When a small reservoir is not enough for the integrity of the landscape design at the dacha, mini-ponds save the situation. Beautiful and compact, original and always appropriate, miniature ponds easily fit into the surroundings of any site.

Features of mini-reservoirs

Already from the name it is clear that these structures are small in size. Usually their depth does not exceed 0.5 m, and the mirror area is 2 sq.m. Such modest parameters allow you to install a mini-pond anywhere.

The video below shows a miniature pond consisting of several pots.

Choosing a pond container

It just so happens that to the dacha we often transport things that we do not need in city life, in the hope that they will one day be useful outside the city. With small bodies of water, this is precisely the case when almost any item that can be used as a container for a pond is used.

Let's list some of them:

• bath and baby baths;
• all kinds of basins, including cracked ones;
• large pots;
• various barrels, canisters, etc.

The video below shows examples of small bodies of water.

Don’t forget that you can make the container yourself using the following materials:

• pond film;
• trimmings plastic pipes diameter 50 cm;
• old car tires;
• reinforced concrete rings;
• brick, etc.

Making a miniature pond

The idea is to use a ready-made container or build one from existing materials. If the tank is intact, then it does not need additional waterproofing. But what to do when you have to deal with a structure that allows water to pass through? Let's look at the general approach using pond film as an example. Its use is attractive because it allows you to create a reservoir of any size and shape.

1. Select a location. There are no restrictions, it all depends on the lighting conditions. Usually the choice is made in favor of flat, secluded places illuminated by the sun for about half of the daylight hours.
2. Dig a hole. A depth of 40-50 cm will be quite enough. Make sure that the walls of the pit do not collapse. If this happens, make them more beveled.
3. Use waterproofing. It is advisable to use a special pond film. But for a small pond, thick polyethylene film for a greenhouse is quite suitable. Cover the entire hole with it, leaving 30 cm wide material around the perimeter on the surface of the ground. Press it down temporarily with stones so that the film does not slide off while filling the pond with water.
4. Decorate the resulting container. Use flat or round stones - it's up to you. The edge can be decorated with covering decorative material under a stone. The banks can be made more rigid by lining them with small stones set in cement mortar. For these purposes, first glue a plastic reinforcing mesh onto the film. After this, apply the first layer of mortar (cement/sand in a ratio of 1:3). After waiting for it to set, apply the next layer and cover the surface with stones.
5. Fill the container with water. For the smallest bodies of water, a few buckets of water will be enough. Otherwise, use a hose. Fill the container taking into account the volume of water displaced by the plants during planting (usually 10 cm is not added to the brim, but it all depends on the situation).
6. Plant the plants. What and how - read about it below.
7. Launch the fish. Read more about this in the article.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with a small selection of videos on which a wide variety of objects and materials are used as a pond bowl.

Example of correct application old bath.

The video below shows a universal technology for constructing an above-ground pond.

The next video shows an example of how you can use unnecessary tires.

Some tips for setting up a mini-pond.

• You can put several fish in a mini-pond. They will not only become its decoration, but will also play important role: will eat mosquito larvae, saving you from unnecessary discomfort.
• You should not combine fountains and waterfalls with all the variety of aquatic plants. The pump will become clogged with green matter, and plants will not be able to grow normally in unsettled water.
• It is worthwhile to provide a drain at the bottom of the above-ground tank. This will allow you to quickly drain the water for the winter.
• Get an inexpensive submersible pump, with which you can easily prepare your mini-pond for wintering.

7 plants for a mini pond

In fact, the number of representatives of aquatic flora is far from limited to the 7 plants we selected. If you wish, you can create your own unique composition, which will become a real decoration for your small pond in the country. We will consider the features of working with the plants we have selected.

Plants for a mini-pond and their features

Plant name	a brief description of	How to plant
Urut water	Herbaceous underwater plant with feather-like leaves. Forms dense green growth in the thickness of the reservoir	Plant in a pot with soil, sprinkle gravel on top. Immerse the pot completely in water, adjusting the depth of immersion using stone stands
Water lily	A spectacular plant with leaves floating on the surface and a large flower	Pour a 5 cm thick layer of fertile soil into a plastic container, place the roots of the water lily and sprinkle with about a 2-3 cm layer of soil. Cover the top with a layer of gravel. Immerse the container completely in water
Three-leaf watch	A low plant with a developed rhizome, creeping stem, large leaves and pinkish-white flowers
Iris ensiform	Perennial herbaceous plant with purple flowers	Plant in a clay or plastic pot with soil, pour gravel on top so that the soil does not wash out. The edges of the pot should protrude about 1 cm from the water
Lobelia splendor	Perennial plant with a high emergent part and red flowers
Dwarf papyrus	A tall plant with a panicle-shaped inflorescence for sweeping away dust
Pistia teloresidata	Floating plant with a small reduced inflorescence	Place a mini-reservoir on the surface of the water in a place you like.

Plant care in summer boils down to the following work:

• removing fallen leaves from the surface of a pond,
• pruning dead parts of the plant;
• feeding plants at the beginning of the season;
• thinning and dividing plants.

in autumn, with completion summer season, the plants are transferred to a frost-free cellar and placed in a container with water. Water is pumped out of the mini-reservoir and left in this form for the winter.

And a pond. Even a small body of water attracts those around you like a magnet. Water is fascinating even in small quantities... Moreover, you can build a pond with your own hands in a few hours. But this is a small artificial reservoir. Building a large one will require both money and time.

Where to dig

Small artificial reservoirs are best viewed from above. Therefore, if there is a corresponding depression on the site, it is best to do it here. There is, however, a negative side to this: you will have to raise the edges of the bowl higher in order to rainwater didn't get inside. The second option is to come up with a water drainage system (make a drainage system above the reservoir).

If there is a key somewhere on the site, it is logical to make a natural pond by digging or deepening the existing bowl, lining its borders with cobblestones or stones, and planting plants. The stream, which is sure to exist in this case, can also be improved by lining its edges with cobblestones, drowning them in the soggy soil, you will give greater strength to the bank, and you can plant moisture-loving plants between them.

Even a small waterfall is a magical sight. How to dam a pond if there is a natural stream on your site - dig a pit, cover it with stones and direct the stream into it

Not everyone has such a luxury on their property as a stream or a spring. We have to make artificial reservoirs. When properly designed, they look no worse than natural ones.

