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Artificial reservoirs in the landscape design of the dacha create an amazing atmosphere conducive to comfortable rest. The pond gives a feeling of freshness and serves as an indispensable decorative element of the site.
What is a pond?
Pond - an artificial reservoir of static type, an element of landscape design of the park, the dacha plot, the garden. It is considered the most common and optimal choice for a site of any size and configuration.
Can be arranged separately or combined into a harmonious composition with dynamic reservoirs of a dynamic type: streams, waterfalls, fountains.
Pond - a mandatory element of the site in the Japanese style, rock garden. Water is artificially cleaned, the bottom and the banks are decorated with plants and stones. Sometimes in an artificial pond at the cottage they breed fish.
Types of ponds
Artificial ponds in the garden can be made in natural or formal styles. Each of them can be structurally buried or elevated. They are made of various materials that are used for waterproofing the bottom - concrete, clay, a special rigid form, bricks, a special film.
The geometric form may be used as a criterion for the classification of ponds. Allocate artificial reservoirs of regular and irregular shape.
- The first group is round, rectangular, square, diamond-shaped reservoirs.
- The second group is ponds, whose configuration is close to the natural one. The choice of form depends on the landscape design style of the dacha.
Stages of construction of a pond at the cottage
For the construction of a pond at the cottage with your own hands, it is necessary to solve several organizational issues. First you need to choose the materials and place for the construction of the reservoir.
The location for the pond should be selected based on the characteristics of the site design - it is recommended to consider its size, shape and layout. It is better to place the pond in a place protected from winds and excessive sunlight - this can harm the harmonious development of vegetation. The pond should be lit by the sun no more than 10 hours a day, but not less than 6 hours.
If you decide to make a pond with a pump, you need to think about access to the power supply system. A pump is required if a static body of water is conjugated with a dynamic one.
The most popular type of pond is buried. For the reservoir to be durable, high-quality waterproofing of the bottom is necessary.
Consider common materials for waterproofing:
- Fiberglass. From it produce ready-made rigid forms of various configurations. Most often, small ponds with an area of up to 3-4 square meters are constructed from ready-made forms. It is not recommended to use ordinary plastic - it will not last long. Forms from fiberglass differ in reliability and durability. The disadvantage is the relatively high cost.
- PVC film or butyl rubber. This is a good material for arranging a free-form pond. The material is characterized by elasticity, strength, durability, resistance to aggressive substances, low and high temperatures. PVC film will last about 15 years, butyl rubber - up to 50. Using the film makes it possible to change the shape of the bottom in the future, with ease of repair work. Experts warn that you can not use polyethylene - it is not strong enough. Also for the winter it is necessary to pump out water from the pond, so that when it freezes, it does not damage the film.
- Reinforced concrete - a reliable material for the construction of an artificial pond in the country with their own hands. The main advantage of reinforced concrete - strength, it is very difficult to damage. The disadvantage is that it is difficult to work with this material, certain skills are required. When constructing a quality bottom for a pond with the use of reinforced concrete, it is necessary to observe the technology, use concrete of a certain brand. Reinforced concrete is indispensable if you decide to build a sculpture or a bridge.
bioplato with your own hands. Stages of building a pond at a country house, we use a rigid form:
- A foundation pit is required corresponding to the configuration of the selected container. First of all, you need to outline the contours of a rigid form with a shovel.
- The pit should be a little deeper than the depth of the tank itself - about 4-5 cm.
- At the bottom you need to tamp the sand.
- Installing a bath in the pit, you need to make sure that there are no voids anywhere - they need to be filled with sand. You need to be especially careful if the foundation pit of a complex shape is, for example, terraced.
Construction of a pond with film insulation:
- First you need to dig a pit. The use of the film allows you to create a reservoir of various configurations. The photo shows a pond in the country, created using PVC film.
The choice of film depends on the planned life of the pond: PVC and butyl rubber will create a durable bottom coating, polyethylene is cheaper, it will last for 2-4 years. Polyethylene is the choice of those who like to frequently change the design of the garden plot.
An important factor of choice - film color:- Blue, gray: the pond will resemble a swimming pool.
- Cream: the bottom will be bright, and on such a background plants, exotic fish look beautiful.
- Brown: imitates natural soil. In combination with the natural form of the pond, this bottom will look as natural as possible.
- Black: the pond will resemble a mirror. The pond looks fabulous, fabulous - appropriate decorative elements are needed.
- Prepare materials: sand, building level, twine and marking pegs, shovel, hose.
- Dig a foundation pit without sharp corners; the banks should slope. Remove from the pit stones, roots.
- The minimum depth of the central bowl is 60 cm.
- Lay the drainage layer of sand.
- A geotextile is laid over a layer of sand. This is necessary to protect the film from mechanical damage.
- Shore must be processed. To do this, dig a ledge - it is needed for finishing tiles, decorative stone, brick.
- The film is laid loosely on the bottom of the pit, so that it lies flat, and is fixed at the edges with stones.
- The final stage is the installation of a blind area.
Instruction how to make a raised pond at the cottage:
- The foundation for the installation of such a pond. It must be poured and hardened. You can create a half-buried pond - for this you need to dig a small trench. At the bottom lay a sand pillow.
- It is necessary to build support walls and allow them to strengthen.
- When the foundation and walls are ready, you need to ensure reliable waterproofing by laying a special film.
- Gradually fill the tank with water.
To make a pond at the cottage will take several days.
When the pond is ready, you need the right care:
- Remove debris that falls into the pond.
- Once a season it is recommended to clean the bottom with a special mesh. You can use a special vacuum cleaner for cleaning water.
- Choose the right plants - they will also “take care” of the pond. Oxygenerators( for example, Elodie) will help fill the water with oxygen - it will not turn green in the summer.
- Once a year, mostly in the spring, special cleansers can be used. Do not abuse them - they are harmful to human health.
Video tutorial will help you understand the intricacies of the work.
