Build Your Own Backyard Pond with the Pondlady

If you have a pond or want a pond, this is your online resource!

Learn to build a pond with the pondlady. She shares her almost 20 years experience in designing and building ponds cheaper and easier than any other method you have read about. From building to troubleshooting, from plants to fish, we talk about what you want to know. Read articles, blogs, and discussions about ponds and water gardens. Find out what others are doing with their ponds, and turn your backyard into a relaxing showpiece of nourishing greenery, refreshing waterfalls and fish swimming lazily in the summer sun.

Beautiful Backyard Ponds and Water Gardens

Get design and landscaping ideas from the pondlady's portfolio

Photos from the pondlady's collection of over 18 years of pond designing and building

Powered by Flickr

Pond Building Instructions

Step by step pond buiding instructions with photos

The formal pond usually is geometric in shape, like a circle or square and holds a fountain or other statuary. Other ponds are informal with rocks or boulders placed around the pond. A roaring waterfall or trickling stream might be the moving water feature.
If you want to build your own pond with waterfall, here's the place to find out how.

Pond Building Instructions: How to build a backyard pond, step by step with photographs. See what materials you need, how to dig the hole, how to measure a liner, how to Install the pond rocks and more.

Build an above ground pond

Want a waterfall with that pond?

Building a waterfall

I am asked how to build a waterfall as much as I am asked how to keep pond water clear. Building a waterfall is not that difficult. It's a matter of piling up flat rocks with thicker brickish rocks between them, making sure the water doesn't flow off the back or sides. You just keep at it until the waterfall looks nice to you. One hint: I have learned that the best waterfalls are built while you are in the pond with the pump running, so be prepared to get wet while building your waterfall.
I have written a longer article about building a waterfall if you would like to learn more.

How about a pondless Waterfall?

Sometimes you want a waterfall, but no pond with it. Check out this one.

Boise Pondless Backyard Waterfall

A waterfall in our backyard that we recently constructed from a kit. This is a pondless waterfall which means there are fewer safety and maintenance considerations.

4.60

Runtime: 1:32
8905 views
4 Comments:

powered by YouTube

Summer is pond time

In the summer, our ponds and fish are at their peak of perfection. Keep them healthy easily.
Summertime Tips

How to have a crystal clear pond

How to keep your pond crystal clear.

How to control pond algae, read the pondlady's article on algae control.

Keeping your water clear: Read how to keep your pond clear, clean and healthy

Oxygenating Plants

Underwater plants are necessary for the ecological balance of the pond.

Oxygenating Plants: Learn what oxygenating plants are best for your pond, why we need them and what they do.

Floating Plants

While stocking your pond with plants, don't forget the floating plants. Usually a floating plant is not in pot, but even if it is, the plant floats on the surface of the water and only stems come from the pot.

Floating Plants: Learn why floating plants are necessary to the balance of your pond and look beautiful at the same time.

Water lilies

Tropicals and hardies. Which ones are best for you?

If you have a pond, you want a water lily. Do you want a hardy lily to survive cold weather or a tropical beauty for those hot summer days and nights? Learn about lilies here.

Choosing a Water Lily: I see hundreds of water liles. How can I choose the best one for me? Learn about lilies here.

Bog Plants

Emergent plants add beauty to your pond

Bog plants or marginal plants add architecture to your pond. Pick out your favorites including the famous Louisiana Iris here

Bog Plants for Your Backyard Pond: Use bog plants to add upright plants to your pond.

Louisiana Iris

A beautiful emergent plant that grows in the water and out.

Louisiana Iris is the Louisiana state wildflower. Read here where it grows. See pictures of hybrids. Find growing conditions. If you are looking for an iris that loves wet feet, this is the place for information on this striking plant.

Louisiana Iris: The Louisiana Iris is an early bloomer that covers Louisiana bayous in the spring. It blooms in water gardens, in bogs and in bayous all over Southern Louisiana.

Pond Maintenance

Jan Goldfield, the pondlady writes articles on every aspect of the pond. These are just a few about pond maintenance

