How to create the perfect pond

WATER is one of the most appealing elements in any well cared-for garden.

Not only can it be used to create a cool and mystical atmosphere, but also to add movement and sound and attract wildlife.

Lush planting and colourful blooms are the key ingredients to making what could otherwise be seen as a dark muddy hole in the ground into a sparkling ornamental pond that’s relished by friends and family.

They give the pond colour and texture and cleverly balance the gasses and minerals released by floating algae and fish which keeps the water crystal clear and reflective.

Must-have plants are the featheryleaved water milfoil and the seaweedlike curled goldfish weed or Canadian pondweed, which pump out oxygen.

Both plants produce flowers just above the water in early summer – and you need to plant plenty if you are to banish algae. Water milfoil is ideal for shallow ponds, while Canadian pondweed spreads rapidly and tolerates cloudy or shady water better than any other oxygenator.

No pond is complete without water lilies. Plant them in the deepest part of the pond in individual aquatic baskets, covering the top of the soil with stones to stop it washing out of the pots and muddying the water.

If you’ve been clever and built your pond with a permanently damp fringe of boggy soil for moisture-lovers, plant Japanese water iris, the white and blue

Iris laevigata Colchesterii and the flowering rush, or Butomis umbellatus, which produces inverted umbrellas of rose-pink flowers in summer.

Create boggy borders by lining the planting area with a perforated liner to grow moisture-loving plants such as candelabra primulas and hostas.

At this time of year you’ll find that in a well-planted pond, fish cavort, frogs plop, birds drink and shimmering dragon and damselflies dart around it, making it one of the most attractive features of the garden. So don’t forget to position a bench nearby.

And to extend your enjoyment of your pond, make it sparkle after dark by installing some creatively placed lighting.

Underwater lighting or floating solar lights will create a soft but dramatic effect, especially when used in conjunction with a simple fountain.

Consider installing a pond mister, too. This device will create an eerie mist that gives off rainbow effects.