How to Build a Stream

Dig a top-pool or small well (40cm deep) at a higher ground level than your pond., Construct your foundation gradually down from the top-pool into your pond, ensure the foundation is sloped steep enough to allow the water to flow freely. , If you...

33 Steps 1 min read Advanced

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Dig a top-pool or small well (40cm deep) at a higher ground level than your pond.

    Careful and precise fitting of the pond liner is probably the most important part of the entire process. ,,,,,, Garden rocks and stones don’t only add a great feature to your stream they help to weigh down your liner so don’t be afraid to use heavy ones. ,,, We all know how glorious it is sit out by your pond on a summer’s day but you can make it equally beautiful by night, all one needs is some creative lighting to illuminate your garden and water feature, simple tea-lights and floating oil burners should do the trick. , While it’s important to maintain and manage your garden pond and stream, it’s just as important to ‘let your garden grow’.

    Do the hard work and planting early in the season and sit back and enjoy the rewards through the summer.
  2. Step 2: Construct your foundation gradually down from the top-pool into your pond

  3. Step 3: ensure the foundation is sloped steep enough to allow the water to flow freely.

  4. Step 4: If you want to create a waterfall

  5. Step 5: build steps into the foundation of your stream

  6. Step 6: (30cm in height).

  7. Step 7: At the base of each step

  8. Step 8: dig a small hole (15cm) to sink your pond liner into thereby creating a small pool where the water can fill up and flow over to the lower step.

  9. Step 9: You’ll need a strong enough water-pump (we used 2500 Gph) to pump the water up from your pond through a hose (we used 20mm for extra propulsion) into the top-pool which will feed the water down into your stream.

  10. Step 10: After you’ve constructed the foundation

  11. Step 11: run the pond liner up from your pond through the stream foundation

  12. Step 12: finishing in the top-pool.

  13. Step 13: It’s best to fit the liner with plenty of overlap on all sides of your foundation.

  14. Step 14: Before you trim the liner to size be sure to fill your stream with water to see how rapidly your water flows and check for possible holes in the lining.

  15. Step 15: Run the hose from your pond water pump up to the top-tool

  16. Step 16: carefully hide the hose under the liner and be sure to check for kinks

  17. Step 17: again check your flow of water before covering over the hose and liner.

  18. Step 18: Once the liner is in place

  19. Step 19: secure and bed down the edges with soil

  20. Step 20: be sure to choose soil conducive to plant growth.

  21. Step 21: If you have added steps to your stream you can build out the steps with garden slate allowing the edge of the slate to overhang creating a waterfall effect

  22. Step 22: the slate also hides the liner underneath.

  23. Step 23: Use good size rocks.

  24. Step 24: You can cover the excess liner and soil with small stones (we used bags of ‘gold light’) and decorate the area with driftwood

  25. Step 25: granite and beach stones.

  26. Step 26: Planting is where the real fun begins

  27. Step 27: border and embellish your water feature with a wide range of aquatic and semi-aquatic plants

  28. Step 28: we used water grass

  29. Step 29: water lilies

  30. Step 30: Japanese maple

  31. Step 31: alpine saxifrage.

  32. Step 32: Add some creative lighting.

  33. Step 33: Let it grow.

Detailed Guide

Careful and precise fitting of the pond liner is probably the most important part of the entire process. ,,,,,, Garden rocks and stones don’t only add a great feature to your stream they help to weigh down your liner so don’t be afraid to use heavy ones. ,,, We all know how glorious it is sit out by your pond on a summer’s day but you can make it equally beautiful by night, all one needs is some creative lighting to illuminate your garden and water feature, simple tea-lights and floating oil burners should do the trick. , While it’s important to maintain and manage your garden pond and stream, it’s just as important to ‘let your garden grow’.

Do the hard work and planting early in the season and sit back and enjoy the rewards through the summer.

About the Author

V

Virginia Myers

Enthusiastic about teaching crafts techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.

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