Routine Pond Maintenance: Now that I have a backyard pond, what routine pond maintenance is needed? I have heard they are practically maintenance free. Find out how maintenance free a pond can be.
Cleaning the Garden Pond: Step by step instructions for cleaning your garden pond.
Pond Disasters: Pond disasters can happen to any pond or water garden. They are usually simple to find and easy to repair. Often a pond problem develops quickly when the ecosystem gets out of balance. How you can find your pond problems and solve them yourself with quick and easy solutions.
Spring Pond Care: Spring pond care is essential and easy. Follow the the tips below to give your plants and fish an easy transition from winter torpor to spring awakening, so your pond, fish and plants can give you pleasure all summer long.
Pond Algae: Green Pond Blues: You don't have to suffer the pond algae and green pond blues. A green pond is normal and happens easily. Your pond has turned to pea soup overnight. What can you do now? Here are several ways to keep your pond clean and clear.
Ponds Under Trees: Ponds under trees can offer planting opportunities for us that ponds in the sun cannot. Ponds under trees can demand a bit more maintenance but not enough to stop us from building our ponds under trees.
My Pond is Leaking: Learning how to repair your pond liner is the most difficult problem to solve in pond keeping. You must find holes and patch them and very often that is not an easy task.
Summertime Pond Care: Summertime pond care is only a bit different than spring pond care. When summertime weather hits, we must take a few precautions to ensure fish health.
Pond Troubleshooting - a Case Study: Pond troubleshooting is much like any other troubleshooting. Eliminate the easy problems first and then start hunting.
Fall Pond Care: Fall pond care involves a few different approaches to pond care.
Winter pond care: plants and fish: Winter pond care requires some special care, not much, but just a few things to watch. If you have not done all the nasty fall care, you must do it now. Trying to remove debris through the ice is impossible.
Winter pond care: equipment: When temperatures drop, winter pond care is necessary. Algae growth stop, so you can disconnect your filter and UV light if you have one. Remember you only need filters and UV lights if you feed fish. If you make them work for their room and board by eating submerged vegetation and in turn fertilizing it, you have no need for filtration or UV lights.

All kinds of ponds you can build

Learn more about ponds and what kinds you can have. Have an indoor pond, a swimming pond, a pondless waterfall, a small, self contained pond, an indoor pond and more

Build an Inexpensive Pond: You can build an inexpensive pond easily and in a weekend. It can look as beautiful as any that a professional has done and you will not have spent a fortune.
Small Ponds: Small ponds in limited spaces are very difficult to design and install. When confronted with building a small pond, we pond builders tend to call it a design challenge. See some of the ways to overcome the small pond challenge
Build a Rain Garden: Build a rain garden and conserve water at the same time. Learn a few simple ways to make a rain garden.
How to Build a Koi Pond: Building a koi pond is different than building a goldfish pond or water garden. Let's talk about how to build a koi pond.
How to build a Pondless Waterfall: Pondless waterfalls are another wonderful way to have a water feature in your yard or garden. You can have a waterfall with no pond, no fish, no green water to worry about. A pondless waterfall is also great for a small space.
How to Build a Natural Swimming Pond: Natural swimming ponds are all the rage. Many people in Europe already do have natural swimming ponds and they are catching on quickly in America.
How to Build a Natural Swimming Pond - English Style: How to build a swimming pond that uses no chlorine, no chemicals and looks like a natural pond in your landscape.
Faux Rocks - The Real Deal: Faux rocks are a great substitute for expensive, heavy and unwieldy rocks for pond and waterfall building
How to Build a Bog Garden (Rain Garden): Building a bog garden, one of many forms of rain gardens is a great way to conserve water and add another element to your garden.
Epoxy pond liners: Epoxy pond liners were around when I started building ponds back in 1987. There was not a market for the epoxy for the small residential contractor or do-it-yourselfer yet because there was not much of a pond market yet.
How to build a waterfall: Learn how to build a waterfall.
How to Build an Above Ground Pond: Occasionally ponds must be built above ground. Either the location is under trees and digging would injure the tree, the pond is to be on concrete, so digging is impossible or the pond builder is a tenant and wants to take the pond along when he moves.

Pumps, filters, skimmers and other gadgets

Ponds need some equipment to run a waterfall or to filter out fish waste. How to choose? What to choose? Find out from the pondlady

Pond Filtration: Figuring out pond filtration can be a chore. I have tried to explain what pond filtration means and some different ways to do it. And choices if you choose not to use pond filtration.
Choosing a Backyard Pond Pump: From initial cost to running cost, what pump is best for your pond? There are hundreds of pond pumps to choose from: Be sure you pick what is right for you.
Pond Filters and Skimmers, Do I Need Them?: Pond filters and skimmers have been sold to the public as necessary equipment for your pond, but are they always?
Pond Gadgets: As we begin our pond keeping hobby, we find that we need certain pond gadgets. Pond gadgets are things we don%uFFFDt use often, but when we need them, we need them now, not tomorrow or on Monday.
Backyard Pond Pumps: Many backyard pond pumps to choose from: Which one is best for me?

PONDLADY.COM HAS CHANGED

pondlady.com is now an interactive pond forum. Come sign up and let's talk ponds.

How hot is too hot for fish?

Pond plants and fish

Pond fish and plants: Making the right decisions

Choosing Goldfish for Your Pond: Choosing goldfish for your pond can be simple if you follow a few tips. When you are choosing goldfish, shop at a pet or fish store, limit your choices, don't buy too many and don't spend much money.
Toads and Frogs in your Backyard Pond: Frogs, toads and backyard ponds go together. We build wildlife resorts in our back yard complete with room service, 400 count sheets and chocolates on the pillows and wonder why we get nightly applause from our invited amphibious residents.
Water Lilies: Water lilies are often the reason we have ponds. Water lilies lend an exotic look to the pond that we treasure, taking little care and offering much enjoyment.
Pond Plants: Pond plants can be submerged, floating or emergent. The submerged plant, usually anacharis is the key to balancing the pond ecosystem. With enough, your pond will stay crystal clear.
Floating pond plants: Floating pond plants are a necessity for the ecologically balanced pond. Like submerged vegetation, they are workhorses in your pond.
Pond Plants: Umbrella and Pitcher: Pond plant choices are many and varied. We want early bloomers, late bloomers, hardy or tropical. For every pond and bog there are plants that will thrive. Two are spotlighted here.
Pond plants: Duckweed and Water Fern: Duckweed and water fern are floating pond plants. They probably the most invasive and noxious of all of the floating plants.
Pond Plants: Arrow Arum: Arrow arum is one of the dozens of marginal or bog plants that do well in the ornamental backyard pond.