How to make an artificial pond with a bowl (without film)

The simplest and quick way to make an artificial pond at the dacha - bury the finished bowl in the ground, shaping and decorating its edges. There are plastic bowls - ready-made in different shapes, sizes and colors (mostly blue, green and black).

Setting up a plastic garden or country pond is not a difficult task. Here are the step-by-step instructions:

• It is necessary to dig a pit in the shape of a bowl. If the shape is very non-standard, you can turn it upside down at the installation site and outline the outline with something (even dig it with a shovel). The bowl is taken to the side and a pit is dug. It should be a little larger in size - a little wider, but not deeper. The edges should either be flush with the ground or protrude slightly. If you can raise the edges a little, it will be even better: when it rains, dirty water will not flow in.
• After the required depth is reached, the bottom is leveled to the horizon: it is first leveled with a shovel, then compacted and the excess is removed with an even bar. The surface must be smooth and hard: the plastic must have good support. If the ground is poorly leveled (clay), you can pour 5-10 cm of sand, wet it and compact it.
• The next stage is installing the bowl in the pit. If the bottom has been made level, the edges of the bowl will be level with the horizon. Now the space that remains between the wall of the bowl and the pit must be filled with soil or sand and compacted well.
• Now it’s time for the design: the installation is complete, you can fill in the water.

How to use this technology to build a pond in the courtyard with lighting, see in this photo report (you can scroll through the photo gallery yourself by clicking on the thumbnails below).

We are digging a pit. We decided that the sides would be 1-2 cm higher than the level of the path - there would be less debris inside, and we would decorate the edges with stones. On this side, just below the maximum level, we cut a pipe into the bowl so that excess water would drain. She was taken to the sewer

But it is not always and not everywhere possible to constantly add and remove water to the pond. Then you will have to either plant plants that will clean it, or change it periodically.

Pond from an old bathroom

You don't have to buy a bowl at all. Any container can be used. Even an old bathtub. It turns out very well. All the steps are the same, the pit is dug first, a bathtub is placed in it, what goes next, see the series of following photos. In them, a pond from an old bathtub is transformed into a truly charming corner.

The platform was also entangled with wire - so that the clay did not float and the platform did not sag. This is already a month later, such beauty - a garden pond built with my own hands makes me happy

Pond from a car tire (with film)

A mini pond can be made from an old one car tire, or rather from a tire. The larger it is, the larger the reservoir. The most difficult thing in this matter is to cut off one side part. If the resulting edges are sharp, they need to be processed sandpaper. The second most difficult task is to dig a hole of the appropriate size. The difficulties ended there. The rest is quite easy.

The cut tire is installed in the hole, covered with earth on the sides, and compacted well. Also, earth or sand is poured inside and the bottom is leveled. Take a piece of thick polyethylene film, you can fold it in half and cover the resulting tank. Don’t try too hard: just pour water, it will straighten the film itself.

Instead of polyethylene, you can take banner film (available from advertising companies that produce outdoor advertising) or a piece special for swimming pools and ponds. They are much stronger (but more expensive).

The protruding ends of the film are tucked around the walls of your pond and decorated with stones. The construction of the pond is completed, next comes decoration and planting. See how to make a pond from a tire in the photo report.

The next stage of making a mini-pond for a summer residence is decorating the edges with stones

There is certainly nothing complicated about such a device. Anyone can build such a pond at their dacha with their own hands, and the investment is minimal.

In general, mini-ponds are made from tanks, barrels, pans, even flower pots. The main thing is that there is a body, and designing it is not very difficult: experience gradually comes. They are placed in the garden, at the dacha, near the house. It is possible to supply water, make a stream, it can be placed under trees, for example, or shrubs. Both beauty and benefit at the same time.

Making a pond with film

By creating this artificial pond from film, you almost exactly repeat the work described above, only without installing a bowl:

1. mark the shape of the future pond;
2. dig a pit, forming ledges if necessary;
3. clean the bottom of any sharp objects: roots, stones, etc.;
4. level the banks of your pond;
5. spread the waterproofing film;
6. fill the pond with water;
7. fix the edges of the film;
8. decorate.

A country pond created using this technology can be of a more substantial size. Important point: on loose soil, simply making a pit and laying down a film will not work. We will have to come up with some measures to strengthen the banks. In this case, you will have to either install a bowl, or make a more serious structure - from brick or concrete. Next, let's look at examples of how to inexpensively make a pond from film.

First project: sides flush with the ground

Eight simple steps and your pond at the dacha is built. How to dig and arrange a pond at your dacha and make it look natural, see the photo report.

Second project: raised sides

The second version of a homemade pond in the first stages is built in almost the same way as the first. Only after the pit reached the design depth were the sides raised, lined with bricks along the edges and concreted. The result was a pond with raised sides. A water circulation system has also been made. It is shown in the figure below.

As you can see, this pond is more multi-layered and its displacement is more serious. If you want to have a pond of at least medium size and not build a serious bowl, you can do as shown in the figure: fill the created pit with sand, cover it, and only lay the film on top. Geotextiles evenly distribute the load and do not allow plants to grow. This is especially true if you are building a pond in the garden and there are shrubs or trees nearby.

Serious projects: brick and concrete

If you want to have big pond at the dacha, and if you want to build it with your own hands, you will have to study the topic of building swimming pools. Firstly, the construction of the bowls repeats all the stages one by one. Even the forms are sometimes made stepped. True, the banks are not decorated with plants, and they are not planted in the pool itself... But the construction process itself, with reinforcement, plaster, and waterproofing is the same. Moreover, the water supply and water treatment system is also similar. Except that chemical cleaning methods are not used in ponds, but filters, screamers and ultraviolet light can be used.

In general, a large pond is not a cheap pleasure. Moreover, it requires expenses not only for construction, but also for maintaining a large reservoir in good condition: filters need to be regularly cleaned and cartridges or backfill replaced. But of course the pleasure is great...

Not the largest pond, but it required 10 bags of cement, 30 bags of sand (20 coarse and 10 fine), a hydrophobic additive - 5 bags to make the concrete water-repellent. Plastered on a mesh fixed in the ground

Pond Plants

When shaping or choosing a bowl, consider not only its shape and depth. If you want plants to grow in your pond, a marshy riparian area is necessary. If you form a pond using film, you can make a profile approximately like the one in the picture.

