Fish Ponds In Your Garden 5 Options

Choose a pond type to suit your garden. Picture © Janek Szymanowski

Your Choice For Outdoor Fish Ponds

Gardens come in all shapes, sizes and styles, so it is really important to make sure that if you are going to incorporate one or more outdoor fish ponds in your garden, that it will fit your own personal garden type and style.

Outdoor fish ponds should also match the function the garden as a whole fulfills. For example, if you use your yard for outdoor entertaining you can get a lot of pleasure from positioning the pond so that you can see and hear the sound of water and watch the fish as they swim around.

But if the garden is primarily used as a playground for children, you will need to locate any sort of pond in a position where it will not be a safety hazard. Alternatively fence the area off and create a place of peace and solitude.

Outdoor Fish Ponds to Suit Your Needs

It doesn’t matter how big or small your garden or backyard is, there are so many different possibilities when it comes to outdoor fish ponds that you shouldn’t have any trouble finding something that will suit your needs. But make sure that you know exactly what these are before you go shopping for fish pond supplies, especially the items that you need to construct and establish an outdoor fish pond.

Size – A Vital Factor

Size is, of course, a vital factor when it comes to deciding what type of pond or water feature to establish.

There are not many people who choose to fill an entire outdoor area or backyard with a lake-like pond. When people are pushed for space they are more likely to opt for fountains or self-contained pools, often using pots and freestanding off-the-shelf water features for effect.

A raised formal pool can be relatively small while a pond that is created for reflective qualities will be a lot more effective if the surface area is quite large. Usually koi ponds are bigger than those that are intended for goldfish, so that the koi can grow to their maximum size. They also need to be considerably deeper than the average fish pond.

Function – Hobby Or Keen

Where size isn’t a factor, you will often find that function (in terms of your personal requirements) will help you to make decisions.

For example, the requirements of a koi pond for keen keepers of koi and an ornamental goldfish pond in a courtyard will be very different.

Layout – The Garden Will Dictate

The layout of the garden and basic ground conditions will also play a role when it comes to the garden design.

For instance, if the plot slopes, then you may want to take advantage of the terrain and design a stream or rockery that links into the pond. If there are lots of big rocks these can often be incorporated beautifully into a pond.

Formal Versus Informal Types

In general terms, gardens are either formal or informal, and it is best to mirror this basic style when you design any sort of pond, pool or water feature.

If your flower beds have curved lines, so too should your pond. But if they feature square corners or are raised, then the pond should have a similar type of design, which will look a lot more formal.

Sun or Shade

Another very important factor to consider is whether your garden is sunny or whether it gets a lot of shade.

Plants in and around a pond will normally need a few hours of sunlight every day, but too much sun can heat the water, promote evaporation and ultimately kill the fish.

So, you need to weigh up the pros and cons quite carefully. Also, trees that shade a pond can cause their own problems, particular if they are deciduous and shed their leaves in winter – right into the pond!