Many garden owners have a small or large pond in their garden. This can be wonderfully expanded with a babbling brook, which does not even need a steep gradient. A height difference of between three and five centimeters per meter is perfectly sufficient to let the brook flow gently through the garden. Read what you should pay particular attention to when planning and building the stream.

A stream needs a sufficient slope

What to look out for when planning

Before you grab your spade and pond liner, you must first carefully plan the future course of the stream. Perhaps you already have an idea of what the brook should look like: length, width, course and planting of the brook bed are decisive for the natural or rather non-natural overall impression. For example, the following aspects should be considered when planning the course of a stream:

  • A meandering, winding stream looks more natural.
  • A dead-straight stream is more for well-planned, "artificial" gardens
  • Ideally, the stream is 30 to 60 centimeters wide and 20 to 30 centimeters deep.
  • A length of between six and ten meters is ideal.
  • The stream can spring from an (artificial) source stone and flows into the garden pond.
  • If the garden has a steep slope, barrages should be installed.

In order to save water, you should position the stream in partial or light shade if possible, since a lot of water evaporates in full sun. A completely shady location is also a disadvantage, since the selection of suitable plants for planting along the bank is very limited here.

Excavate the course of the stream and fix the subsoil

It is best to first draw a plan of your stream on a piece of paper and measure the specific dimensions. Finally, transfer the sketch to the garden with the help of a cord - this shows the desired position and the course of the stream. Now you can start digging the stream:

  • Use a string/rope to indicate the position and course of the stream.
  • Dig out the creek bed with the spade.
  • Pay attention to an even depth and width.
  • If the stream bed is deeper on one side than on the other, the water accumulates here.
  • Add another five to ten centimeters for the subsurface to the desired depth.

The subsoil of the creek bed must be waterproofed so that the precious water does not simply seep into the ground. You have three options for this:

  • Lining the creek bed with pond liner: very flexible solution, but the liner has to be weighed down with stones or similar
  • Lining the creek bed with plastic trays: practical, but inflexible and often looks artificial
  • Pouring the creek bed with concrete: durable, reliable, but difficult to dismantle or correct

If you decide to use pond liner, plan 25 centimeters more liner on each side than is actually required for the stream: The material is used to protect against leakage, and the liner must not slip into the stream.

How to build a stream

Once the planning is done, you can now make the desired stream itself:

  • Seal the creek bed, either with foil, plastic shells or a concrete foundation.
  • Pond liner must be laid out wrinkle-free and weighed down with blunt stones.
  • You should also not forget the capillary barrier.
  • If using foil, tuck the ends over the edge.
  • You can later hide them under gravel, stones and plants.

Why the pump is so important

The pump is also essential for the construction of the stream, without which the water will not flow. The pump - with a capacity of at least 40 liters per minute depending on the slope - is positioned in the garden pond. However, do not place it directly on the bottom, otherwise mud will be sucked in and clog the pump. However, a water depth of around 80 centimeters or more makes sense so that the device does not freeze to pieces in winter. Alternatively, you can of course also remove them in the cold season. If you have a swimming or fish pond, you can install an integrated pump with a pond filter that keeps the water clean. The necessary water hoses run either above or below ground along the banks of the stream. Underground hoses can be hidden well, but have to be dug up again and again for any repair work.

note slope

The gradient of the stream is ideally between two and five percent. If it is lower, the water in the stream cannot flow, if it is more, the water will move too quickly and, especially after heavy rain, can sweep away both stones and plants on a slope, built-in barrages help to slow down the water speed. You also have the advantage that the pump can be switched off temporarily due to the accumulated water, thus saving you electricity.

tips

For a natural planting of the bank area, choose native plants that tolerate moisture well. These include, for example, ferns and flowering plants such as meadow knotweed, irises, jester flowers and spiderworts.

Category:

Garden design