the earth, snow will lie on top of the ice - it will also retain heat. For reliability for the winter, you can throw a couple of plastic bottles into the water.

The idea of ​​​​decorating a pond with large stones

Idea pond design big stones. In this version, the form pond semicircle. Myself pond can be made from a finished form or covered with a film. Overlap the edges with large stones. Because the stones are very large, they can easily close all the costs of the edges pond. To make such pond with your own hands is very simple, no special skill is required, but it looks like a work of professionals. The only problem is that the stones are very heavy, they must be carried by two people, wide ropes or a tight bag should be stretched under them and taken by the edges. Do not forget, under the stones, where they lie directly on the ground, pour a little gravel, sand on top and cover with black lutrasil, so as not to tear the weeds between them later.

In this embodiment, an ordinary indoor cyperius is planted directly into the water in a container, it loves moisture very much and looks harmonious for pond.

The second option is very similar, only it is a fountain on a motor, decorated with gravel.

Stylistics of garden ponds

Arrangement of a reservoir - aerobatics in the art of landscape design. On the territory of Russia today there is an increased interest in ponds, streams and waterfalls in the garden. Having played plenty of alpine slides, hedges and mixborders, the owners of suburban areas gradually come to understand a simple truth: without water, the garden still remains not quite harmonious, as if unfinished. But before proceeding with the renewal of the site, in which it is imperative to find a place for a reservoir or watercourse, it is necessary to evaluate all the forms in which water can appear in the garden.

With all the variety of gardens, and there are more than a dozen different garden styles, they are all divided into two large groups: regular and landscape. The former are characterized by a symmetrical layout, emphasizing the correct geometric shapes of flower beds. These gardens include Muslim, French and Italian classical gardens. Reservoirs in them also have strict geometric outlines; very often there are classically shaped fountains, regular-shaped canals, cascades, aqueducts and ponds.
Landscape style is well known to Russians. Most of our compatriots prefer ponds and streams of natural forms, inherent in English classical gardens (landscape); stylistics of the Far East (Japanese and Chinese); gardens of natural style (from the German Naturegarten). The free outlines of ponds and the lively running of streams and waterfalls in landscape gardens give them an unusual charm, make the garden as similar as possible to a corner of natural nature.

The avant-garde style gardens stand somewhat apart, the hallmark of which is originality and conceptuality. It is almost impossible to predict the shape of a reservoir in such a garden: it can be both symmetrical and natural or so unusual that you do not immediately decide to call the structure invented by the designer a reservoir or watercourse ...

regular reservoirs

A conversation about regular-style reservoirs should begin with Islamic gardens. Not because they are the most ancient - it is possible that this is not so. But the fact is that there is no greater reverence for water in any other garden style. Water, which in the Arab lands was an extremely limited resource, the greatest value, eventually quite naturally became a symbol of luxury. The Garden of Eden in the view of Muslims is a place in which fountains are sure to beat and roses are fragrant. The composition of all Islamic gardens is a strictly geometric square or rectangle, divided into 4 parts by shallow channels (such a garden structure was characteristic of ancient Persian gardens and has taken root for centuries). Apart from these channels, water is present in the form of rectangular ponds and fountains. The latter were present in a multitude and were arranged technically very perfectly: their activity was carried out due to the force of gravity. Under the fountains (or under a rectangular pond with fountains installed in it) lay a labyrinth of pipes traversed by valves and gates designed to control the distribution of water to countless fountain outlets throughout the garden.

Fountains are one of the most beloved forms that humanity has sought to give to water. The difference between Islamic ones is in their brevity: since the Koran forbids depicting living beings, then, as a rule, these were simple drinking fountains with a small trickle of water barely rising above the bowl or the surface of the pond.
If we talk about the demand for the Islamic style in the gardens of modern Europe, including Russia, then this is rather a lighter and more elegant Spanish-Moorish style, which can easily be found in the patio or in the space in front of the house, even if it is small, as in the case of townhouses.

