Ask Missy Boo About A Small Garden Pond

Have you dreamed about building a small garden pond?  Imagine enjoying the serenity that comes with the sound of the refreshing water falling over the rocks.  It's easier than you think.  And it doesn't have to cost a lot.  We've included lots of money saving ideas. 

Here are a few things to consider when planning your small garden pond.

Location
Size
Materials
Water plants
Fish

Location - A little shade is a good thing for a pond as long as it isn't shade from trees that will be dropping their leaves in the pond in the fall.  It's important to keep your pond clean and free from debris. You also want to make sure you locate it where you will enjoy it and where the digging won't be a problem.  If you are going to put in a water pump to circulate the water, you'll need electricity nearby.      

Size - Remember you have to dig the hole.  How big a hole are you willing to dig?  If you are considering keeping fish in your pond, the requirements can be different.  Start out with a rope or piece of clothesline and lay it out on the ground about where you plan on digging your pond.  This will give you a better idea of the size.  Then you can start digging.

Materials - First, you'll need a liner or a preformed tub.  Our first pond we built, we used a grey plastic tarp.  It worked well for several years.  Since then, we purchased a piece of rubber pond liner which looks much better and by that time we had a better idea of what we were doing.  Rubber roofing material is almost the same as the pond liner, but the chemicals that are added to the roofing material can kill fish - so don't use it if you want fish in your pond.  (might not be good for plants either).  Preformed tubs are also available.  You just dig the hole, put the tub in and fill the dirt back in around it.  For information on pond liners, tubs, pumps and more, check out MacArthur Water Gardens

Garden Pond Kits - Garden pond kits are available from suppliers online and can make the job of building a garden pond much easier.  Click here for more information.

Water plants - Plants can add a lot of beauty to a small garden pond.  As you learn to enjoy your pond, the plants also become more important to you.  You can get some beautiful plants from suppliers online.  Plants add needed shade to the pond to help prevent unwanted algea growth.  A good ratio for a small garden pond is to cover at least 50% shade. 

We've also built a perennial flower bed around one pond which greatly enhances the pond.  We left a path around the edge of the pond so we can walk up to play with the fish.  So consider annuals and perennials as well as water plants.

Fish - I must admit, I wasn't thrilled when my husband wanted to add fish to our small garden pond.  "What for?" was my reaction.  We purchased two fish about two inches long - a koi and a goldfish for about $12 in a pet store.  Then we found out about feeder goldfish and bought five for ten cents each.  We now have 50 goldfish from 2" to 7" that will come swimming up to us and bump against our hands when we feed them.  We've named many and they have different personalities.  They are as entertaining and fun as our cat and dog are.

We live in the northeast where the temperatures get as low as 30 below zero in the winter.  Our pond is only 18" deep so we bring our fish into the basement for the winter.  We tried leaving a few of them out one winter but with disastrous results.  A couple did survive outside one year, but we had drained the pond that year and they must have burrowed into the mud.  We called them "miracle fish". 

For information on purchasing pond materials and supplies, check out MacArthur Water Gardens

For more information on a Backyard Fish Pond.

For information on How To Build A Koi Pond.

Return to Home Page from Small Garden Pond.