How to make a mini-pond

You Will Need

• Tin bath, or other large container
• Waterproof sealant
• Bricks (six)
• Medium planting baskets (three)
• Aquatic compost (4l)
• Assorted aquatic plants (six)
• Oxygenating plants (two)
• Washed pea gravel
• Large feature stone, a little taller than the height of the container

Step 1

Thoroughly clean the tin bath or your chosen container and seal any drainage holes with silicone. Place the bricks around the container's edges, ready to raise the plants to the right level. If you're using a shallower container than our tin bath, you may not need the bricks.

Step 2

Knock the aquatic plants from their pots. Put a layer of aquatic compost in the bottom of the planting basket and position the plants. Each basket should accommodate two or three plants.

Step 3

Fill in around the roots with more compost, firming as you go, then water thoroughly to settle the compost. Top it off with a layer of pea gravel across the surface. Plant each of the baskets this way.

Step 4

Fill the container two-thirds with water. Carefully lower the baskets into the water, standing them on the bricks. If you're viewing the pond from one direction, place the taller plants at the back; if viewing it from all sides, place in the centre.

Step 5

When you're happy with the arrangement of the plants, top up the level of the water to around 2cm - 3cm below the rim of the container. Adding a stone to the pond that just breaks the surface of the water gives birds a landing platform from which to take a drink.

Add a couple of oxygenating plants to help aerate the pond and limit algal growth.