How to ennoble a homemade lake in the country. An artificial pond is a do-it-yourself device for a reservoir in the country. Several ways to decorate the pond

Many summer residents dream of building a beautiful pond on a garden plot. However, not everyone can boast of a large area of land, trying in vain to place a vegetable garden, fruit trees, as well as several flower beds with their favorite flowers on it. In addition, the construction of a pond is associated with significant costs that not everyone can afford.

A small charming pond is not difficult to build yourself

Several options for a small pond

Our photos show various options for artificial reservoirs in summer cottages. Among them you can find budget ones and you can stop at one of the simplest ones to perform. In addition, the choice of option should be determined by the composition of the soil, as well as the availability of free space in the garden or yard. It is easy to build a mini pond with your own hands if you have the appropriate building materials at hand. Available materials can serve as the main argument in finding a solution.

Film pond - a universal solution

To prevent water from leaving a homemade pond, it must be sealed. A good way is to use a film. If you want to save money, you can use the remnants of the plastic film that was purchased for greenhouses, but such a reservoir will last only a few years.

If it is possible to purchase a butyl rubber-based film, which is designed specifically for the construction of reservoirs, the life of the pond will increase significantly. A compromise option is a dense PVC film.

It happens that the remains of the film are scattered pieces - in this case, they can be glued together to obtain a coating of the desired size. To do this, it is advisable to use a special glue, with which you can also seal cuts and other defects in the material.

A film pond allows you to build a pond of any shape and size

In addition to the main material, you will need sand, geotextile and stones. To equip a reservoir with your own hands, you should act according to the plan:

Mark out a place for a pond. You should not arrange it right in the garden next to fruit trees. It is advisable to choose a flat surface so that the bank levels are the same height - otherwise the water from the pond will pour out from one side.
Dig a pit, making sure that its walls are flat, which will allow the banks not to crumble during operation. The angle of inclination of the walls of the pit should be up to 45˚. If there is a desire, the banks can be made into ledges.
Next, you need to carefully tamp the bottom of the pit, and then fill it with sand to a height of 5 - 10 cm. Lay a piece of geofabric on the sand, some craftsmen replace it with old blankets.
Now the reservoir can be lined with a film. This should be done slowly, trying to immediately straighten the emerging folds. Put the edges of the cover on the banks.
It is necessary to pour water into the reservoir in parts, this will not allow the coating to break. Between each stage, it is recommended to take a two-hour break.
Once again, we check the level of the banks and, if necessary, level it by adding earth. We fix the waterproofing along the entire coast with the help of stones.

Important: it is best to work with the film in the summer, on a hot day. This will facilitate all manipulations with the material, since it will be softer.

A small reservoir from a plastic bowl under protection

Plastic bowl - quick and easy

If there is no desire to work with film, the work on arranging a small pond can be accelerated. To do this, you should choose a finished PVC bowl. Similar containers are sold in hardware stores and may vary in shape and size. In addition, plastic liners differ markedly in price and quality. Poor-quality plastic quickly collapses under the influence of frost and ultraviolet radiation of the sun. The choice is yours. The following is an instruction for installing a pond with your own hands:

First you need to mark the place under the pit. To do this, drive in pegs around the perimeter (corners) and tie them with a rope. The markings should be made larger than the size of the bowl, 20 cm from all sides. Dig a pit with a depth equal to the height of the bowl plus 20 cm.
Now it is necessary to fill the bottom of the pit with sand, achieving its even surface - this can be checked using a level. Moisten and compact the sand. Next, put the bowl into the pit, trying to make its edges level with the surface of the earth.
When the bowl is installed, it is necessary to fill in the sand between its side parts and the walls of the pit (in the same stock of 20 cm). Sand should be filled in and lightly tamped as the bowl is filled with water. This will avoid deformation of the tank walls.
It is not necessary to pour water into the bowl immediately, but in small portions. A sharp load on the plastic can lead to distortion and damage.

A small pond is easiest to make from a plastic bowl.

