A garden pond does not only draw its charm from its water content. The bank is at least as effective for the overall aesthetic impression. It is amazing how a pond can change its character based on the design of its border.
Ponds can be designed with stones or plants around the edges
Design the pond border depending on the type of pond
Of course, before the question of how to design a pond border, there is always the question of the type of pond. Ultimately, purely functional prerequisites result from whether you create the pond yourself as a liner or clay pool or use a prefabricated pool.
prefab pond
With a prefabricated pond, you only have limited options, as the pond is hermetically sealed at the edge and there is no transition zone with moist bank substrate. A clear distinction must be made here between the shallow water zone planting and the outer edge design. The advantage: When planting outdoors, you are relatively free in your choice of plants. In theory, flowering plants can also be cultivated here without a real connection to water. However, it is unfavorable to completely surround it with a bed of earth, because this can result in too much nutrient-rich substrate getting into the pond water.
The usually small, cute character of a prefabricated pond can be charmingly underlined with large, shapely stones, standing figures and decorative objects such as pinwheels.
natural pond
In the case of a natural pond, it is advisable to design the pond edge not only according to aesthetic but also to biofunctional aspects. Because in the marshy shore zone, numerous nutrient-draining plants can make a good contribution to keeping the pond water clean. Very effective in this regard are for example:
- Cattails
- calamus
- fern
These tall grasses or ferns ensure a very natural and mysterious pond appearance and also provide shelter for numerous animal species.
If you want something more insightful, you can also use a border with a low natural stone wall. However, this looks less natural and also puts a strain on the pond liner material in the long run. A compromise would be to enclose only part of the pond border with such a wall and to openly plant the rest.
The pond gets a very cheerful and colorful character from the colorful flowers on the bank. For example, the following color beauties are ideal for the swamp zone:
- water iris
- Swamp Forget-Me-Nots
- marsh marigold
- Marsh iris
- loosestrife
Formal Ponds
Anyone who places less value on a natural appearance and water system and has a weakness for architecturally defined forms will perhaps prefer a linear slab edging when designing their pond edge. As a result, a pond radiates a cool elegance and is also directly accessible, for example to observe colorfully shimmering fish or to cool off your feet. A prerequisite for such a closed pond border is of course an effective technical filter pump system.
Large, formally present spear figures also go very well with such a straight-lined plateau edge. With their figural bodies and the curved beam movement, they set an attractive structural contrast to the strict form of the straight edge of the plate and the geometrically defined water surface.
Neatly maintained pots with topiary plants such as boxwood or dwarf privet at the corners of the slab edging also emphasize the elegant, stately style of such a shaped pond.