How to Choose a Pond Site

CHOOSING
YOUR POND SITE

By
the Pond
Lady

Choosing
a location is the most important initial decision in
designing your garden pond. Locate the pond in an active
area of your yard so that you can enjoy it throughout
the year. It is important to situate the pond around
your best view of your garden. For instance, if you
have a deck overlooking your yard, set the pond in an
area where you can see it from the deck’s best vantage
point. Consider the winter months and situate the pond
so that you can view it from inside the home. An attractive
pond draws people to it like beesround a honey pot.
Visitors arriving at the house will make a detour to
have a look at the pond. If you do not have a path,
the grass would soon be worn away by tramping feet.
If you put your pond out in front of your house you
will have passerby who will surely stop and take a look.
You will meet a lot of people this way but this could
also interfer with your peace and supper hour. Keep
in mind the safety of people and pets. Ask yourself
if children, elderly and handicapped people can freely
and safely visit your pond. Make your pond easy to get
to so that ALL can enjoy it.

It
will be helpful to design your pond with a length of
garden hose or rope, using it to alter the shape and
size until you are satisfied. Bigger is better. Almost
everyone I have talked to wants to make their pond bigger.
Myself included.

Here
are some other factors to consider when choosing the
location of your pond————-

SUNLIGHT
& TREES

Aquatic
plants such as water lilies and lotus require a minimum
of six hours of full sun, if they are to achieve their
full beauty. If you think your pond would look perfect
in that shady corner or under overhanging trees, then
there are a few plants that will do well. Some even
open their blossoms at night. (Will cover plants in
future article)

Ponds
that have overhanging trees will keep you busy with
removing the leaves from your pond. Some kinds of trees
like the black walnut can poison your pond and fish.
Fruits trees are also a hazard for a pond. Overripe
fruit, figs or nuts can fall into the water and begin
to rot and pollute the water. It will only take a few
days for your fish to die. The falling leaves could
clog pumps and filters. You can cover your pond with
some sort of a net. Tree roots growing under the pond
can also cause damage. Silver Maples have roots that
grow to the top of the ground. Many of us have hit these
roots with our lawnmowers.

DRAINAGE

Whether
you select a hard or soft liner pond, be sure to choose
well-drained soil. Do not locate your pond in a hollow,
because boggy or wet soil can shift and distort the
shape of a liner pond. There also could be the risk
of water collecting in the hole and cause the liner
to float away from the base and sides, Sandy soil can
cave in the side of a pond. Runoff during a rainstorm
could fill a pond with mud and debris as well as pesticide
and fertilizer residues-even if you don’t use them,
they can come from the neighbors yard. If your only
choice is a low area, consider a camouflaged ditch if
there is standing water or install perimeter drainage
to direct the groundwater away from the site. You can
also construct the pond with raised edges to discourage
runoff into the pond.

ELECTRICITY
& WATER

Be
sure that easy access to both of these resources is
available. Make sure you measure the distance to your
tap or you could find your hose to short to reach your
pond.You could stand with your hose in your hand, hour
after hour, spraying water upwards into the air so it
would land in the pond. When you realize that it would
take you all night, it’s off to K-mart or your closest
hardware store to buy a longer hose. Yours truly has
learned the hard way. Pumps, filters, fountains, special
lighting and other accessories run on normal household
currents. You will have to dig a trench from your electric
source (house) to the pond in which a wire can be buried.

You might want to refer a local professional like the licensed electrician or if you are a do-it-yourselfer do it yourself.. Remember!
Water and electricity is a dangerous combination.

LOCAL
ORDINANCES

Check
with the zoning board in your area to see what requirements
you will need to fulfill. Some localities may require
a fence for a deep pond. Insurance companies also will
have rules to be followed to insure you and your pond.

Darlene
Jennings (pond Lady) President,
Mid-Michigan Pond & Water Garden Club
Advanced MSU Master Gardener

 

How to Choose a Pond Site
Designing a Pond
Edging for a Pond
Pumps
Spring Cleanup
Plants
Summer Cleanup
Waterfalls
Water Gardens
Winter

Email:Pond
Lady
For additional
articles from the Pond Lady, do a search for Pond Lady.

 


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