The French regular style, which entered the life of the nobility under the Sun King Louis XIV, is widely known throughout the world. In the magnificent garden of Versailles, created by the brilliant gardener Henri Le Nôtre, luxurious feasts were held, accompanied by splashing water jets and the brilliance of water in canals and ponds. The triumph of man over Nature is the main idea of ​​this style, told through strict symmetry, sheared topiary forms and water squeezed into a rigid frame. The water of a regular garden is a strict form of pools, sculptural fountains, small wall fountains and cascades. Peterhof Park became an example of this style in Russia.

Very close to the French style is Italian, which in the classic version was performed as a small garden near the villa, surrounded by a trimmed hedge. Diagonal and straight paths invariably led to the center of the garden, where there was certainly a pond or fountain. Ponds, as a rule, were given the shape of a circle, oval or square. Old Italian estates were often surrounded by artistically designed water channels, a bit reminiscent of ditches around fortress walls.

Today, both French and Italian regular style are quite in demand. In any case, not a single worthy landscape design exhibition is complete without projects of this kind. The most common application of this style in private estates is the front (entrance) section of the estate in the classical style or the classic symmetrically-correct design of the patio, where the water looks like channels, fountains or a mini-pond.

Particularly noteworthy are the formal decorative pools of the new generation, which are extremely numerous in the projects of the best European designers, in particular those who take part in the Chelsea Flower Show in London, and which are almost non-existent in Russia. These are reservoirs of ideal geometric shape, usually of very shallow depth, the main role of which is to create a feeling of freshness in the garden and play the role of a natural mirror that reflects the sky, clouds and graceful vegetation surrounding such reservoirs.

I would like to separately note that ponds in each of the listed regular styles can be arranged either flush with the ground level or have a bowl raised above the ground with walls up to 0.5-0.7 m high, which is almost never found in landscape gardens.

landscape style

The landscape style embodies freedom and naturalness: the trees in it are never cut, they try to make the paths inconspicuous and asymmetric, and they strive to give the water the appearance of a natural reservoir, as close as possible in its appearance to the natural one. The most ancient examples of this style belong to the Far East - China and Japan, and the most common today follow the principles of creating gardens in the British Isles.
Chinese gardens, as a rule, occupy rather large areas. Their owners for centuries have treated the reservoirs with great trepidation. Typically, a garden has a central pond and several additional streams and waterfalls surrounded by rocks and lush vegetation. The ponds and lakes in the garden, as a rule, were large, in which it was possible to ride on boats made in the form of a dragon, thus moving through the entire garden. Today, ponds may not be large, but one or more bridges over the watercourse must have a characteristic shape, most often made of stone or wood.

Ponds in the Chinese garden often became a haven not only for magnificent aquatic and coastal aquatic vegetation, but also for animals. : Koi, goldfish, and mandarin ducks are frequent visitors to these gardens. The streams of the Chinese garden are very beautiful - it is not for nothing that they liked to put graceful arbors on their banks ...

Island Japan has always suffered from a lack of space for gardens, and therefore their landscape art is, in fact, the art of miniatures. This statement has nothing to do with monastery gardens and large parks. "Secular" Japanese gardens are mostly small, from a few square meters, areas intended for viewing and short walks. In any case, the garden for the Japanese is a small model of the universe. Water in the garden is not always present, but if it is, then its forms are very diverse and specific.

Japan has a tendency to appreciate not so much the surface of the water as the dynamics of the flow and the sounds made by streams and waterfalls. Japanese garden waterfalls can be simple and complex, multi-stage. The place for the waterfall is chosen with great care. Almost always they are covered with vegetation, which makes the landscapes even more romantic.

Garden ponds in the oriental garden always have islands, one of which is considered paradise and does not connect to the shore. There are several types of islands: forest, mountain, rocky, with young pine trees on the sand. In modern Japanese gardens, ponds replace small stone pools of water, and sometimes there is not even room for them. Then this element of nature can be introduced into the composition of the garden in the form of a tsukubai - a stone bowl with water in the form of a barrel, in which they traditionally washed their hands during the tea ceremony. In some cases, the tsukubai may be at ground level, but most often it is raised to a height of 20-30 cm. Usually, tsukubai are placed on a low, small, level area in front of a stone wall, hedge or in the center of the garden and are always illuminated with a stone lantern.
Another decorative element of the garden, which is directly related to water, is a thin plumbing from a hollow bamboo stem through which water runs. The Japanese name for this watercourse is shishi odoshi, which means "scaring deer" in Japanese. it was originally invented by farmers for this very purpose. Most often, such structures are located on the edge of the pond.

