I built a pond. Here's how it evolved.

I built a pond. Here's how it evolved.

In March of 2025 I had been tinkering with some solar-powered water pumps in the garden. I placed one pump into a glass bowl from an old halogen cooker, and filled it with water. I ran tubing from the pump up to the spout of a teapot to pour the water back into the bowl.

Before I knew it, I had my first attempt at creating a miniature water feature.

Later, I dug a small hole in a section of the grass by the patio, and placed the bowl into it. I poured a load of gravel onto the surrounding ground, and planted some small cacti.

After getting a good deal on a pre-owned three-tier fountain, I placed it at the back to add some height to the area. I also placed some solar-powered spotlights to light the fountain up at night.

So, this former dead zone of the garden had become a bird-bath-sized miniature oasis. But it still had a long way to go before it became the destination for the local foxes, squirrels, cats, toads and other wildlife that it is today.

It was time to go bigger.

In May, I picked up a larger, 100 liter moulded Bermuda Sands pond liner and a basket of aquatic plants such as water mint, marsh marigold and iris.

With some help, I dug out the area ready for the new liner to drop into, after clearing all of the gravel and other stones away to re-use for the upgraded space.

There were a lot of roots to cut through.

I dropped the liner in and, after levelling it and filling in the sides with dirt, called it a day.

Over the next couple of days, I put in the plants, put the lights back down, replaced the gravel, got the fountain in place, and filled the liner up with water. I used some spare broken slabs to cover the edge of the liner on one side.

By July, I had placed a low concrete block border around the whole area, and a no-dig planter along the back of the pond. I transplanted some iris into this planter, allowing its tall leaves to grow into a lush backdrop to the whole area.

I also planted a potato there, for good measure.

A gravel beach was added to slope into the water from the far short end of the pond, creating a shallow area for smaller critters.

The pond has become a popular spot for all sorts of wildlife. Robins and blackbirds have bathed in it, and all the local foxes, squirrels, cats and other creatures have deemed it the place to be.