If you are building a natural pool to encourage insects and animals, make sure they are able to get in and out easily - incorporate shallow, sloping sides for them to use.



To maintain clear water without sophisticated filtration systems, a block of barley straw attached to a rope or you can fill an old pair of tights with the straw. For a short period the straw will float, but then gradually sink. The rope will aid the straws removal when it is finished. Adding floating plants such as water lilies and duckweed will shade out enough sunlight and those along with plenty of oxygenating plants will keep the pond water crystal clear.

Do not over-stock a pond with fish allow them space to grow. A crowded environment results in stressed fish with serious health problems, which will greatly reducing their life span.

New water plants often contain tiny duckweed plants, which, once in situ, can multiply at an alarming rate. If you don't wont your pond covered with this floating plant, rinse all new plants under the tap before putting them into the pond.

Always line planting baskets to help keep soil around the roots. A bit of sackcloth does the job well.

Use a stout, twiggy, stick to remove blanket weed from a pond. Push the stick into the water and twist, the fibrous weed will wrap around the stick and can then be pulled out. Make your own fishnets from pieces of net curtain. Cut the material to double the required size. Fold in half and sow along the two seams. Make a hem at the top so that a piece of strong wire can be fed through forming a hoop. Secure the wire to a stout bamboo cane or broom stave.

Fountains: Fountains make a wonderful addition to a formal pool, they introduce water surface movement, and the gentle fall of the water as it splashes down into the silent waters inspires calmness, serenity, and tranquillity to the overall concept of a water feature. However, fountains are not recommended in ponds where water lilies are growing, they dislike the disturbance of the water created by a fountain. Fountainheads may be installed in an existing pond, yet a pond is not necessary for the creation of a fountain. Almost any water-holding container will accommodate the required essentials.

The height of the throw is dependent upon the capacity of the pump. The easiest type of fountain unit to install is the self-contained submersible, electrically operated pump. Fountainheads should be installed slightly above the surface of the water to achieve the full effect of the spray pattern. Normally pumps will throw a fountain pattern to a height of around 6-ft (1.8m) which can be adjusted by a built-in flow regulator. At this height the approximate spread of the fall would be in a radius of 4-ft (1.2m), this should be taken into account when positioning the fountain in the pond. A variety of heads are normally available for attachment to the pump.