Fascinated by the beauty and naturalness of the Far Eastern gardens, the English colonialists "infected" their compatriots with a love for natural landscapes. Today, Great Britain is considered the state in which the landscape style (such words as English, romantic, natural became synonymous with it) reached its peak. Landscape composition techniques strove for beauty and naturalness. A characteristic feature, in addition to the beautiful "bouquet" plantings of trees, have become vast spaces reserved for lawns. Beautiful ponds, streams, waterfalls and cascades surrounded by greenery and moisture-loving vegetation are a characteristic feature of such gardens.

The naturegarten style is very similar to the English landscape style, with ponds and streams of the same natural shape, but its main principle in the design of the reservoir is the rejection of the most beautiful coastal plants, possibly imported from afar or, on the contrary, have long been included in culture and subjected to selection, in favor of "savages" - that is, the vegetation that is characteristic of the area and grows literally behind the fence. Designing the coastline with coastal plants characteristic of the area makes such a solution as viable as possible.

avant-garde gardens

To date, the most interesting garden ponds are found in those gardens that are made in the avant-garde style. Landscape architects who love the avant-garde have always treated water with special trepidation, rightly believing that you can relax and truly relax only by a pond. Life-giving moisture can be present in such gardens in a variety of ways. For example, one of the exhibition gardens from The 100% Pure New Zealand Garden was a fairy tale fantasy about the aesthetics of a desert seashore. The water, as it were, flowed from the mountains, trying to reach the sea, and passed in its path the rainforest, and the wild cliffs of the west coast, and the dunes unprotected from the wind. More than 3,000 types of plants were used in the creation of the garden!

The water of an avant-garde garden can become a symbol of respect for this valuable natural resource. For example, in the project Bradstone: Walking Barefoot with Bradstone, which won a gold medal at one of the exhibitions in Chelsea, a special drainage garden system was used: through special funnels, rainwater is collected from the roof of the house and from the walls of a blank fence that surrounds the garden on both sides, accumulates in large reservoirs inside walls and is used to keep the water level within the garden's closed water system. Of course, in the absence of rain, the replenishment of water resources comes from civilized sources, and yet this system is very interesting and environmentally friendly.

The combination of glass and water is very advantageous. An example is an interesting "water" project - "Ravine Garden: gift of the Glacier" from the Lake Forest Garden Club. Glass blocks, installed among the greenery of trees, on a hillock, seem to melt, giving life to a stream. The stream flows down, surrounded by simple but very graceful plants, but the water does not just go into the ground: it falls on a platform made of glass, similar to an unmelted block of ice, and already falls into the channel from it, creating an interesting lens effect.

An absolutely remarkable avant-garde pond was shown at an exhibition in Chelsea in 2008. Designed by Arabella Lennox-Boyd. A thinly curved ribbon of water lilies running down the center intersected with a garden path, which also acted as a bridge from one end of the pond to the other. The composition was structured by beautifully arranged stones set in the water.

Russians will soon celebrate the 20th anniversary of landscape design in its modern form. Obviously, their preferences are landscape-style ponds and streams. But allowing yourself only reservoirs of this kind is too strict a restriction, significantly narrowing the number of options. To appreciate the variety of forms and styles of design of modern reservoirs, it is enough to visit one of the European landscape design exhibitions, for example, the English exhibitions in Chelsea or in the Hamptons.

A good decoration for a summer house or garden is a pond. Many are trying to bring the landscape of their land closer to the natural. Water has magical properties and always attracts the eyes and thoughts of people to itself. Almost always the concept of rest is combined with the concept of rest by the water.

But in many suburban areas there are no streams or lakes. Very often they are not even nearby, and so you want a good outdoor recreation. But there is a way out.

Own pond in the country - it's real

A small, do-it-yourself pond will become a favorite vacation spot. This man-made miracle can make your dreams of your own decorative pond in the garden or country house come true, and even become a platform for aquatic floriculture.