Concrete pit - a reliable option

The method of building an artificial reservoir of concrete is suitable for those who know how to work with concrete. Such a pond has an undoubted advantage over its counterparts - it is reliable and durable. However, it will not work to move it to another place, in connection with this, before starting work, it is worth considering its configuration well and choosing the most suitable place on the site. Consider in detail how to build a concrete pond with your own hands:

The pit under the reservoir should be made with ledges. Let its walls be gentle, here it is also important to adhere to an angle of up to 45˚. The hole must be well compacted.
Next, you need to fill in the sand, but its layer should be small - 3 cm is enough. On top of the sand, you need to lay out a film of polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride, which should not be pulled too tightly.
It is necessary to lay concrete, starting from the walls, and only then go to the bottom. It is important to complete this work within one day to avoid cracking of the concrete at its joints.
Next, you need to wait until the composition hardens slightly, and then press a metal mesh into it to reinforce the concrete. This must be done so that the edges of the grid protrude above the surface of the reservoir.
After the concrete has completely dried, it is necessary to pour its next layer. Before starting work on the second layer, the lower concrete must be sprinkled with water. Experts recommend at this moment to check the bottom surface for its horizontalness.

As soon as the top layer of concrete is completely dry, you can pour water into the pool. Then proceed to its design - plant plants on the banks, launch fish or equip the backlight.

Miniature pond plus improvised materials

Budget options for creating reservoirs in the country involve the use of all kinds of improvised materials, instead of buying a bowl or film. Some craftsmen build a pond from an old cast-iron or children's bath, while others were able to adapt a car tire or an old basin. The pond will turn out to be quite small, but it is not difficult to take care of a mini pond. Water is easier to change than in a large tank, and with the help of tubed plants and decorative stones, it is easy to turn it into a flowering oasis.

Preparing a pit for a pond from a bath

After many years of use, the bath loses its original appearance. If there are no through holes in the bowl, it is quite possible to use it in the country under a home-made pond. To build a small pond without high costs, you must:

First you need to mark out a place under the reservoir, and then add 10 centimeters on each side. Dig a pit, the depth of which will be 20 cm greater than the height of the bath.
Now you need to mark at the bottom of the pit the place where the bowl drain will be located. There it is necessary to dig a hole with a diameter of 30 cm, a depth of half a meter. This will be the drain. Insert a sheet of metal rolled into a roll into a cylindrical hole and fill it with crushed stone. The edge of the metal should protrude 15-25 cm above the pit.
After preparing the drainage, you need to make a “pillow” for the bath, which will allow it not to sink over time. To do this, a layer of rubble is poured at the bottom of the pit, and sand is placed on top. This pillow should have a height of about 20cm. All this must be carefully tamped, after which the sheet of metal should be removed.

With the correct installation of the bathtub, the pond will last for many years.

Pit for a two-level pond

If you decide to build a pond from an old bath, it can be made quite unusual. We propose to create a two-level reservoir with your own hands, for the device of which you will need to make a little more effort. Work plan, step by step:

Before digging a pit for a bath, you need to mark the site, adding half a meter on each side. The external outlines should be slightly modified - make this line wavy, giving it a contour that resembles the natural outlines of a lake.
Now you can start digging a pit. To do this, you need to dig a hole, 30-40 cm deep, focusing on the outer contours. Next, at the bottom of the dug pit, it is necessary to mark the contour for the bath and deepen the pit under the bowl as described above. That is, the total depth of the pit will be greater than in the first version by the same 30-40 cm.
When the bath is installed, the outer contour of the reservoir should be limited to fiberglass slate. A corrugated hose must be put on the edge of the slate.
Further, the place that has formed between the bathroom and the slate must be covered with sand and rammed, or poured with concrete.
The bowl must be covered with a film, forming a single pool for water. The film should be fixed with stones.

It is more difficult to make a two-level pond, but no one will guess that a bathtub is used in the pond

Installing a bath

After preparing the place for the bath, bricks should be laid at the bottom of the pit - several pieces in each corner, on which the bath is installed. Such a precaution will not allow a bulky container to sag. Next, you should check how evenly the bath is installed, and check that its edge is flush with the ground. There is an empty space between the walls of the bath and the pit. It must be covered with sand, which must be moistened and carefully compacted.