It is more convenient to do this if you fill the pit with a layer of sand at least 15 cm thick. With its help you can make the relief the way you like. To make the work easier and the film not torn, lay geotextiles on the sand. This thin membrane is very tear-resistant. You can do whatever you want without breaking it. Having formed the desired bottom topography with its help, you can line the film and lay stones on it, fill it with water and plant plants for the pond at different levels.

To ensure there is enough oxygen in the water, you can plant Canadian elodea, hornwort and swampweed. They are in the photo below. Landing in the water is aquatic plants.

However, if you are the owner small plot, you can think about a mini pond. A mini pond is usually placed on a terrace or in a garden. But thanks to its modest size, it can be done on the balcony or even inside the house.
In general, a mini pond is a body of water in the range of 0.5 - 1 cubic meter. (but not less than 20 liters of water), which is a small ecosystem with plants and even animals (fish). It can be complemented by a fountain and other decorative elements.
In order to make such a pond with your own hands you will need wooden box, a waterproof container made of plastic or anything else, most importantly stainless material, waterproofing film, gravel, stones, sand, soil, and plants.
Here is a diagram of a mini pond:

It should be remembered that in sunny summer weather a lot of water evaporates from the surface of the pond, so it needs to be topped up regularly.

Mini pond plants need sunlight for 6-8 hours a day. Therefore, it is better to avoid northern and poorly lit areas.
Almost all planted plants need a substrate for rooting (the exception is plants that float in water with their roots. You can use gravel from the bottom of a stream, or you can buy special “construction gravel”, which contains sand and pebbles measuring 16-32 mm Some plants can be placed in a pond in separate bowls.For example, water lilies grow well in a substrate with a predominance of clay.

In summer ornamental plants in a small pond they tolerate daily temperature fluctuations well; in the cold period, with proper preparation, they tolerate frosts, with the exception of alien heat-loving plants, which are best moved indoors for wintering.
A pond looks very impressive on the terrace when the tub is deepened into the ground. And they decorate the perimeter of the reservoir with stones and various plants.

We build a pond with our own hands for the garden

Create a pond with your own hands for goldfish and aquatic plants within your capabilities. Make sure your garden pond is at least 60 to 90cm deep. Nothing beats a garden pond if you want to make your garden even more attractive. It's surprisingly easy to make and care for. Dig a hole, fill it with a layer of sand, line everything with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film, and you have a pond of any shape you want.

Before you begin, make sure that: your pond is located on a level surface with sufficient sunlight, at least five hours a day, you can reach it garden hose, and can be seen from your home, porch, or patio. Surprisingly, the larger your pond, the better.

Anything less than 60cm deep and 2.5m in diameter collects heat and becomes clogged with algae. In cold climates, it is necessary to dig a hole at least 90cm deep so that the fish can survive the winter.

Check before you dig. Mark the desired shape of the pond using a hose. Sprinkle the hose with sand or flour to outline the outline of your pond.

You will need:

PVC covering

fine gravel

Bricks

Stone slabs

Round stones for the bottom of the pond

Step 1

Dig a hole at least 60cm deep, slightly sloping the sides. Remove large roots or sharp rocks completely.

Step 2

Make sure the edges of the pond are level using a level. Place a 5-7cm layer of wet sand on the bottom and walls of the pit. This helps smooth the sides and protect the coating from punctures.

Step 3

Place a PVC cover in the hole, leaving an extra 30cm of cover around the entire pond. Cover the pond with bricks so that the PVC covering is not visible.

Step 4

Place the slab so that it is 2.5-5cm from brickwork. Let the water sit for two days to remove any chemicals.

Step 5

Lower pots of aquatic plants onto required depth. For example, a water lily should be placed so that the edge of the pot is 15-30 cm from the surface of the water.

Carefully place round stones on the bottom of the pond. When selecting aquatic creatures such as fish, snails and tadpoles, contact your supplier to determine the amount of space required.

It’s worth taking a small plastic sealed box or a suitable container, and with a little imagination, decorate it so that it turns into a small pond with its own ecosystem.
To do this, you need to take some soil, pebbles and green vegetation and the container with water will turn into a nice pond.
On the terrace you can place a large wooden tub hidden in the ground. Naturally, the water will need to be changed periodically, and if the pond is located in the sun, then it will need to be topped up during the day. But nevertheless, such a piece of the water element, combined with the general style of the entire garden, will become a real decoration and highlight of the garden.

Photo: fancy2110 (home-and-garden.webshots.com)
This pond is built in a concrete flower pot.

The front garden is a great place for a mini-pond. A small pool with water lilies will look good in the shade of plants. As a container, you can use a galvanized basin or a trough covered with natural material.

In a seedling box or in a basin.
On balconies and verandas, a mini pond can be arranged in a seedling box, in a basin or in a tub. If you decide to make a pond on the balcony, then it is better to install it on a low table or even hang it. The outer sides can be decorated by gluing stones, pebbles or mosaics on them. Cover the bottom of the container with a layer of humus, then with a layer of sand and a layer of pebbles. You can also make a small hole to drain the water, although this is not necessary for such a small pond.

Mini pond. A corner of quiet privacy in your garden

Marina Savinykh

Water is the source of life, a symbol of eternity and inviolability. It is known that nothing can soothe and relax as looking at the water. So in landscape design, mini-reservoirs have become popular.

The tradition of decorating gardens with artificial ponds originates in Japan. Truly the pearl of the Japanese garden is water. Reservoirs come in a wide variety of shapes and are always decorated with finely selected aquatic plants, and often their inhabitants are goldfish. It is no secret that the Japanese landscape is more than aesthetic beauty, it is also a tribute to ancient traditions, legends and wisdom. Each landscape object contains a certain symbol that can influence the viewer.

In order for the mini pond to please you throughout the summer, it’s worth thinking about its project now. Many plants that will serve as a decoration for a mini-pond need to be planted in early spring, by this time the type of small reservoir, its shape and location should already be determined.

At the moment modern technologies allow you to create miniature ponds on a site of any size, with varying levels of complexity. Even in a minimal area, you can place a pond that will significantly enliven the landscape.

There are the following types of ready-made containers for artificial mini-ponds:

• structures using polymer materials;
• ready-made structures;
• monolithic structures.