With the help of a film hydroprotective coating, it is possible to make a reservoir of any shape and a different area: from the smallest to reservoirs of a fairly large area. It all depends on the size of the site and the design of the landscape.

Using various decorative materials and decorations, you can give the pond the appearance of a natural mountain reservoir or, conversely, a well-maintained pool. With the help of a pump, you can make a waterfall or a fountain, create an imitation of a mountain stream. You can run fish into the pond, plant water plants. In combination with decorative elements, all this looks spectacular and creates a favorable atmosphere.

You can make a small mini pond in the country with your own hands in almost any area, with any soil, and this does not require any equipment or complex devices.

For this you will need the following materials:

• special film for creating reservoirs;
• geotextile;
• sand;
• decorative stones;
• hose for supplying water to the pool;
• scissors;
• shovel;
• level.

As a waterproofing film for ponds, PVC film or butyl rubber is used.

It is better to purchase a special film in the appropriate store. For small pools, you can safely use PVC film. But if you are seriously interested in landscape design and want to make an original pond using decorative forms and plants, then it is better to use butyl rubber. This material is very flexible, elastic, durable (service life is more than 30 years). In addition, if any changes have suddenly occurred and you decide to change the shape of the pond, you can reuse this film.

The device of the pond in the photo

You need to start by deciding on the location and shape of the pond. You also need to decide what this reservoir will be used for. If fish will be bred in it in the future, then the depth of the deepest part of the pond should be at least 1.5-2.0, and for the northern regions and more, meters. This is necessary so that the reservoir does not freeze in winter and the fish would have a place to spend the winter. The deepest place itself should not be very large, and even in small reservoirs fish can be found.

The minimum depth of the reservoir is usually made at least 50-80 cm. At a shallower depth, the water will overheat in summer and this will lead to the development of unfavorable flora in the reservoir. And in winter, accordingly, such a pond will freeze and the plants and microorganisms that inhabited it will not survive in it.

The bottom of the pond is most often made with ledges. The relief of the bottom of the reservoir has several zones:

• coastal;
• shallow water;
• deep zone.

The coastal zone is usually a small strip along the coast. Its depth is about 15-20 cm. The shallow zone can be decorated with small stones or tiles. Shallow water is considered to be a depth of up to 50 cm. Plants are bred here. This is a place for decorative compositions, which can be made from groups of large stones using decorative ornaments.

The deep zone in ordinary ornamental ponds is most often 80-120 cm. Here, too, you can plant plants that grow at a depth. Most often, water lilies (nymphs) are planted there.

There are many varieties that tolerate winter well and are adapted for cold winters. They bloom for almost six months, starting from the end of April and right up to mid-October. It turns out a very beautiful flowering pond.

If the pond is made only for plant breeding, then it does not have to be deep. A depth of 60-90 cm is quite enough. It is at this depth that it is recommended to plant nymphs in the regions of the middle and northern strip. It is better to make the mirror of the reservoir itself as large as possible, so that they have room to grow, because. one plant can occupy a fairly large area on the surface of the water.

For good flowering, nymphs (they are also lilies and water lilies) need a lot of light. This must be taken into account when choosing a place for a pond. There are more shade-loving lilies, but they also need lighting for 4-5 hours a day. There are a large number of varieties of nymphs and a variety of colors: from white and white-pink to red and dark purple.

Pontederia and nymphs in the pond

For framing the pond and the shallow water zone, it is also better to choose plants that grow well in this climatic region. The pond then looks natural and does not require much maintenance. It is best to use traditional plants: sedge, reed, reed, cattail. Of the flowering ones, you can plant an arrowhead, pontederia, loosestrife (plakun-grass), lungwort.

Loosestrife

The loosestrife-willowleaf has not only decorative qualities, it is also a medicinal plant. Marsh iris looks very nice. But in the coastal zone of the reservoir, both on the shore and in shallow water, decorative irises also grow well, because. they are very fond of water and blend perfectly with herbaceous coastal plants.