Mini reservoir from a tire

If it is possible to use an old tire, you can easily and quickly build a miniature tire pond with your own hands. A tire from a KAMAZ wheel or a tractor will make it possible to make the reservoir much larger.

First you need to dig a pit of such a size that the tire fits freely into it. Before installing it in the pit, it is necessary to cut off the upper part of the rubber with a knife. You should get a bowl with a hole at the bottom. Next, you need to take the film, cover the bottom and sides of the tire with it, releasing the edges up. They need to be tucked over the edges of the tank. It remains to pour water into the finished tire pool and decorate its edges with plants and stones. Similarly, you can build a pond from a plastic basin.

A tire pond does not take up much space and will be a great garden decoration

Several ways to decorate the pond

Today there are many ways to decorate a mini pond. Among them are the installation of plaster figures on its banks, the laying of decorative stones and tiles. Any body of water will be decorated with green spaces that can be placed around it right in the flowerpots. In other cases, soil is poured on the banks of the lake, interspersed with stones. Moisture-loving perennials are planted in the ground, which eventually form beautiful thickets on the shore.

A small waterfall and beautiful lilies will decorate and enliven the pond

If you want to plant aquatic plants, you need to strive to ensure that they do not grow too much. Otherwise, the surface of the pond will be completely covered with greenery. In this capacity, experts recommend using water hyacinth.

Also, the pond can be decorated with a bridge, lanterns can be installed around it. Another way to revive the water of an artificial pond is a fountain or waterfall. All this can be built later, the main thing is to take into account the possibility of modernizing the pond even at the stage of choosing a place for a pond.

When arranging an artificial reservoir in a summer cottage, there is no need to hold back your imagination - a lot is possible here: both small rapids and fountains, and large stones decorated with various green spaces.

How to arrange a pond in the yard depends on how your site looks like in general and in general, how you imagine it. However, do not be afraid to let your imagination run wild, because even a simple mess can look like a design idea.

The design of an artificial reservoir can be divided into two types:

Embossed, or one that looks like natural
Designer, or one that uses color combinations atypical for nature, but looks like a specially designed design idea.

There are also swimming ponds in the country - this is a pond that is like a natural reservoir, however, in addition, it provides for swimming.

How to make a pool in the country with your own hands (video)

Making a pond in the country with your own hands in a landscape style

If the general picture of the site allows the creation of your own pond, close to natural, then in this case the shape of the reservoir can be any, usually it is a curved coastline, which is then decorated with stones.

It will be better if the stones are either granite, or from river pebbles, or from decorative onyx.

Beige sand, patterned tiles and the like will look beautiful enough. The size of the stone should be determined depending on the size of the pond itself: if the pond is small, then the stones should be either small or medium in size; if the reservoir is large, then large stones, respectively, but in harmony with the small ones. Thus, the overall appearance of the design will be natural, unlike if the stones were the same.

The decoration may be based on the Japanese garden style. In the gardens of ancient Japan, the pond was built in a simple style, but with a carefully considered combination of stones. Bright plants should not be here. Due to the fact that Japan has a small territory, it has developed a culture of minimalism, as we see in the arrangement of water bodies.

Tradition requires the presence of all the elements that include water. Usually this is a small vessel, near which a stream of bamboo tubes flows. On the sides of such a stream, trees of dwarf size are planted.

Often such a pond was built in the shape of a rectangle, which also emphasized the strict style of Japan.

You can get a special effect if, when arranging a reservoir, you put stones on its bottom. In this case, the depth of the artificial pond should be small so that the stones can be seen through a small water column.

Graceful bridge over the pond

Also, in a pond, instead of a stone, the bottom can be laid out of a beautiful patterned tile. A beautifully designed monolithic bridge over the pond will also fit very well into the overall picture.

Arrangement of the pond with green spaces

The combination of beautiful stones needs to be complemented with well-chosen plants to make our landscape look like in the natural wilderness.

