Easy DIY Tips to Spruce Up your Garden Pond

Photo by Matt Briney on Unsplash

If you’ve had your pond for a while and are looking at ways to spruce it up, don’t panic, it needn’t become a nightmare task. There are many simple changes you can make to your outside water space which will really enhance your garden without too much difficulty.

Here are a number of ways you can update and improve your pond easily, yourself:

Clean the pond

It’s very easy for ponds to become overgrown with algae and pond weed very quickly so cleaning out your pond will help to make it a better environment for your plants and pond creatures, as well as improving the way it looks.

Use a net to remove algae and plant weed from the surface of the water but you might need to get in deeper to remove established weeds from the root. It will be worth the effort to improve the water quality in your pond.

Oxygenate your Pond

Once your pond is clean of weeds and algae, it can really help to buy oxygenating plants which will again improve the quality of the water in your pond, making it a nicer place to live for your fish and plants. You can also add flora which absorbs nitrogen, helping to hinder algae growth naturally – talk to your local garden centre for advice on which plants to choose.

Give your pond surround a makeover

Scour garden centres or natural places for materials which you could use around your pond to enhance how it blends into your garden. Natural rocks to make a rock garden, or driftwood to create a beach theme, could really change the look and feel of your pond quite quickly. Look at other ponds in magazines or at the garden centre to get ideas for the design. Check out these garden pond supplies and equipment from Aquacadabra for ideas.

Add a waterfall or water feature

The sound of falling water will add to the relaxation effect from your pond, making it a really nice environment to sit by. The movement in the water will also help to keep the pond oxygenated and will help to deter algae, keeping the quality of your pond water higher.

Add lights to your pond

Pond lights are the perfect way to show off your pond at night – these are particularly good if you are hosting garden parties or barbecues which go on into the evening. They are both practical, providing light at night, but also beautiful, highlighting the water in the darkness.

Expand your pond

This could be a more intensive task but if you want to have bigger fish such as Koi, or just want to make the pond more of a central feature, why not make your pond larger or deeper as a way to spruce it up.

If you already have an established pond, with fish and wildlife, this is a project which will require a lot of planning ahead to ensure minimal disruption. However, a deeper pond provides better protection for pond life to hide in from predators, and from the cold weather as well, so it could improve the pond greatly.

Get some different fish

Why not try out some new fish breeds to add more colour and life to your existing pond – if you are feeling brave then pick out some breeds you have never looked after before as long as they are suitable for the environment you are providing for them.

Planting in the pond

Buying some new water plants to replace all of the weeds and algae could give a whole new look for the pond as well – visit a garden centre for ideas of the types of plants which would work well for your particular pond.

Landscaping around the pond

If you want to spruce up the general pond area then try landscaping around it, perhaps creating a rock garden area, or using paving stones to make access easier. Building up planting around the pond area will help to make it fit seamlessly into the garden, as if it has always been there.

Add statues

For a fun new look, why not head to your nearest garden centre and pick out a couple of tasteful statues to use around the pond or even as part of a water feature potentially.

Once you have a pond in the garden, there are many different ways to spruce it up and make it into a really beautiful, integral part of your landscape. Just a few minor tasks including clearing the pond of algae and weeds on a regular basis, will really improve the pond’s look and feel.

You can dress it up with statues and water features, or keep it simple and sleek with natural planting and decor made from driftwood and rocks. The only limit is your own imagination.