Step-by-step instruction

How to make a decorative pond in the country or in the garden with your own hands? Consider step by step instructions with photos.

Step 1. Marking and layout of the site. The contour of the pond is drawn on the selected area. The projections of all depth contours are also applied.

Marking can be done by laying a rope or hose on the surface. You can draw contour lines with sand.

Before you start digging a pit, you need to make a vertical layout of the site on which the pond will be located. In order to prevent water from flowing out of one of the low edges of the reservoir, it is necessary to check the horizontal level along the entire planned edge of the reservoir. The plane of the entire edge must be horizontal, at the same level.

This can be checked with a long stick and a level. Or, having hammered pegs on opposite edges of the pool, pull a rope over them and then attach a level to it. If in some places the surface of the earth is below the required mark, then it is necessary to add soil there.

Step 2. Pit. After leveling the site, we proceed to tearing off the pit. It should be done 5-10 cm deeper than the design depth of the pond.

The bottom is thoroughly cleaned from the remnants of vegetation, roots and stones. It is important to do this carefully, because. stones and other objects can subsequently damage the waterproofing film. Sand is poured at the bottom with a layer of 5 cm and tamped into the ground.

Around the contour of the pond, at a small distance from it - about 20 cm, a small trench is being dug. The approximate width and depth of the trench are 15-20 cm. The edge of the film will be fixed in it.

Step 3. Determining the dimensions of the waterproofing film. To determine the overall dimensions of the film, it is necessary to measure the length and width of the bottom of the pit at the widest points. This is conveniently done with the help of cords that are laid out along the bottom. To the resulting length, you need to add 50 cm on each side, which are needed to equip the coastline.

Step 4. We cover the bottom with geotextiles and a waterproofing film. First, the bottom is lined with a layer of geotextile. This protects the waterproofing film from possible damage.

The film itself is applied on top, carefully filling all the curves of the relief. If the project provides for the future supply of water through a hose that is laid on the bottom, then it can be hidden in the folds of the film.

We press the film well to the ground and temporarily fix it with stones so that it does not move. The film should also be brought into the groove that was dug around the pool. The film is pressed with something heavy for temporary fixation. But they don’t fall asleep yet, because. while filling the pool with water, the film may still move.

Step 5. Arrangement of the deep zone. If the project provides for planting plants in the deep zone, then now is the time to install them there.

Plants are planted in special containers. The container is filled with substrate. Containers are installed in the right place on the bottom of the pool. Stones are also laid out at the bottom, if they are provided for by the project. Large stones look beautiful at the bottom.

Step 6. Filling the pond with water. After laying the film, you can fill the deep zone of the pond with water. Water must be poured with a small pressure so that the pool is filled gradually. Thus, water, squeezing air out from under the film, will smoothly occupy the required space and form the bottom. The film may then move slightly until it reaches the correct position under the pressure of the water.

If you pour water quickly, then there may be unnecessary tension in the film or air voids under it, which in the future may lead to tearing of the film.

Step 7. Planting plants in shallow water and coastal zone. In the shallow and coastal zone of the pond, containers with appropriate plants are installed. Crushed stone is poured around the containers. They also lay out larger stones that can protrude from the water, creating islands. In the coastal zone, the bottom is usually covered with small pebbles. After installing the flowerpots, the reservoir is filled with water to the brim.

Step6. Fixing the edges of the film. Building an earthen castle. After the pond is completely filled with water and the film has completely fallen into place, you can proceed to the device of an earthen lock, which will finally fix the film in the desired position. And it will also serve as a barrier between the aquatic environment and the soil, so that these media do not mix, and the reservoir has a clear line.

The edges of the film lead into this trench, which was dug around the pond. Crushed stone is poured on top of the film. It will serve as a fixing weight to hold the film. Next, the trench is covered with earth and a small earthen roller is made along the contour of the pond.

Unnecessary edges of the film are cut off.

Step 7. Arrangement of the coastline. The next stage is the arrangement of the framing of the pond. Depending on the design, stone or tile paving can be made on the shore.

If the pond was created in the form of an imitation of a natural reservoir, then it is enough to lay out several large stones. Paths are made along the line of the pond; a bridge can be made across the pond itself. Here you can give free rein to your imagination and create a pond completely with your own hands as your heart desires.