Before planting, it is necessary to sketch out an approximate layout of the plants. In this case, it is important to take into account factors such as the level of the landscape, the combination of pond elements, free space, etc.

It is very important not to overdo it with the number of plantings. Water lilies on the surface of the water and ferns on the shore fit very well into the overall picture.

There are a variety of plant cultures that differ in shape and size. It is important to carefully select them in order to avoid a large accumulation of objects and, if possible, to clear overgrown growth.

When the pond is more than 0.5 m deep, the algae should be placed in baskets, and only then placed in the pond itself. Such vegetation grows well where there is shade and cleans the water quite effectively if planted at the right depth.

If your pond is small, you need to approach the design even more seriously so that the overall landscape is not overloaded with various elements. The use of simple plants is recommended. Here you can plant junipers or bushes that have shoots hanging from them, grasses or wild vegetation that can be found near the water.

When arranging a home pond with vegetation in a small pond, it is recommended to have frogs or snails there that will create the desired fauna

The frog usually eats midges that live in ponds, and the snail eats garbage at the bottom of the pond, which will be quite useful for you.

Making an artificial reservoir with your own hands

If your reservoir is large enough, it is recommended to divide it into several main zones:

Plant area on the beach
Shallow plant area
deep plant zone

At a sufficient depth, you can settle fish that will fit well into the overall picture of the landscape reservoir. If the pond is shallow, then in order for the fish to overwinter, you can dig a recess of one and a half meters.

A home pond can also be decorated with an artificial stream that will flow down the steps. It is important to make the shore and the path to the pond from the same material so that it is made in the same style.

With your own hands, a pond can also be created from several levels, so that the water in it will pleasantly murmur

Also, not far from the reservoir, you can place a gazebo, from which the whole conceived picture will be visible.

When choosing a style solution for arranging a home pond, it is important to take into account ready-made architectural, plant and design ideas, but if you have your own vision of the landscape, you will not commit any crime.

Decoration of a decorative pond in a designer style

The forms of the design style of the reservoir differ from the natural one and its design is more strict. Often it incorporates one concept and is decorated in the same way as the entire summer cottage.

If you do not have enough imagination in the design of the pond, we recommend making a pond in a free landscape style.

The shape of a designer reservoir is usually made in the correct shape or in the form of some kind of pattern, but always with the maintenance of the geometry of the lines.

A pond with straight edges in the courtyard looks very stylish and minimalistic, and when rounded flower beds are planted around such a pond

All kinds of material can be used - from reinforced concrete rings to rubber tires. In turn, such materials need high-quality refinement.

Plants for arranging a reservoir can be used any, even the rarest - which blooms luxuriantly and brightly or deciduous with an unusual shape. Clay pots with plants planted in them also look beautiful.

Pond Styles

You can also do Japanese style reservoir. You can't use too many colors here. If you run a pond in chinese style, then lush vegetation is welcome, and dwarf trees should be emphasized.

In ancient England gardens resembled Chinese ones, because they had the same strict geometry, but were not decorated with lush plants.

For a garden designed in french style characterized by a distinct breakdown, even geometry in the flower beds, shrub fences that rise above the ground. The atmosphere in the garden is reminiscent of the days of medieval palaces.

The pond looks very ascetic Celtic style. Only stones are used here, and a combination of stones of different sizes is welcome.

Lanterns near the water in the country

Additionally, you can decorate the pond with small lanterns. It's like special decorations for your pond. Also, the illuminated fountain looks very impressive. How to build such fountains is described in other articles.

It seems to beginners that making a pond from a finished plastic mold is easier than a pond using flexible waterproofing. This is an illusion. At first, the molds seem huge in the store, but after they are installed in the ground, they look about half the size, and when filled with water, they look very tiny. Such containers are good for raised reservoirs of clear geometric shapes, for installation on slopes.

The most durable plastic forms for a pond are fiberglass structures, they are not inferior in strength to reinforced plastic containers, but the edges of the latter can be deformed if the structure is not provided with a reliable external support to the ground. These forms are imported and quite expensive. Containers made of ordinary plastic are cheaper, but they are not rigid enough, often have deformed edges, and their dimensions are small. Only black forms are suitable for reservoirs.

