MAKE A SPLASH
A natural swimming pond is aesthetically pleasing, wildlife friendly and a refreshing way to cool off in summer. Now’s the time to take the plunge
While we all relish the thought of a refreshing dip in crystal clear water on a hot day, a traditional swimming pool with chlorine-treated water doesn’t always appeal. In contrast, a natural swimming pond blends easily into the garden, provides a habitat for wildlife and because it doesn’t use chemicals to keep the water clear, is an environmentally friendly choice, too.
If you’ve ever been tempted to install your own swimming pool, but been put o by the aesthetics of a conventional pool and the environmental cost of the chemicals required to keep their water clear, choosing a natural swimming pond instead could be the perfect solution. As Tim Evans of Gartenart, one of the UK’s leading providers of natural swimming ponds and pools says: “They are one of the very best ways to make the most of an English summer, its lovely weather and time spent in the garden.”
The two biggest advantages of choosing a natural swimming pond over a conventional swimming pool are firstly the benefits it’ll bring for wildlife – even though you swim in them, these ponds are as valuable for garden wildlife as a ‘normal’ pond – and then its natural aesthetic, which makes them so easy to integrate into a garden setting, unlike the turquoise rectangle of a traditional swimming pool. They can attract birds, mammals, frogs and newts, dragon and damselflies, as well as pollinating insects drawn to their surrounding planting, all of which will quickly establish your swimming pond as a hub for wildlife.
Essentially, a swimming pond is simply a low-nutrient pond, where micro
organisms and plants work to keep the water clear instead of the gallons of chlorine a conventional swimming pool requires. Two zones are created: one is the regeneration area, consisting of a filter of shingle and water plants through which the water is pumped, so the second zone is kept crystal clear for swimming.
Unlike a traditional swimming pool, which needs constant attention to keep the water clear, swimming ponds need little maintenance. Occasionally emptying the skimmer and scooping out leaves is usually all that’s required, while an annual visit from Gartenart’s maintenance team will ensure the pump and filtration equipment are working as they should.
First Gartenart will visit your garden to get a feeling for its character and the requirements of your pond’s proposed site, such as the ground conditions, levels and other important considerations. Next, you’ll be provided with a detailed report that estimates the costs and options for your project. This is the basis for the final design, should you decide to go ahead. Detailed drawings are then produced, along with full specifications and costs, and then construction can begin.
This normally takes seven to ten weeks, depending on the pond’s size and complexity. The team building your pond will always include Gartenart’s specialists, who will start by excavating the pond and then install edging, drainage and the liner. The filtration system is installed next, followed by other features, such as decking or jetties, steps or ladders, stepping stones and rocks, for jumping in from the side. Finally, the pond is filled with water, and, of course, it’s planted.
It’s the planting that really ensures a swimming pond fits so naturally into its setting, often looking as if it has always been there. “Swimming ponds work very well in the setting of an annual or perennial meadow,” says Tim, “and if you want something that’s more in keeping with a wildlife garden or a cottage garden, then they are the perfect choice.”
That said, Gartenart can also create straight-edged, formal swimming pools using the same natural filtration system if that’s more suitable for your garden. They can convert traditional swimming pools, and existing lakes or ponds into swimming ponds, too. Open days are arranged each year so you can see a swimming pond up close, and take a dip.
Many Gartenart customers are amazed by the water’s clarity and also by how much they use their swimming ponds – often from May through to autumn. And they’re invariably astonished by how special freshwater swimming is, compared to salty sea water or a chlorinated swimming pool. “It’s like wild swimming, but in the privacy of your garden,” as one customer put it. Or, as another described it: “Like swimming through silk.”
Gartenart, tel: +44 (0)20 7183 3333; gartenart.co.uk