How to... plant a pond

LUSH planting and colourful blooms are the key ingredients when transforming a dark muddy hole in the ground into a sparkling ornamental pond.

They will give your pond colour and texture and cleverly balance the gasses and minerals released by floating algae.

That way, the water will stay clear and reflective.

Floating ideas

Oxygenators such as feathery leaved water milfoil and Canadian pondweed are the lungs of the pond and are vital for keeping the water crystal clear.

In a little pond, you will need at least 15 bunches – simply pot up a bunch or two in small baskets and position them 90cm apart on the pond floor.

When potting up aquatics in individual baskets, cover the top of the soil with a good layer of pea gravel. That will help prevent the potting soil washing out of the pots and polluting and muddying the water.

Dig deep

To position deep-water aquatics and water lilies in the centre of the pond, thread either side of a basket with nylon string. Then, with the help of a friend, use it to lower the basket into place. Stems and leaves will find their own way up to the surface of the water.

Splash of colour

Position baskets of marginal aquatics, such as the marsh marigold and beautiful Japanese water iris.

Put shelves or brick plinths around the edge of the pool so they sit just below the pond rim.

You can plant moisture-loving plants such as hostas and Candelabra primula, in nearby borders so the pond melts into the garden without any seams.