Often, plastic molds for a pond in a country house are deformed after filling with water, this is due to improper filling of the gap between the wall of the pit and the wall of the mold with soil.

It is correct to do this: pour 5-7 cm of sand on the horizontal base of the pit, compact it tightly and install a plastic mold, then pour 10-15 cm of water into it, then pour sand into the gap between the walls of the pool and the pit to a height of about 20 cm, pouring it with water from a hose, or pour a mash of earth, sand and water into the slot and wait until the liquid mass hardens. Then pour another 10-15 cm of water, and into the slot - sand with water or a talker, repeating this until the pool is completely filled with water, and the slot is filled with sand or soil. As a result of these actions, the form will stand rigidly in the ground, and its coastline will be in a horizontal plane.

Water from plastic molds for an artificial pond never drains for the winter, this is an unnecessary and even harmful operation, in the spring an empty bowl will be squeezed out and crumpled.

The best way to decorate a pond in a garden, made in plastic form, is to decorate it with a rockery or a flowering retaining wall. In modern gardens, a pond is most often arranged, in which aquatic plants grow, fish and frogs live. The shape of a natural pond should be as smooth as possible. The smaller the pond, the less there should be all kinds of bends, which is why reservoirs in rigid forms look so unnatural, the “shores” of which are excessively indented and resemble figured cookies rather than a natural structure. If such a reservoir turned out, the thoughtful planting of plants that camouflage the unnaturalness of the coast, in plastic form, can improve the situation. Do not forget that an excessive number of coastal plants, especially large ones, visually significantly reduces the size of the reservoir.

Another difficult task is the design of the banks of garden ponds: a lawn can come close here, in some places of the coastal zone you can plant coastal plants such as loosestrife, loosestrife, marsh and Siberian irises, daylilies, etc. The choice of coastal plants is inexhaustible, your taste, ennobled study of nature and the best examples - that is your judge.

In the process of how to decorate a pond in a garden, remember that there should not be a lot of vegetation around a geometric pond, one large plant of an architectural form is enough, for example, a curtain of marsh iris or a large hosta.

Look at the photo how to beautifully arrange a pond in a garden in a regular style: trimmed shrubs and plants in containers are quite logical around it, if there is no fountain, you can plant a nymphaeum.

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Content

“I'll buy you a house…” - a line from the song literally slipped out of my mouth when a noisy group of my friends drove up to a country cottage.

"By the pond, in the suburbs ..." - three of the most cheerful of us sang in unison. The silence of the calm village street was blown up by friendly laughter.

“You shouldn’t laugh,” the owner of the estate was slightly offended. Unload, now you yourself will see both the house and the pond.

And indeed, behind the high forged gates with aristocratic monograms, a luxurious dacha was hidden. A straight path lined with paving slabs led to the two-story house. But the whole company, pissed off by the gentle autumn sun, moved, without saying a word, to the right, along the thick green lawn to the area with the barbecue. There was no such dacha building as a gazebo.

In my opinion, these buildings with a circular shop and a fungus roof can already be safely classified as relics of the past. We settled in comfortable deck chairs around the fire, over which the men were already conjuring, and did a pleasant thing - we began to carefully examine the decorative pond. Along the way, many questions arose, to which the owner of the summer cottage kindly answered.

Pond - what and why

“In general, water is my element,” a friend began a fascinating story. - You know that I can sit fishing for days with a fishing rod, I have a huge aquarium at home, where dozens of fish species coexist perfectly. So I also wanted to build a pond in the country house. Indeed, the atmosphere here is simply magical. She dreams great, but the passage of time seems to freeze. In addition, it does not take up much space.

Even on a modest plot, you can equip a small pond by sacrificing two beds of potatoes in its favor. The country artificial pond will become your favorite vacation spot. After all, the water element relaxes, helps to forget about fatigue and everyday problems. To get rid of the baggage of negative thoughts accumulated during the day, just sit for a quarter of an hour near such a miniature pond. In addition, building a pond is not such a difficult task. For those who at least once in their lives held a shovel in their hands.