Constructions using polymer materials are arranged according to the following principle: a recess of at least one and a half meters is dug and completely covered with a polymer film, the edges of the film are decorated on the outside with tiles, natural stones, wooden frames etc. The construction of a reservoir is inexpensive, and if necessary, it can be easily disassembled, so it is possible to put it indoors for the winter. But there are also disadvantages - the polymer film loses strength over time and can leak.

Ready-made structures are made of polymer materials, metal, wood or ceramics, and can be mounted at different levels. Unlike polymer films, finished structures will last longer.

For monolithic ones, a recess of at least one and a half meters is initially dug, then walls are formed from reinforcement, which are then filled with concrete. The advantages of such a tank are durability, increased strength, and the ability to realize any conceived shape.

The principle of caring for a mini-pond depends on the presence of plants and animals in it. If the design of the pond is limited solely to external decor, then it is enough to change the water once a month. Maintenance becomes much more complicated if aquatic plants, as well as fish and other aquatic inhabitants, are added to the mini-pond.

It must be remembered that the mini-pond sets general style landscape design. A “mini” pond can be treated as a corner of wild nature by decorating it with boulders and planting climbing and moss plants. You can create a small piece of a fairy tale by placing goldfish and water lilies in a mini-pond, and plant marshy plants (reeds, cyperus, etc.) around the pond. A small pond will look more impressive if you install soft-tone lighting. Then the mini-pond will become a favorite place of quiet solitude in the evenings.

Corner mini pond made of brick

Landscape design This is not only the green part of the site with plants, but also the area adjacent to the house. Suppose there is a boring corner on your site where, for some reason, you cannot place plants. You can revive it with the help of this mini pond made of brick. Height and width body of water selected according to the size of your free space.

Brick for body of water We take a regular one, not rounded, and draw a semicircle using wide seams between the bricks. Interior body of water: either a ready-made form or we concrete the structure inside; a film for ponds is also suitable. Plants planted in containers will add water to your mini pond naturalness and beauty.

DIY pond from an old bathtub

Let's talk about how to hands in the garden do pond from an old bathtub. After renovations, old cast iron is often left in the house. bath. You can use it further - make it garden pond. The most important thing is to decide on the location of the future pond. Then dig a pit under bath. At the bottom of the pit you need to pour gravel, crushed stone 10-20 cm, then sand 20 cm. In the place where the drain hole is in the bathroom, make the drainage layer deeper. This is so that later, if desired, you can leave the drain hole and drain water from it for the winter. If there is good drainage under the drain, the water will bathroom not much and it will absorb into the ground without any problems. The second drain hole must be cemented. Lay bricks in the corners, install it on it bath. Add soil, gradually compacting and adding water. Leave the top of the bath slightly above ground level. We decorate bath under pond flagstone stone. For this we installed bath slightly above ground level, so that around baths Pour crushed stone 20-30 cm. We lay flagstone on the crushed stone with cement mortar. It’s as if we “bring” the flagstone stones inside baths, thereby covering its ugly edge. To prevent the shape of the pond from actually resembling a bathtub, we place stones along the edges of the bathtub and extending beyond baths. You need to put at least 3-4 layers of stone.

Surface baths white, for pond it's not beautiful and unnatural. You can cover the inside of the bathtub with black film, then this must be done before stone work. Place the edges of the film under the stone.

Can you paint it? bath, but the surface of the bathtub is smooth, the paint peels off over time. Therefore enamel baths For pond it is necessary to clean it in order to give it porosity for better application paints.

For surface cleaning baths you need a “grinder”, a special attachment with a sticky surface, to which a “Petal” emery wheel or a “Brigadier” wire attachment is attached. A consultant at any construction market will advise you on what paint to coat the surface with. It is better to choose dark gray color. To the bottom pond You can add some pebbles.

Add water and pond from an old bathtub garden ready. Done with your own hands.

Now you need to select plants for pond, plant them in small groups near the pud according to your taste. Near pond Irises, hostas, bergenia look beautiful. It will be beautiful inside pond from the bathroom plant aquatic plants in containers, perhaps even introduce fish.

You don’t have to drain the water for the winter if your garden pond There will already be a biological environment, it will try to survive. After all, a bath in the depths of the earth is the warmth of the earth; snow will lie on top of the ice - it will also retain heat. To be safe for the winter, you can throw a couple of plastic bottles into the water.

Idea for decorating a pond with large stones

Idea pond design big stones. IN this option form pond semicircle. Myself pond can be made from a ready-made mold or covered with film. Cover the edges with large stones. Because the stones are very large, they can easily cover all the edges pond. Make one like this pond It’s very simple to do it yourself, it doesn’t require any special skill, and it looks like the work of professionals. The only problem is that the stones are very heavy, you need to carry them together, stretch wide ropes or a thick bag under them and grab them by the edges. Don’t forget to pour a little gravel under the stones, where they lie directly on the ground, sand on top and cover them with black lutrasil, so as not to pull weeds between them later.

In this version, an ordinary indoor cyperius is planted directly into the water in a container; it loves moisture and looks harmonious for pond.

The second option is very similar, only this is a motor-driven fountain, decorated with gravel.

Stylistics of garden ponds

Arrangement of a reservoir is aerobatics in the art of landscape design. In Russia today there is an increased interest in ponds, streams and waterfalls in the garden. Having played enough alpine coaster, hedges and mixborders, owners of suburban areas are gradually coming to understand a simple truth: without water, the garden still remains not entirely harmonious, as if unfinished. But before you start renovating the area, in which you should definitely find a place for a pond or watercourse, you need to evaluate all the forms in which water can appear in the garden.

With all the variety of gardens, and there are more than a dozen different garden styles, they are all divided into two large groups: regular and landscape. The former are characterized by a symmetrical layout, emphasizing the regular geometric shapes of flower beds. Such gardens include Muslim, French and Italian classical gardens. The reservoirs in them also have strict geometric outlines; very often there are fountains of a classical form, correct form canals, cascades, aqueducts and ponds.
The landscape style is well known to Russians. Most of our compatriots prefer ponds and streams of natural forms, inherent in English classical gardens (landscape); stylistics of the Far East (Japanese and Chinese); gardens natural style(from German Naturegarten). The free contours of ponds and the lively flow of streams and waterfalls in landscape gardens give them an extraordinary charm and make the garden as similar as possible to a corner of natural nature.

