You've decided you want to build a pond, but what next? In this series of blog posts we take a look at the various things you need to take into consideration when planning a pond. Firstly, how do you want the pond to look? 

Research
The best advised that can be given to a prospective pond owner is to research and plan your pond fully. If you are looking to build a pond then no doubt you will already have a few ideas as to the desired style and the position within your garden, but you should still keep an open mind. A pond is quite undertaking, and it#s best to make sure you are happy with your choices before you start building.

Ideas and Inspiration

You can find inspiration from almost anywhere, but here are a few ideas to get you started - 

Stately homes
Although the features in many of these grounds are spectacular, and not everyone can afford to incorporate some of the grander designs, they can still serve as an inspiration and will definitely further your passion for water gardening. 

Garden clubs and associations
Here you're sure to find many members who have an interest in pond keeping. Lots of these clubs frequently arrange trips to locations you may otherwise not have the opportunity to visit. These groups can be found easily on the internet or in local papers and magazines.

Pond keeping friends and acquaintances
People love talking about their hobbies, so should be more than happy for you to have a look and draw ideas from their pond set-ups and should be able give you relevant advice from their experiences of pond building and maintenance.

Pictures on the internet (or books/magazines)
Another good source and are easily attainable.

Mother Nature
The greatest inspirations can be found in Mother Nature, especially if your desired design is for a more informal finish. Observing the location of plant growth around a scenic pond or examining how rocks are positioned in a stream, with the water naturally cascading over will give you a good insight for establishing these concepts within your own garden.

It may be worth drawing up a number of designs for your pond and mulling over the different features, whittling the range of ideas down until you are happy with the finished plan.

Materials

The next planning step is to look at the materials and products available. There are many construction and filtration products on hand. If you use the wrong materials it can be tricky and expensive to alter or repair. If you are relatively sure of the final design of the pond you can calculate the quantities and sizes of items such as pebbles or liners. This can then be used to compare the prices of a number of different materials which can be used for a particular job, and to approximate a total cost for the build. At Bradshaws Direct any of our advisors will be happy to discuss your requirements for materials, and work out anything from how much liner you require to what filtration system you need. Prefer to speak to someone face to face? Click here for directions to the Bradshaws Direct Retail Outlet

Methods

For many prospective water gardeners the idea of actually building the pond is exciting, for others it may seem a little daunting. There are many methods which may need employing, some needing specific and practiced techniques, others requiring more common sense.It is usually helpful to try to write a step-by-step plan for the pond's construction and analyse each stage of the build to identify which methods are to be used. It may be that you need to contact a tradesperson for a specific job or research the techniques yourself.

Constructing a pond can be hard work and time-consuming, but it should also be a captivating project and an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Want to know more? Check out our other blog posts here.