Important design decision (style)

“And how did you get started?” - I was distracted from my thoughts by the question of a friend addressed to the owner of the dacha. I got ready to listen.

Before you make a pond with your own hands, you need to choose an ideological concept. So that the artificial reservoir organically fits into the overall picture, so to speak. And indeed, - I thought in my mind, - after all, on a plot of six acres, a garden pond with a fountain and exotic vegetation along the coastal border will look at least ridiculous. “We considered a lot of options, because we wanted to make this corner of the hacienda unusual,” said a friend. Any shape for the pond can be chosen.

Clear square or rectangular artificial ponds look good next to austere mansions. Especially if lawns are designed in the yard according to a similar principle and straight alleys of tiles connect, like arteries, its main parts.

If you want to create the effect of maximum closeness to nature, then you should think about how to make an artificial pond of arbitrary shape. The advantage of this variety is that at first glance it is even difficult to distinguish such a reservoir from a real lake.

Fans of eastern currents can build a pond in the country in the original style. For example, in Japanese - with huge smooth stones along the edge and undersized coniferous plants. Or with a Chinese flavor: a small wooden bridge connects the two banks, a light breeze tangles in the round crown of a tree nearby, and colorful herbs complement the landscape.

“I took the path of least resistance,” the narrator smiled, “I chose the simplest pond device.” A round reservoir is easier to build, since you can use a basic blank of the desired diameter: a concrete ring, a wooden tub, or even a truck tire. The round pond in the garden looks perfect, especially next to young fruit trees or a picturesque alpine hill.

Choosing a place for a country pond

The construction of ponds begins with a thorough study of the area. My friend was lucky, he did not suffer from reflections for a long time, since there was only one place for a reservoir - to the right of the house, in front of the orchard. And for those who are interested in the rules of choice, I will tell you about some secrets. First, avoid a site in close proximity to trees, especially mature ones.

Roots can get in the way when you dig a ditch. Leaves falling into the water are certainly picturesque, but not very useful - cleaning ponds is a rather troublesome business. The pond should remain in the shade for some part of the day. This is necessary so that algae do not develop too actively in its abyss. Under the sun, aquatic vegetation will feel great, but you will have to regularly clean the pond during the seasonal "blooms".

However, the shadow will have a bad effect on the state of the decorative "inhabitants" of the coastline. So here you need to choose the best option - as they say, the golden mean.As for the functional side of the design of the pond in the country, be guided by your own design flair. Place it where it is convenient for you: next to the house as an alternative to the pool, near the gazebo for friendly gatherings, in a quiet corner of the hacienda, if you like to be alone with yourself and just dream while enjoying the beautiful view.

Materials: three basic options

As in any construction, in the construction of a pond on the site, the choice of materials depends on the budget. And, of course, from the desired result.

Have you decided on a major construction project? Look for a concrete base, build formwork, use rebar. Expensive, troublesome, but reliable and, as the owner of the dacha said, "for centuries." The second option is to build a plastic pond from a finished one-piece container.

And the most popular type of building material is a special film that is resistant to moisture. Making a pond using this technology can be called the most acceptable, the most affordable from a financial point of view and the most convenient in terms of implementing a design idea.

Pond construction process

“At first I was scared by the amount of work,” we continue to listen to our friend. The men left the brazier and, having surrounded it with a dense ring, came to learn all the technological secrets of the homegrown builder of country ponds.

1. Making a plan.

We draw a sketch of the future reservoir. Here it is immediately worth considering the main emphasis - which element of the decor will be the key one (a tree on the shore, stones along the edge, bright perennials, or maybe a mini-fountain).

2. Sketch on the ground.

We transfer the drawing from paper to the site - we blur the earth with the pressure of water from a hose or draw contours with sand.

3. Earthworks.

The construction of a pond in the country can be started with an excavator if the volume of the future reservoir is impressive. For a small decorative pond, a depth of 80 cm will be enough, and if you plan to breed fish, then you should go deeper into the bowels of the site by at least a meter.