Avant-garde style gardens stand somewhat apart, the distinctive feature of which is originality and conceptuality. It is almost impossible to predict the shape of a reservoir in such a garden: it can be symmetrical, natural, or so unusual that you will not immediately decide to call the structure invented by the designer a reservoir or watercourse...

Regular bodies of water

A conversation about regular-style ponds should begin with Islamic gardens. Not because they are the most ancient - it is possible that this is not the case. But the fact is that greater reverence for water cannot be found in any other garden style. Water, which in the Arab lands was an extremely limited resource and the greatest value, eventually quite naturally became a symbol of luxury. The Garden of Eden in the minds of Muslims is a place in which fountains certainly flow and roses smell fragrant. The composition of all Islamic gardens is a strictly geometric square or rectangle, divided into 4 parts by shallow channels (this garden structure was typical of ancient Persian gardens and has stuck for centuries). In addition to these channels, water is present in the form of rectangular ponds and fountains. The latter were present in large numbers and were technically very advanced: their activity was carried out due to the force of gravity. Under the fountains (or under a rectangular pond with fountains installed in it) ran a labyrinth of pipes, intersected by valves and gates, designed to control the distribution of water to countless fountain outlets throughout the garden.

Fountains are one of the most beloved forms that humanity has sought to give to water. The difference between Islamic ones is in their brevity: since the Koran prohibits depicting living beings, as a rule, these were simple drinking fountains with a small stream of water, barely rising above the bowl or surface of the pond.
If we talk about the demand for the Islamic style in the gardens of modern Europe, including in Russia, then it is rather a lighter and more elegant Spanish-Moorish style, which can easily find a place in the patio or in the space in front of the house, even if it is small, as is the case with townhouses.

The French regular style, which entered the life of the nobility under the Sun King Louis XIV, is widely known throughout the world. In the magnificent garden of Versailles, created by the brilliant gardener Henri Le Nôtre, luxurious feasts were held, accompanied by splashing water jets and the sparkle of water in canals and ponds. The triumph of man over Nature is the main idea of ​​this style, told through strict symmetry, cropped topiary forms and water squeezed into rigid frames. The water of a regular garden consists of strictly shaped pools, sculptural fountains, small wall fountains and cascades. Peterhof Park became an example of this style in Russia.

The Italian style is very close to the French style, which in the classic version was designed as a small garden near the villa, surrounded by trimmed hedges. Diagonal and straight paths invariably led to the center of the garden, where there was certainly a pond or fountain. Ponds, as a rule, were given the shape of a circle, oval or square. Old Italian estates were often surrounded by artistic water canals, a bit like moats around fortress walls.

Today, both French and Italian regular styles are quite in demand. In any case, not a single worthy exhibition on landscape design can do without projects of this kind. The most common use of this style in private property is the front (entrance) area of ​​the estate in classic style or the classic symmetrically regular design of the patio, where the water looks like canals, fountains or a mini-pond.

Special attention formal decorative pools of a new generation deserve, of which there are a great many in the projects of the best European designers, in particular those who take part in the exhibition in London Chelsea Flower Show, and of which there are almost none in Russia. These are reservoirs of ideal geometric shape, usually of very shallow depth, the main role of which is to create a feeling of freshness in the garden and play the role of a natural mirror, giving reflections of the sky, clouds and graceful vegetation surrounding such reservoirs.

I would like to separately note that ponds in each of the listed regular styles can be arranged either flush with the ground level or have a bowl raised above the ground with walls up to 0.5-0.7 m high, which is almost never found in landscape gardens.

Landscape style

The landscape style embodies freedom and naturalness: the trees in it are never trimmed, they try to make the paths inconspicuous and asymmetrical, and they try to give the water the appearance of a natural body of water, as close as possible in its appearance to the natural one. The most ancient examples of this style belong to Far East- China and Japan, and the most common today follow the principles of creating gardens in the British Isles.
Chinese gardens, as a rule, occupy quite large areas. For centuries, their owners have treated reservoirs with great trepidation. Typically a garden will have a central pond and several additional streams and waterfalls surrounded by rocks and lush vegetation. The ponds and lakes in the garden were usually large, in which you could ride on boats made in the shape of a dragon, thus moving through the entire garden. Today, ponds may be small, but there must be one or more bridges across a watercourse, of a characteristic shape, most often stone or wooden.

Ponds in Chinese gardens often became a refuge not only for magnificent aquatic and coastal aquatic vegetation, but also for animals : Koi carp, silver crucian carp, and mandarin ducks are frequent guests of such gardens. The streams are very beautiful Chinese garden- it’s not for nothing that they liked to erect elegant gazebos on their banks...

Island Japan has always suffered from a lack of space for gardens, and therefore their landscape art is, in fact, the art of miniatures. This statement has nothing to do with monastery gardens and large parks. “Secular” Japanese gardens are mostly small, from several square meters, areas intended for viewing and short walks. In any case, for the Japanese, a garden is a small model of the Universe. Water is not always present in the garden, but if it is, its forms are very diverse and specific.

Japan is characterized by a tendency to value not so much the surface of the water as the dynamics of the flow and the sounds made by streams and waterfalls. Waterfalls in a Japanese garden can be simple or complex, multi-stage. The location for the waterfall is chosen with special care. They are almost always covered with vegetation, which makes the landscapes even more romantic.

Garden ponds in the eastern garden always have islands, one of which is considered paradise and is not connected to the shore. There are several types of islands: forest, mountain, rocky, with young pine trees on the sand. In modern Japanese gardens, ponds are replaced by small stone pools of water, and sometimes there is not even room for them. Then this element of nature can be introduced into the garden composition in the form of a tsukubai - a stone bowl with water in the form of a barrel, in which hands were traditionally washed during the tea ceremony. In some cases, tsukubai can be located at ground level, but most often it is raised to a height of 20-30 cm. Typically, tsukubai is placed on a low, small, level area in front of a stone wall, hedge or in the center of the garden and is certainly illuminated with a stone lantern.
Another decorative element of the garden that is directly related to water is a thin water pipe made of a hollow bamboo stem through which water runs. The Japanese name for this watercourse is shishi odoshi, which means “scaring deer”, because it was originally invented by farmers for this very purpose. Most often, such structures are located at the edge of the pond.