Overwintering your Pond

In the dead of winter, a pond can ice over quickly. You must keep a hole in the ice so gasses can be exchanged. Be sure that you never use a hammer to open a hole in the ice. Use your garden hose to do it or put a pan of hot water on the ice. There are also pond heaters you can buy to keep a hole in the ice all the time. You can find more information about overwintering pond equipment, plants and fish here:

Overwintering your pond plants and fish

Pond pumps, filters, lights also need special care. You can find out what to do here:

Overwintering pond equipment

Pond Book Reviews

There are so many great pond books that have appeared in the past years. I read as many as I can and review them for you

All about the Pond, Book Review-Evan-Moor publishers.: A great book for teachers of small children with many resources in one great book.
The Pond Owner's Problem Solver, a Review: The Pond Problem Solver by John Dawes, Book review, how to build a pond, where to put a pond, fish, fish diseases, pond maintenance, pond plants
Miracle-Gro Water Gardens, a Review: MIracle-Gro has produced one fine pond help book. The very best part of it is that it is spiral bound, so it will lie flat, and waterproof so you can take it outside with you, put it on the ground for reference and clean it up later.
The Curious Gardener's Almanac, a Review: The Curious Gardener's Almanac, centuries of practical garden wisdom, by Niall Edworthy, published by The Penguin Group in New York is not a book about ponds. In fact, it is not a book about gardens either. This book has no pigeon hole in which to be pushed.
The Complete Book of The Water Garden: The Complete Book of the Water Garden, by Philip Swindells and David Mason is arguably the finest, most comprehensive water gardening book ever written.
The Creative Herbal Home: The Creative Herbal Home is certainly not a book you would expect to see in the backyard water garden section of pondlady.com. So why is it here?

Spotlight on Pond Products

See the pondlady's opinion on the best pond products.

The Complete Book of the Water Garden

by Philip Swindells, David Mason

Amazon Price: $17.80 (as of 07/05/2008)

I have owned, read and reviewed hundreds of pond books and find this one the most comprehensive.
Read my review at
Backyard Ponds

Miscellaneous Information

A few things I have learned along the way

Water Conservation and Your Backyard Pond: Our water crisis is worsening, but ponds can be a way of water conservation, not waste. Find ways to conserve water by using efficient pumps, statuary and solar power.
Starting a Pond and Water Garden Society?: Pond and water garden societies can be a great educational tool for pond keepers. If you don't have one near you, heres how to start a pond and water garden society.
The Pondkeeper' Glossary: Pondkeepers use words that most do it yourself pond builders have never heard before. What are pond builders talking about when they say GPH or dechlor? What is a spitter? What is a UV light and do I need one?
Attracting Winter Wildlife to Your Backyard Pond: In the winter our ponds lie dormant, or do they? We can keep a water supply open and give our winter garden creatures a drink and something to eat.
Decorate Your Pond for the Holidays: Decorate your pond when you decorate your house for the holidays
Toads and Frogs in your Backyard Pond: Frogs, toads and backyard ponds go together. We build wildlife resorts in our back yard complete with room service, 400 count sheets and chocolates on the pillows and wonder why we get nightly applause from our invited amphibious residents.
Ponds across the Curriculum: Over the years, I have been involved with several schools with ponds and several schools wanting the students to build a pond.

From the Pondlady's Pad

The ultimate in pond blogs

The pondlady's blog covers everything from how to build a pond to troubleshooting, maintenance and even takes your specific questions. You will receive a personal answer from the pondlady.

Fetching RSS feed... please stand by

Ask The PondLady

Let me know what you think

What would you like to know? What questions can I answer? What can I add to make finding what you need easier?

beachbum_gabby

I like your landscape, it's looks great even if you only have a small garden. Keep it up!

Posted June 29, 2008

pondlady

Mosquitoes can't breed in moving water. If you do not have a pump, a product like Mosquito Dunks will keep mosqutoes from breeding.

Posted June 29, 2008

bugzapper

do backyard pond create problems with mosquitos?

Posted June 29, 2008

alicesy

Excellent Lens. I like the quality insight you have provided here about Build Your Own Backyard Pond with the Pondlady. Keep up the good work.

Please check out my Police Jobs Blog.

Posted June 25, 2008

daviddorf

Have noted the details, will touch base when required. Overall a good lens..

Posted June 25, 2008