When the pit is completely dug, it is covered with a layer of sand and carefully compacted.

4. We line the bowl.

On top of the sand it is necessary to lay out geotextiles. As an analogue, you can use old carpets or blankets, linoleum or roofing felt.

Along the perimeter of the reservoir, it is necessary to dig a trench in order to fill the edges of the film there.

5. Filling the bowl.

Fill the bowl with water. The film will then stretch. When the pond is completely filled, fill the film into the trench. Then fix this seam with soil and subsequently decorate (rubble, natural stone, boards, etc.).

To prevent water from stagnating, you can include a stream in the device of an artificial pond or use a special submersible pump. “But this is already aerobatics,” was the summary of the story. “I will make my next pond even more perfect.”

It became clear to everyone that our hospitable comrade was not going to stop there. And rightly so, because in any business, and especially in design, there is always something to strive for.

"I'll get the pigeons ..." Well, here it is again! What is this song haunting me today? Probably, the atmosphere is conducive, because the aroma of barbecue has already begun to tickle our noses.

“And with you, and with love…” The “most musical” of our company deftly hit the guitar strings.

“We will plant lilacs under the window…” Everyone has already picked up the familiar motive.

“Thanks, guys, for the hint,” the owner of the hacienda interrupted the song. “Exactly, the dovecote should be built over there, where the garden path winds. And I will plant lilacs here, there will be a hedge.

Photo selection

Water has always attracted people. That is why many people are thinking about how to make a mini-pond in the country with their own hands, because then landscape design will have its own zest. Being near water is natural for a person. You can relax on the shore, run fish into the water, make a fountain or waterfall.

The tradition of decorating areas near the house with ponds came to us from the East. But let's not consider simple stone bowls in the yard. After all, we are interested in the integration of the pond into the design of the site. So East. There are 2 design options: Chinese and Japanese. In China, a mini-pond was a pond richly decorated with lush plants. It looked like a piece of wilderness. In Japan, ponds were decorated differently - in the style of minimalism. Having adopted this tradition, European designers began to make ponds in their own way. Often they were of the correct geometric shape. Which style to choose is a matter of taste for each owner.

There are no fundamental differences in the construction of reservoirs, so this material will be useful, no matter what style you choose for your structure. It can be a traditional Chinese or Japanese mini-pond or a high-tech creation. Creating a pond is fun and you can get all your family members involved in it. This is especially true for the design. Well, if you start the fish, then the children will be happy to feed them. The only thing not recommended to do in the pond is to swim. This is what the pool is for.

Pond construction

Just like in any other construction, you need to choose the right place. Do not build a reservoir where the water will be under the sun all day. Plants will wither from excess sunlight, and algae in the water will multiply intensively, and the pond will overgrow. At the same time, if you make a pond on the shady side of the site, this will adversely affect plant growth. The best option is when the sun's rays illuminate the pond for at least 5 hours a day. A mini-pond should not be located near trees. When making a pond in the garden with your own hands, keep in mind that in the fall all the fallen leaves will be in the water and rot. In addition, overgrown tree roots can damage the bowl, even if you make it out of concrete. Such a garden pond should be located at some distance from the trees. As a last resort, choose a place where old trees grow, cut them down, remove the stumps and use this place for a pond in the garden.

You should be able to admire your creation. What good will be in the reservoir if it is located in the depth of the site and it will not be visible? It is good to have a pond near the garden gazebo or terrace of the house. Or set up a comfortable bench on the shore so that you can sit and enjoy the beauty.

You need to choose the size of the reservoir. There are also recommendations here, according to which the pond occupies 3% of the site. This is the best option. However, not all people who want to decorate their site in this way follow it. Often they make mini-ponds from old bathtubs or even basins. They also construct a pond from a tire. Well, lovers of large reservoirs spend a lot of effort to dig the appropriate pit. Or they make two ponds and a small river channel connecting two reservoirs. This is a personal matter for everyone. In any case, no matter what kind of reservoir you are planning to make, look at the different options for how you can make a pond in the country with your own hands, the photo will help you with this.