Fascinated by the beauty and naturalness of the Far Eastern gardens, the English colonialists “infected” their compatriots with a love of natural landscapes. Today, Great Britain is considered a state in which the landscape style (words such as English, romantic, natural have become its synonyms) reached its heyday. Landscape composition techniques strived for beauty and naturalness. A characteristic feature, in addition to the beautiful “bouquet” tree plantings, was the vast spaces allocated for lawns. Beautiful ponds, streams, waterfalls and cascades surrounded by greenery and moisture-loving vegetation are a characteristic feature of such gardens.

The naturegarten style is very similar to the English landscape, with the same naturally shaped ponds and streams, but its main principle in the design of a reservoir is the rejection of the most beautiful coastal plants, possibly imported from afar or, on the contrary, long ago included in the culture and subjected to selection, in favor of “savages” - that is, that vegetation that is characteristic of a given area and grows literally behind the fence. Decorating the coastline with coastal plants characteristic of the area makes this solution as viable as possible.

Avant-garde gardens

Today, the most interesting garden ponds are found in those gardens that are designed in an avant-garde style. Landscape architects who love the avant-garde have always treated water with special trepidation, rightly believing that one can only relax and truly relax near a body of water. Life-giving moisture can be present in such gardens in the very in different forms. For example, one of the exhibition gardens from The 100% Pure New Zealand Garden was a fairy-tale fantasy of the aesthetics of an uninhabited seaside. The water seemed to flow from the mountains, trying to reach the sea, and on its way passed the rain forest, the wild cliffs of the western coast, and the wind-swept dunes. More than 3,000 species of plants were used to create the garden!

The water of an avant-garde garden can become a symbol of caring for this valuable natural resource. For example, in the project Bradstone: Walking Barefoot with Bradstone, which won gold medal at one of the exhibitions in Chelsea, a special garden drainage system was used: through special funnels, rainwater is collected from the roof of the house and from the walls of a blind fence that surrounds the garden on both sides, accumulates in large tanks inside the walls and is used to keep the water level at within the closed water system of the garden. Of course, in the absence of rain, water resources are replenished from civilized sources, and yet this system is very interesting and environmentally friendly.

The combination of glass and water is very advantageous. An example is an interesting “water” project - “Ravine Garden: gift of the Glacier” from Lake Forest Garden Club. Glass blocks installed among the greenery of trees on a hillock seem to melt, giving life to a stream. The stream flows down, surrounded by simple but very graceful plants, but the water does not just go into the ground: it falls on a glass platform, similar to an unmelted block of ice, and from there it falls into the canal, creating an interesting lens effect.

An absolutely wonderful avant-garde pond was shown at an exhibition in Chelsea in 2008. Designer Arabella Lennox-Boyd. A thinly curved ribbon of water lilies running down the center intersected with a garden path, which was also a bridge from one edge of the reservoir to the other. The composition was structured by beautifully arranged stones set in the water.

Russians will soon celebrate 20 years since landscape design came to the country in its modern form. Obviously their preference is ponds and streams landscape style. But allowing yourself only reservoirs of this kind is too strict a restriction, significantly narrowing the number of options. To appreciate the variety of shapes and design styles of modern reservoirs, it is enough to visit one of the European landscape design exhibitions, for example, the English exhibitions in Chelsea or the Hamptons.

A small pond can decorate and diversify any suburban area. And it will be even more pleasant if you build such a pond with your own hands. This may seem difficult, but with good instructions there shouldn't be any problems.

Floating school of decorative fish - best decoration pond

Traditionally, work begins with preparatory activities.

Stage 1. Decide on the location and size

First, we decide on the place where the decorative pond will be located. To do this, we take into account the following points:

• there should be no trees nearby, as their roots can damage the bottom of the structure, and their leaves can clog the water;
• the place should be open and illuminated by the sun for at least 6 hours a day (this will increase the intensity of algae reproduction without infringing on terrestrial plants);
• if possible, it is advisable to leave space for future expansion of the pond;
• The area of ​​the reservoir should not exceed 3% of the entire site.

In a word, than smaller area, the easier it is to carry out construction works. In terms of depth, we divide the reservoir into three levels:

• for plants near the shore;
• shallow water for winter-hardy water lily;
• a recess in which fish will winter (if we breed them).

Note! It is undesirable to make the reservoir too deep - it is enough to make a depth of 1.6-1.8 meters (that is, below the soil freezing level). The burial area should not exceed a fifth of the entire pond.

Stage 2. Deciding on the material

There are quite a lot of materials that can serve as the basis for a decorative pond, but the most popular of them are the options below.

Due to the fact that the construction of a decorative pond from a mold is unlikely to cause any difficulties, we will consider in more detail the second construction option.

Prices for ready-made ponds and bowls for ponds and fountains

Ready-made ponds and bowls for ponds and fountains

Stage 3. Prepare consumables

The work will require:

• PVC film;
• roofing felt;
• round stones;
• rope;
• stone slabs;
• shovel;
• sand;
• bricks;
• fine gravel.

Having prepared everything you need, we proceed to the next stage.

Stage 4. Digging a pit

Step 1. First, we create a scale sketch of the future reservoir, indicating the size and width of the curtains (shelves for plants, that is, the upper stage of the structure). This will help avoid possible difficulties not only during construction, but also when planting.

We also think about the accent of the composition - a large original stone, for example, a sculpture or just a tree.

Step 2. Using a rope or sand, we outline the expected contour of the reservoir. We make sure to check that all the banks are at the same level, and then use a shovel to cut the turf along the perimeter of the pond.

Step 3. Now let's start the excavation work. First, we dig a pit to the depth of the first level (about 30-40 cm) and mark a line from which we will dig down to the second level (90 cm). Next, we create the deepest level (up to 1.8 meters, if we plan to breed fish), and extract the last portion of soil.

Note! It is recommended to regularly check the level of the banks while digging a pit. If there is no water level of the appropriate length, you can take a simple long board and attach a 50-centimeter device to it.

Step 4. To dig a reservoir, it is advisable to use the services of specialists in this kind of work, accompanied by a small excavator, because this work is quite difficult. But if you decided to do this stage of the work yourself, then you should be prepared for the fact that moisture will accumulate in the pit and you will have to dig in dirty slurry. To remove water, you can use a pump (but only one specifically designed for pumping liquid with solid particles). You can dig another hole nearby to dump water into.

