Making the decision to include a garden pond in your garden design can be a little difficult. There are many things you need to consider. Not least how much time and patience you will need during the pond’s set up period and future maintenance requirements.

Owning garden ponds can be very rewarding but you need to prepare yourself for a little hard work now and again. If you just want something to look at, why not try a water feature or other garden decorative feature.

The initial design and pond build can take some effort and then the pond needs time to develop its own eco-system before you add your fish. This is a time consuming process. But when done properly it can provide many hours of pleasure and satisfaction.

Important considerations before the start of the build include:

• Build a pond that fits with the size of your garden
• Decide positioning of the pond based on future water supply and electricity requirements
• Try not to build a pond under trees – the falling leaves can prove to be a problem
• Decide if you want to keep fish – and how many
• Look into the various pond filter and pond pump systems – you need to choose the right one for your pond size
• Take into consideration how your pond will affect the surrounding environment - be prepared to include an array of pond plants and incorporate features in your pond that will not only benefit you but also other animals and future pond inhabitants