How to Install a Garden Pond

A garden pond can give your outdoor space some serious style and serenity. Learn how to install a garden pond in this Lowe’s video:

The first thing you need to determine is location. There are several factors that you need to consider.

A pond should be installed on level, well-drained ground.
The closer you are to electric, the better. Plan the most direct line possible between the house and the pond for electrical wiring to the pump.
Make sure the site isn’t directly over any existing underground sewer lines or electric wires. Call 811 so you know what you’re dealing with before digging.
You want an outdoor faucet nearby so you can add water to the pond from a garden hose as needed.
The more direct sunlight the pond receives, the more choices of water plants you will have. If you plan to add fish to the pond, you’ll also want to balance the sun with some shade and lily pads.

In this video, the design is a two-tiered pond with a waterfall. The pond will be dug out first, and then the waterfall will be built up with dirt and decorative rocks. The pond water will circulate using a pump and filter system. Beautiful landscaping around the perimeter will complete this project.

The installation for this project starts with a rigid shell approximately 5 ft x 4 ft which will be used for the base (rigid pond shells come in various shapes and sizes). A flexible liner will be used for the waterfall, so the shape can be freely determined.

Mark out the location of the pond using marking paint along the edge of the liner. Remove the shell, then dig out the entire shape of the pond. Dig several inches wider than the actual shape of the pond, and dig down about three inches deeper than the liner. You’ll want to get rid of any rocks, roots, or anything big. Try to get the hole as level as possible.

You want the pond shell to be flush with the existing ground. Use a 2×4 and a level to check the level. Add three inches of sand to the hole; this will lift the shell to a couple of inches off the ground, preventing runoff from dirtying the pond water. Level the sand with the back side of a rake, then re-check the level. Insert the shell, re-check the level again, then add sand as backfill around the outside of the shell. Re-check the level as you work.

For the waterfall, create a base by building up about 15 inches of dirt, then add a thin layer of side, then add the flexible liner. From back to front, the base should be tilted down into the pond. The edge of the liner should drape down into the pond to prevent water from draining outside the pond. Cut away any excess liner with a utility knife.

The next step is to install the pump and filtration system. The pump will go down into the pool, and the filtration system will actually get partially buried outside the pond. Put the filter and the pump on the same side as the pond. Make sure the cord of the pump can run and meet the outlet. Don’t run the cord directly under the waterfall; put it underneath the liner. for the filter, you’ll need to access the top of it, but you want to hide it a bit. Dig a hole for about half of the filter and trench a little bit so the hose goes down into the ground. Use a flexible pond hose, put a hose clamp on the end of it and cinch it down to the outlet side of the pump. Run the hose over towards the filter. Determine the length you’ll need, then cut the hose using a utility knife. The line from the pump will go to the inlet which is the top and the bottom will be the outlet which will go to the waterfall.

Now that the utility work is done for this project, it’s time to add decorative landscaping. Use the rocks to fill everything in; this will make it look organic and hide some of the liners. Use pond foam to waterproof and seal things together; it almost replaces the use of mortar. No two rocks are alike, so expect a trial-and-error design process. The biggest thing to remember is that you want to make sure you’re controlling where the water is going and that you’re using your pond foam to seal in any areas and hold everything nice and secure.

For the waterfall, to work in the hose, break a large stone into two, hide the hose between the pieces, and then put a little lid on it, so you’ve basically built a shelf to hide the hose. Use thin flagstone for the waterfall and edges around the rigid shell, beach pebbles to fill in the nooks and crannies, and pea gravel for the base of the pond (hose off the pea gravel with water before putting it into the pond). Wipe out any dirt or rocks that fell into the rigid shell to help with water clarity. Use some flagstone to make a small shelf in the bottom of the pond; this will help to hide the pump and add more visual interest. Fill in with pea gravel.

Fill the pond using a garden hose. Complete the project with greenery and landscaping. Turn the pump on. Note that it may take several hours for water to clear after the initial fill, so be patient while the filter does its job. Add some water lilies; they provide protection for any fish you may want to add to the pond, and they help prevent algae.

You now have an amazing landscape feature that not only looks great but also adds some serious serenity to your yard.