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Let The Doctor Solve Your.
DIY Dilemmas: This Week: ‘Spring' into Action! |
Chill Out.
As most of us have a certain amount of stress in our daily lives. Let me now paint you a lovely mental picture of the perfect solution. Imagine having your own private Oasis to escape too right in your own back garden. Just think about all those long hot summer evenings sitting on your patio with the sound through the garden of running water. You would find quite evocative for stirring at all your heavenly senses. Only to be complemented by the lovely aroma of flowers in full bloom.
In this issue Kevin Farrelly the DIY Doctor will look at another great garden project, and if completed the right way will add valve to your home. He will break this project into two parts and subdivide under separate headings. This type of format offers you and your particular project flexibility as you go step by step through each separate heading depending on which type of garden pond you decide to install.
Benefits
The addition of a water pond in your back garden will become the major focal point for all your patio conservation. Having the addition of a water pond in your back garden will also reap rewards for birds, butterflies, frogs, fish, and your family. Most garden ponds are typically small, sometimes no larger than 3 to 4 feet in diameter. Water is very effective in drawing wildlife into your back garden. It is also a natural, relaxing, and a very scenic addition that will provide interest and enjoyment.
Pond Location
Careful consideration must be given to the location of a water pond what vantage point it is given to be viewed from a decking or patio area. It's very important to have it blend in with the gardens natural surroundings. Most aquatic plants will grow better in full sun. Also consider a position where you can hear and enjoy the sound of water without straining.
Time to Complete Job
By installing a water pond to your back garden is one of the cheapest ways of giving your garden a complete new look. Although it can take a bit of hard work when this project is completed, the results can be dramatic and last for years. The time-table for a project like this should only take a weekend, weather permitting.
Tip
There will be less maintenance if your pond is not installed under trees or large hedges.
Small Space
If you do not have a big back garden do not despair in part II of this feature I will present a solution for this particular problem. Believe me my solution will provide as many of the same benefits as the water pond with liner.
Tools and Safety Protection
This is a list of the tools required to carry out this project. You may require some or all of the following: a wheel barrow, pick, garden spade/shovel, garden rake, garden hose, and bucket. Other hand tools required may include: a hammer, stanley knife, measuring tape, and. I would personally recommend also the use of protective safety items as follows: overalls, dust mask, goggles, ear protection and gloves.
Water Pond Installation Using Liner:
Step one once you have decide on the location of your garden pond. Now with the aid of a garden hose or rope, lay out the shape of your pond on the ground. If you are quite happy with your chosen shape, start the digging. Remember to put your topsoil into a wheel barrow or store in an area so it can re-use to landscape around your pond or other parts of the garden.
Step two is to plan for part of your pond being at least 18 to 24 inches deep. The deeper the water pond allows for a greater diversity of plants and fish to live in. I would recommend digging tiers around the inside of the pond at various depths on which you may later place pots of different aquatic type water plants. Always make your tiers about 12 inches wide to accommodate the inclusion of pots.
Step three it is important at this stage to carry out a thorough inspection looking and removing all rocks and any sharp objects from the excavated area. This will insure that you will have no punctures or holes in the plastic pond liner, add now about a one-inch layer of damp sand on the bottom and sides of the excavated area.
Step four take the pond liner spread it over the entire excavated area. Ease it gently into the hole Let it sag gently in the hole. To help to hold the pond liner in place use building bricks place them around the edge of liner to hold same in place.
Step five this is the fun part slowly start by filling the pond with water using the garden hose. As the pond begins to fill with water the weight of the water will help smooth out the pond liner. At this point now slowly start removing the building bricks that you placed earlier on the edges of the pond liner. You will see the pond liner starting to conform to the edges of the excavated area. Finally slowly smooth out all remaining wrinkles left in the liner.
Landscaping.
At this stage it is vitally important to raise the topsoil soil around the pond the reason for this is that all excess water will flow away from the pond and not into it. The addition of landscaping around your pond will help to provide a natural habitat for birds and general wildlife.
Tip.
I would recommend you now leave the pond for a few days before adding fish and plants. This allows chlorine to evaporate from the water and the pond to settle.
Pump
If you plan to use a pump to re-circulate water, use a filter, or maybe lighting for the area, make sure you provide the proper electrical cable for this installation. Always remember to unplug the water pump when cleaning the pump filter.
Child Safety.
Child safety is paramount around a garden pond make sure that small children are never ever left unattended around the water pond. This same advice will also apply to your pets.
Happy gardening!
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