Step 5. Carefully inspect the bottom of the finished pit for branches, sharp stones and anything that could damage the film. We check the horizontality of the banks and, if necessary, level them.

Step 6. We dig a ditch 20 cm deep along the perimeter of the pond to fix the film. Then, using a rope, we measure the dimensions to determine the required size of the film, add 0.5 m on each side.

When conducting earthworks You may be faced with the problem of where to put the soil from the hole. Great option The solution to this problem is to raise the level of the site by evenly distributing the soil over the entire area of ​​the garden. Another option is possible - to use the land to build an alpine slide.

Stage 5. Lay the film

Step 1. Cover the bottom of the pit with a 15-centimeter sand “cushion” and compact it thoroughly.

Step 2. To protect the PVC film from damage, lay a layer of roofing felt (laying is done with an overlap).

Step 3. Cover the bowl of the reservoir with film. We do this freely, with a small margin along the banks. We press the ends of the film with bricks.

Note! To increase the elasticity of the film, it is advisable to lay it on a sunny day - under the influence of temperature, the film will stretch better and easily bend around all the protrusions of the pit.

Step 4. Fill the pond with water, but do not rush to cut off the excess film. It is necessary to wait approximately 24 hours for the PVC coating to take on its final volume. Then we cut the film, place its edges in a previously made trench, tuck it in and fill it with crushed stone.

Note! Often the width of the film is not enough for the whole pond. In such cases, several pieces are connected to each other by soldering.

Prices for different types of pond films

Pond film

Stage 6. Setting up a decorative pond

Step 1. In order to prevent the earth from falling into the bowl of the reservoir, we strengthen the edge. This can be done using:

• stone blocks;
• plastic pipes nailed to pegs.

We line the edge with natural stone (although you can also use brick, tile, and other materials), decorate it with a group of boulders or one large block.

Step 2. We lay out the bottom of the reservoir with crushed stones or stones. Then we place the pre-prepared plants in plastic containers and arrange them in clumps. It is advisable to use plants that saturate with oxygen (such as hornwort, water lily, swamp grass, etc.). After this, the pond can be completely filled with water.

Note! For correct selection hydrochemical preparations and a pump, it is necessary to measure the volume of the reservoir. To do this, when replacing water, take water meter readings before/after the filling procedure.

Step 3. We can make a small stream for permanent circulation of water - this will prevent the latter from stagnation. To do this, we raise the source slightly above the level of the reservoir and install it to supply water from a bowl. We are planning to decorate the mouth of the stream, for which we can use:

• stones;
• containers made of glass or clay;
• planting.

Step 4. We install at the bottom of the reservoir, stretch the pipes to the source and connect them to the cleaning filter. The latter must be pressure, that is, with reverse cleaning provided, since it is much more efficient than usual.

All, ready! All that remains is to regularly clean it from dirt and use special means, revitalizing the water and preventing the excessive spread of algae, as well as removing plants for the winter.

When building a pond, it is difficult to avoid some mistakes, especially in the compositional plan. For this reason, you need to be aware of common mistakes that gardeners make.

Plant growing zones	Plants
Coastal zone	Conifers, elderberries, ferns, meadowsweet, lilies of the valley, bergenia, etc.
Coastline	Lipstick, fluffy, marigold, speedwell, snake knotweed, forget-me-not, etc.
Plants for decorating shallow waters (up to a depth of 5-20 cm)	Calamus, reed, parasol, cattail, arrowhead, etc.
Deep-sea plants 30-150 cm	Water lily, water lily
Plants to decorate the surface of the water (floating on the surface of the water)	Duckweed, water paint, telores

Finally, having planned self-construction pond, practice first - make, for example, a miniature pond, and only then move on to larger compositions. This will significantly increase the chances of success.

Good luck with your work!

Video - Creating a pond at the dacha

The portable format of decorative compositions is increasingly popular. In large containers you can try out combinations for flower beds and flower beds, experiment with the selection of partners and play around with colors, shapes and exotic species. And even in small gardens, this growing option can become a real panacea. But the container form is suitable not only for plants. Ponds can also be made mobile. Small and easily transportable, mini ponds allow you to have your own water feature even on a terrace or in a city garden. Such reservoirs do not lose their charm, coolness and freshness, they allow you to grow luxurious plants and even place fountains. And they bring no less joy, requiring much more modest labor and care.

Advantages of mobile reservoirs

In small and easy-to-create mini-reservoirs, you can appreciate all the delightful beauty of the world of water bodies. Everything that garden ponds are associated with is not lost at all, even in a mini-format. Charming water lilies, ringing fountains, graceful grasses - all this is also typical for mobile ponds.

They have only recently been appreciated as a complete and very successful alternative to a conventional pond, intended not only for small areas and urban jungles. But mini-ponds are rapidly winning the hearts of more and more fans.

The main advantage of mini-reservoirs is not that they can be created without expense, money or time, but their versatility of use. With the help of a mobile alternative to the usual garden ponds, you can create your own oasis on the terrace, recreation area or even on the balcony - wherever your heart desires.

How can you make a portable pond?

A mobile pond is a pond in a container. And here the choice can be almost limitless. To build a portable pond in a mini format, you can use simple wooden barrels, stone troughs, large ceramic pots, original vessels, and even an old bathtub or plastic container.

The size of the container is the size of the future reservoir. And it can be really miniature or quite large. Here the choice is actually determined by only one thing - your desire to grow plants and capabilities. Most decorative option– ceramic pots coated with luxurious glazes and various imitations stone drinking bowls and troughs.

Natural restrictions impose purely practical requirements - the container must reliably hold water (it is better to test the container by filling it with water within 2-3 days before setting up the pond). If there are problems with retention, you can line the bottom and walls with a waterproofing film, thus eliminating corrosion of materials under the influence of water. Pot and bath drains can always be insulated and covered. But physical parameters also matter. Even the smallest water gardens are placed in containers whose width exceeds their height.

Do not forget that any container can always be made better and more attractive. Simple plastic vats can be easily wrapped in reed mats, painted in bright colors, or other pot decorating techniques can be used. You can always place pots with summer flowers next to the water garden, which when high humidity air will bloom even more beautifully.