After choosing a place, start digging a pit. Marking can be done with a regular rope. If the volume of work is large, it will be more rational to use the labor of hired workers or an excavator. Well, you can dig a small pond yourself. But before you take out the ground, you need to decide how you will make a reservoir. There are different options. You can install formwork and fill the walls and bottom of the pit with concrete with the addition of liquid glass for waterproofing. Or buy an annual plastic pond tank and dig a hole for it. And you can use the most budget option - PVC film, which will cover the bottom and walls of the pit.

The pit is dug in ledges (usually 2-3). Plants are then planted on them. It is not recommended to make the deepest part of the pit deeper than 1.5-1.8 m. The pond should not be made too shallow, as in this case the water will be very warm by the sun. Some owners drain it for the winter, while others do not. Usually water is left if fish are released into the pond. If the depth of the pit is normal, then they hibernate in the deepest place. Well, if the bowl is too shallow, then the water freezes in winter and the fish die.

So, a pit for a small pond was dug. What's next? It is necessary to seal the walls and bottom. Consider the option with PVC film as the most budgetary.

It is recommended to work with the film in the warm season, when it is most elastic. A thick layer of sand is poured on the bottom of the pit and on the terraces and compacted. A film is placed on it. Sand is needed in order not to accidentally damage the material with sharp stones or plant roots in the ground. The film will serve as an excellent waterproofing that does not allow water to go into the soil. On the surface of the earth, around the pit, the film is folded and pressed down with large stones. By decorating this garden pond, you will arrange the stones more beautifully, but for now, you need to finish with the bowl. When the film is laid, it is recommended to pour a layer of sand on it. If the plants on the terraces will be planted in the ground, then you need to fill in the ground, but it is much easier to plant plants in pots.

Another point that must be taken into account when building a mini-pond is that the water must be flowing. So you have to spend much less effort on cleaning the bowl and replacing the water. Making water circulate is easy enough. It is necessary to install a submersible pump in the pond. The water supplied through the hose will pass through the filter and drain back into the bowl. When making a pond in the country, you can choose any design for the drain. It can be a stream flowing down from a nearby alpine hill (this is where you can put the earth from a pit), or you can make a fountain, which is also easy to build. It is only necessary to beautifully arrange the pipe connected to the pump and towering above the surface of the water. Having built such a pond in the country with your own hands, take enough time to design it. You can use natural stones, paving slabs, decking and other materials. Your imagination is not limited by anything. You can also provide a multi-colored backlight, which will light up in the evening. Various design options for ponds in the country will help you choose.

When making a pond with your own hands, you must strictly observe safety measures if lighting is planned, since water and electricity are a dangerous combination. Use only factory sealed fixtures that are specifically designed for installation underwater. If you do everything right, then such a pond for giving with a fountain and lighting will become a real gem of your summer cottage.

DIY mini pond (video)

mini ponds

As already mentioned, in addition to a large bowl, you can also make a pond from a tire. It will be very small, but beautiful in its own way. It is much easier to make it than a large body of water. You need to pick up an old large tire from KamAZ or a tractor and dig it into the ground. The tire pond from the inside is also laid out with a PVC film. There is 1 small terrace for planting plants. Small tires are not recommended. After all, the reservoir will be tiny. But car tires can be used when you want to make a cascade of small ponds, in which water will flow from one to another. Such a structure also looks great, especially if it is well decorated. For this purpose, you can use basins or old bathtubs. Tires can also be used to build flower beds around a large pond. In this case, they can be painted with bright colors.

Conclusion

As you can see, making a pond with your own hands is quite simple. You only need to fulfill the following requirements:

choose the right place;
make good waterproofing;
provide for water circulation;
beautifully arrange the space around the pond.

And then, having created a pond with your own hands, you can rightfully be proud of it. Creating a beautiful artificial reservoir is creativity, where you can fully use all your imagination. Please note that it should harmonize well with the rest of the landscape design elements. Although construction options for a summer cottage were considered here, a pond can also be built in the courtyard of a private house in the city. Beautifully designed small ponds can decorate any courtyard.