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How to make a mini-pond
- BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Published: Wednesday, 3 April 2019 at 12:13 pm
A mini-pond can bring interest and wildlife to your garden. We show you how to make one.
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Water adds a new dimension to any garden and our pond-in-a-pot is the ideal place to grow miniature waterlilies and other small aquatic plants. This idea is quick and easy to make and requires minimal care. The larger the container, the more impressive the display, although it's best to limit yourself to one or two well-chosen types of plant. Use too many and your pond will quickly become cluttered.
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Our mini pond shopping list
You might already have what you need to get started on making your mini pond. If you don't, we've done the hard work for you with our handy shopping list.
- Keter Sherwood Deck Box | from £49.99 at J D Williams
- Geocel The Works Pro Sealant And Adhesive Black 290ml | from £13.69 at Screwfix
- Marshalls Red Perforated Engineering Brick - 215 x 100 x 65mm | from £0.82 at Wickes
- Ubbink Medium Square Planting Baskets (23 x 15cm, 3 for 2) | from £5.97 at pondkeeper.co.uk
- Velda Aquatic Compost 10L | from £11.35 at Amazon
- Flowering pond plants | 6 × 9cm Pots | from £39.99 at Primrose
- Water Violet-(Hottonia palustris) | from £11.50 at Plants for Ponds
- MYRIOPHYLLUM SPICATUM (Spiked Milfoil) | from £8.50 at WatersideNursery
- Tarmac 10mm Gravel Pea Shingle - Major Bag | from £4.00 at Wickes
You Will Need
- Tin bath, or other large container
- Waterproof sealant
- Bricks (six)
- Medium planting baskets (three)
- Aquatic compost (4l)
- Assorted aquatic plants (six)
- Oxygenating plants (two)
- Washed pea gravel
- Large feature stone, a little taller than the height of the container
Step 1
Pond in a pot - adding bricks to the pot
Thoroughly clean the tin bath or your chosen container and seal any drainage holes with silicone. Place the bricks around the container's edges, ready to raise the plants to the right level. If you're using a shallower container than our tin bath, you may not need the bricks.
Step 2
Pond in a pot - planting aquatic plants
Knock the aquatic plants from their pots. Put a layer of aquatic compost in the bottom of the planting basket and position the plants. Each basket should accommodate two or three plants.
Step 3
Pond in a pot - adding gravel to the surface of each pot
Fill in around the roots with more compost, firming as you go, then water thoroughly to settle the compost. Top it off with a layer of pea gravel across the surface. Plant each of the baskets this way.
Step 4
Pond in a pot - lowering the baskets into the water
Fill the container two-thirds with water. Carefully lower the baskets into the water, standing them on the bricks. If you're viewing the pond from one direction, place the taller plants at the back; if viewing it from all sides, place in the centre.
Step 5
Pond in a pot - topping up the pond with water
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When you're happy with the arrangement of the plants, top up the level of the water to around 2cm - 3cm below the rim of the container. Adding a stone to the pond that just breaks the surface of the water gives birds a landing platform from which to take a drink.
Add a couple of oxygenating plants to help aerate the pond and limit algal growth.
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