How to make a pond with your own hands video

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Surely every summer resident at least once thought how great it would be to have a pond on your own plot, because it's so nice to turn gray by the water at sunset and enjoy the pleasant evening coolness. It is quite possible to realize this dream on your own, you just need to familiarize yourself with the features of the technology for arranging an artificial reservoir, and you can get to work. Next, we will take a closer look at how to make a pond in the country.

Where to begin

So, you finally decided to decorate the site with an artificial reservoir. But how to make the pond in the summer cottage harmoniously complement the surrounding landscape, while being durable and not a problem area that requires constant care? To do this, you need to approach the construction in stages, carefully considering each step, down to the smallest detail.

It is necessary to start the arrangement of the pond in the country with the preparatory stages, which we will discuss below.

Style selection

First of all, it is necessary to decide how to arrange a pond in the country so that it does not stand out from the overall picture of the landscape. When choosing a style solution, you should focus on the architectural design of the country house and the existing layout of the garden.

It is desirable to carry out the coastline and the blind area of ​​the paths in the same vein as the design of the entire garden plot. In this case, the bowl of the reservoir can be supplemented with a waterfall or a decorative stream.

If the reservoir is located in the depths of the garden, near the gazebo or, then a landscape pond with natural outlines is an excellent solution. For example, it can be made in the style of "nature garden", which involves planting only local plants that are typical for the region. In this case, any exotic will be inappropriate.

Another interesting solution is to design a country pond in a lush Chinese style. In this case, do not forget to make a curved bridge and focus on a tree with variegated foliage.

A more restrained Japanese style is also popular, its characteristic elements are boulders of various kinds. Unlike the Chinese style, the Japanese style lacks multi-colored herbs.

If a mini pond in the country will be located next to the house, then it is better to give preference to geometric shapes. A formal pond of rectangular or square shape will accentuate the horizontal and vertical lines of the building. In addition, such a pond will look good next to the patio, especially if there are rectilinear flower beds nearby.

I must say that formal ponds also include round ponds, which can be an excellent decoration for an open lawn or lawn. In addition, such a pond can be located near a picturesque group of trees.

It should be noted that it is easiest to make a round pond with your own hands, since you can use concrete rings or plastic containers for this.

Recently, a popular technique in landscape design is the laying of decking paths, which are thrown across the pond in the form of a bridge of a broken geometric shape. In addition, the path through the reservoir can be made of concrete square slabs, which, as it were, hover above the water surface.

Also, cascades of different sizes always look interesting, where water flows from one bowl to another through small waterfalls.

Choice of location and dimensions

The location of the pond will determine how long it will function without seasonal flowering. The thing is that green algae are activated under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, part of the day the pond should be shaded, so that the algae will not multiply so actively.

However, it is also not necessary to completely shade the artificial pond in the country, as this will negatively affect the development of ornamental plants. Therefore, it is necessary to observe the golden mean.

Note!
The reservoir should be illuminated for about five hours a day, while it is necessary to leave it open from the southwest.
In addition, it should be borne in mind that it is undesirable to have a pond under shady trees, since falling leaves are a source of pollution.

Another important point that needs to be decided is the size of the reservoir. Ideally, it should occupy 3 percent of the area of ​​​​the site. At the same time, the smaller the size of the pond, the easier it is to build, and the fewer materials are required. Accordingly, the price of the project will depend on the size.

Therefore, before deciding on the width and length of the reservoir, it is necessary to take into account the following points:

As for the depth of the pond, it should be divided into three steps:

materials

Before you start building a pond in the country, you also need to decide on the materials that will be needed for this. The most expensive, but at the same time, the most capital option is to fill the base with concrete. In this case, you will need to perform formwork and reinforcement.

A less expensive option would be to use a ready-made plastic container that is dug into the ground. However, the size and shape of the reservoir in this case will be limited by the choice of capacity.

The most convenient and at the same time, the most budget option for building a reservoir is the use of a special moisture-resistant film that is laid on the bottom and wall of the pond. I must say that this option has recently been the most common, so we will take it as a basis.

