The lingering cool, damp weather has many gardeners frustrated. 
Planting 
has been delayed and some plants that were put in the ground are 
suffering from too much water and too little sunshine. About the only 
plants that are thriving are the pond plants.
Water gardens and small water features such as waterfalls or fountains 
have become increasingly popular. New landscape designs often include 
some type of water garden or pond. And many new homeowners inherit a 
pond from the previous owners.
Garden rooms or backyard retreats are a popular trend with the water 
garden adding peaceful sounds and movement. The water garden attracts 
interesting wildlife such as birds and frogs. And with the addition of 
a 
few goldfish or koi you can create a small backyard habitat.
Building a pond is not terribly difficult. It does involve some labor. 
The most important thing is a good plan. In the beginning decide 
whether 
or not you want to include a waterfall or stream. Do you want to have 
fish or just a water garden with plants? Koi can start out as a small 
3-4 inch fish and within a few years become as big as your forearm. The 
pond should be large enough to accommodate that growth.
Choose a location that you can view from frequently used rooms or near 
a 
deck or patio. A water garden placed near the front entrance to the 
house is also attractive. The pond is going to need at least six hours 
of sunlight a day. Some shade will help in keeping algae to a minimum. 
But keep in mind that placing a pond under a large tree also creates 
some problems. Tree roots make digging difficult and falling leaves can 
clog filters and leave unwanted decomposing debris on the bottom of the 
pond.
Areas that are low spots where water collects after heavy rain are not 
the place to put a pond. Run-off will interfere with the pond balance. 
Mud, fertilizer and pesticide residues can all collect in a pond set in 
a low spot. Make sure the site has easy access to a garden hose and 
electrical line.
Most experienced pond owners will advise to make the pond larger than 
you think you will need. Those who started small almost always decide 
to 
start over or enlarge their pond after a couple of years. The larger 
pond is easier to maintain, easier to achieve a natural balance of 
plants, fish and good water quality. Try to build a pond that will hold 
at least 500 gallons of water or more, especially if you plan to keep 
fish.
The pond should be at least 18 inches deep at its deepest point- 24 
inches for keeping fish. Including level shelves at shallower depths of 
8 and 12 inches will give you a place to plant various types of aquatic 
plants. These can be planted directly in the pond, as it is being 
constructed or added later in pots.
The easiest way to lay out the pond design is to use garden hose. Lay 
the hose on the ground to determine the shape. Once the design is 
decided on mark it with wooden stakes or marking paint. Before you 
purchase a liner, dig the hole. Often the initial plan will need to be 
changed –tree roots, shale or rocks making the original design 
impossible. Flexible liner material, which is sold by the square-foot, 
is recommended rather than the pre-formed hard shells. In this area the 
winter freeze and thaw cycle can cause a hard liner to heave and 
buckle. 
Also, digging a hole to the exact shape of that liner is very 
difficult- 
impossible if you encounter any shale.
Liner size is calculated from the length and width of the excavated 
hole. The length is the overall length plus twice the depth plus two 
feet overlap. Use the same formula to figure out the width. Liner 
material comes with at least a 20-year warranty. Line the hole with a 
layer of sand or wet newspaper to protect the liner from sharp stones.
Unlike a natural pond, the backyard water garden is a closed system. To 
maintain a healthy pond environment we need a little help. Most of the 
equipment is similar to that used to maintain a swimming pool. A pump 
for moving water and a filter system to remove debris and pollutants 
should be included in a good design. Water conditioners are added to 
remove chlorine and heavy metals before adding fish. A garden center 
with a good pond department will be able to advise you in selecting all 
the right equipment for your unique design.

Beth Nardone, botanist, is a resident of Hillsborough and is the 
Nursery 
Manager at the Belle Mead Co-Op. Questions and comments can be sent to 
bethtanical@patmedia.net