Selecting conditions for mobile reservoirs

The first and foremost thing you should think about is the placement of your portable pond. Mini-ponds, like regular ponds, are best placed in bright and sunny places. Despite their small sizes and ease of control over the state of the water; even ponds in pots should not be placed in heavy shade.

The second aspect of site selection is sustainability. Your mini-reservoir is still a closed and stable ecosystem that must be protected in every possible way from any stress. Plants, and the container itself, must be securely installed on flat surface or stand. Take care of protection from precipitation, winds, and the influence of large plants in the neighborhood.

Plants for decorating mobile ponds

As in the design of any reservoir, in the arrangement of mobile ponds the main task- create a natural, natural, touchingly wild picture. Plants are selected so that they create a landscape and expressive composition. To design mini-reservoirs, you can use a variety of plants - from traditional inhabitants of deep water to swamp crops.

The only limitation is their number. You cannot plant many different crops in a mini-reservoir. One star or two or three well-combined plants will create a small oasis, but more plants will not get along in a cramped area.

Pontederia, calamus, smooth and multi-colored irises are perfect for decorating mobile ponds from the water line to a depth of 40 cm. dwarf varieties cattail and reed Tabernemontana, variegated calamus. The swamp forget-me-not and marigold always look touching. The arrowhead reveals the silhouettes of its leaves delightfully brightly, which in an ordinary pond would not look so perfect. And the variegated beauty Houttuynia will perfectly cope with the task of placing modern accents.

At a depth of up to 10 cm, you can also place baskets with pennyroyal, sword-leaved rush, foliage, and ponytail. Water lettuce looks charming in portable reservoirs - Pistia laminata, forming velvety rosettes, as well as the fleshy leaves of the water hyacinth Eichornia or the still exotic Azolla Mexicana with its floating carpet of emerald-colored leaves.

But most often, beautiful dwarf water lilies are chosen for landscaping mini-reservoirs, which will happily settle at a depth of up to 40 cm. Today you can choose varieties not only with flowers of a wide variety of colors, but also with a wide variety of leaves. Water lilies can compete in beauty with other traditional inhabitants of deep water - salvinia and water hyacinth, as well as underwater beauties: swamp grass, dwarf water lily, water star and hornwort. They not only enliven the surface of the water and decorate it with their translucent leaves, but also reveal themselves from a completely new side in such portable troughs.

When choosing plants for your mobile pond, immediately decide what effect you want to achieve. Think about what is closer and dearer to you - luxurious floating flowers or narrow leaves of cereals, which pictures of landscaping ponds seduce you most. And how do you want to enjoy the beauty of the water garden, will you relax near it, etc. Never forget that for any water body, even the smallest portable one, the planting depth rules are not violated. The recommended depth for each plant must be strictly observed.

Planting - not in the soil

Planting plants in a mini-pond is radically different from most ordinary ponds. If there it is better to plant only deep-water and shallow-water crops and plants that need to restrain their aggressive nature in nets, then for a mini-reservoir all plants, without exception, are planted in special baskets. And they do this for three reasons:

1. prevent rapid filling of the container;
2. make cleaning easier;
3. allow you to easily change the composition, carry out separation procedures, healing, etc.

True, baskets with planted aquatic crops are not simply installed in a container for a reservoir, but they use one not at all tricky technique - they make an embankment of stones (pebbles, stone chips) or use flat concrete tiles, bricks for adjusting the height of the bottom. They will not only hold the basket, but will also allow you to strictly control the depth of immersion.

Planting the plants themselves is a simple matter and can be solved with the help of pebbles and pond substrate:

1. the plant is removed from the pot in which it grew or was purchased and placed in a basket;
2. the soil is gently squeezed, filling the voids;
3. lay a thick layer of pebbles on the ground, which will prevent the soil from eroding;
4. water the plant thoroughly and wait for most of the water to drain;
5. carefully lower the basket with aquatic inhabitants into the water, controlling and adjusting the placement depth.

If you are setting up such a water garden in a large bathtub or vat, then planting can be done using another technology - filling the bottom of the container with soil and imitating a full-fledged pond:

• a thin layer of clay is poured onto the bottom of the container;
• add pond soil on top and lightly mix it with clay (you can use sand with mixed crushed stone instead of a soil mixture as soil);
• plants are planted in baskets and installed in the soil;
• slowly fill the container with water.

Fountains and their installation

Mini-reservoirs today are perhaps the main way to install so-called water fun in the garden. If special communications need to be laid in ponds for this, then mobile reservoirs allow you to get by with minimal construction work.

Installing such fountains, fontanelles, cascades, grooves in the Japanese or Chinese style is a simple matter and does not require any special skills. A touching figurine, a broken jug, a funny frog, a nymph or a fairy-tale character, a themed decorative piece with water breaking and flowing down grooves and bowls - for mini-reservoirs the choice of fountains and water fun is very large.

Installing a fountain in mobile ponds involves only a few procedures:

1. The construction of a base is a stand or base, which can be concrete slabs or stones with a hole in the center through which a submersible hose can be pulled. Today, such bases are often sold together with a fountain, but you can find them separately or build a wide variety of improvised bases.
2. Installation submersible pump. It is placed in a container according to the manufacturer's instructions, passing connecting hose into the hole in the base.
3. Installation of decorative surface part.
4. Connection. The hose is carefully connected to the nozzle or figurine at the top of the fountain, and the sprinkler itself is installed on the base, and decorative elements are fixed.

Caring for mobile ponds

Taking care of mini-reservoirs is much easier than taking care of their larger “brothers” planted in the garden. All procedures will not take any effort or time, and will not require so much energy and resources. The small size of the reservoir and the ease of its relocation opens up completely new perspectives.

Mandatory procedures for mobile reservoirs include:

• removal of algae and other unwanted vegetation;
• control of overgrown floating and underwater plants;
• removal of fallen leaves or other plant debris;
• adding evaporating water.

The biggest effort will require preparation for winter. Small ponds can be transported directly with the plants to a cold, frost-free room for wintering. But large mini-reservoirs will have to be drained, the plants moved to smaller containers for the winter or taken to a pond at greater depths. Don’t forget to clean the container and decorative elements before wintering, because in the spring there are already so many gardening chores.