Pond construction

Before digging a pond in the country, it is advisable to sketch a plan on paper on a scale, indicating all the dimensions and depth of the pit. This will avoid mistakes and alterations in the arrangement of the reservoir. At this stage, you can also think about the accent for the composition of the future lake, it can be a large stone, tree or sculpture.

Further instructions for building a pond are as follows:

• First of all, it is necessary to outline the boundaries of the future reservoir and align the banks so that they are on the same level.
• Then you can start excavation. First you need to dig a pit to the depth of the first tier and mark the line from which the pond will deepen to the second tier. Next, you need to dig a second tier and also apply markings, from which the deepest hole is dug.

• When the pit is ready, use a cord to measure its dimensions, taking into account the depth and allowance of about 50 cm. This size will be needed when purchasing a film, which should be enough to completely cover the pit.
• Next, the bottom is covered with geotextiles., which can protect the waterproof film from damage. As an alternative to this material, you can use linoleum, roofing material or even sand.
• A waterproof film is laid on top of the geotextile.

In the photo - laying oilcloth

• To equip the edges of the reservoir, an auxiliary trench should be dug around the perimeter, which will allow you to tuck and fix the film. Having laid the edges of the film in the trench, it must be fixed by filling the trench with rubble.
• After that, it is necessary to strengthen the edge of the pond with stone blocks.. This will prevent the shedding of soil from the coastal zone into the basin of the reservoir. For example, you can lay out the edge with natural stone and then decorate it with a single block or a group of boulders.

• Then the bottom of the pond must be laid out with stones and rubble. Prepared plants should be placed in plastic containers and arranged on curtains. You can also fill the bottom with soil and plant river plants on the bottom.
• After that, water can be poured into the reservoir. In order to select pumping equipment and the required amount of hydrochemistry for caring for the pond in the future, you should take the meter readings before and after filling the bowl.

• So that the water does not stagnate, it is advisable to equip the reservoir with a stream that will ensure its circulation.. The source of the stream should be located above the level of the pond. Water is supplied to it from the reservoir using a submersible pump.
  Natural stones can be used to decorate the mouth of the river.

• Then a submersible pump is installed at the bottom, a pipeline is pulled to the source of the stream. In this case, a water filter should be used.

Advice!
In the process of earthworks, a problem will arise - where to put the earth taken out of the pit?
The most optimal solution to this problem is to evenly distribute the soil throughout the site, and thus raise its level.

Your homemade pond in the country is ready. Now you just need to carefully look after him - use the means to revitalize the water, as well as periodically clean it from pollution. For the winter, container plants should be removed in the basement.

If the reservoir will be located near the gazebo, it should be illuminated, which will allow you to admire the landscape in the dark.

Advice!
In the absence of electricity in the country, you can install a diesel generator.
Of course, this equipment is quite expensive, however, renting a diesel generator for a summer residence will solve this problem.

The main mistakes in the arrangement of artificial reservoirs

When building something yourself, it is quite difficult to avoid mistakes.

• Making the shore with stones of the same diameter, as a result of which the pond looks boring. It is desirable to combine large stones with small ones, however, do not fill up the entire coastal zone with them.

• The execution of the reservoir is very deep, with sheer walls. This design looks unnatural and resembles a stone bag. Therefore, you should not make the reservoir very deep, especially if you do not plan to breed fish in it.
• Craving for container gardening, which interferes with the normal development of plants. Container planting is good because it allows you to quickly change the design of the pond if desired, as plants can be quickly regrouped, however planting algae will make the pond more alive. Algae is especially necessary if you plan to breed fish.

Advice!
If you bought a plot for giving without buildings, then first of all you should build a house.
This process is quite lengthy, however, if you want to equip the cottage as quickly as possible, country houses from block containers will help with this.
They take much less time to install than to build a conventional house.

Conclusion

To build a pond at their summer cottage is within the power of every home craftsman. The most important thing is to approach this matter competently, so that the reservoir really becomes a decoration of the site and at the same time does not take too much of your time to constantly care for it. Therefore, when performing work, you should adhere to the above technology.

See the video in this article for more information on this topic.