You may be saying goodbye to your pond.
However, it does not have to be a final farewell. Moreover, you do not have to leave it lying around unattended.
You can transform your pond from a useless waste of space to a beautiful landscape feature with a few ideas.
If you are looking to remake your unused pond, here are 7 amazing ideas of how to do it.
Table of Contents
1. Turn It Into A Garden
Home gardens add a beautiful landscape to your backyard.
You could plant flowers, tomatoes, or some vegetables that do well in small spaces.
With a dead pond in your hands, you may have to overcome a few hurdles before turning it into a colorful green garden.
The common ones you have to overcome include:
- Emptying the pond
- Drilling the base to ensure proper drainage
- Preparing the soil
- Planting the plants
To renovate your unused pond into a beautiful garden, you should start emptying its content.
More Importantly – It would help to consider how your garden will be draining any excess water.
Now, as you empty your pond and create a drainage system, there are a few factors to put in mind:
- How much rainfall do you receive? Areas with high rainfall will require more effort in creating a proper drainage system than areas with less.
- The surface of your pond- If you have cement or concrete at the base of your unused pond, you will need more than holes to facilitate drainage. Rather than piercing the surface, you can use a metal hammer to create cracks for drainage.
Once you have established a drainage system, it is time you prepare the soil to fill the pond.
The amount of filler material you use on the pond will depend on the depth.
Small ponds that are up to 3-feet deep are easy to recreate.
You can use little filler material to bring the surface level up.
However, if the pond is deeper, you can fill it with rubble before adding the soil.
In this case, the soil will be a mixture of different materials.
Due to the nature of the environment, you plan to establish your garden, which is soggy and probably nutrient-deficient; planting a garden right away may be nearly impossible.
Therefore, it is essential to include a mixture of materials to create a healthy garden.
For this, you will need:
- About 1/3 volume of soil
- One-third of manure/compost material
- 1/3 volume of sand
A mixture of these constituents creates an excellent and nutritious filler material for your new garden.
You can finish off by planting your plants and covering them with a layer of mulch.
2. Create A BBQ Or Outdoor Kitchen Area
Adding a BBQ spot in your home can never be a bad idea.
You need to find a great location to put up your grill and enough space away from tall vegetation to avoid fire incidences.
More often, you also have to build a wall around the BBQ to protect the flame or coal as you grill your meat.
Imagine having a small-unused pond in your backyard, with everything you need for a great BBQ spot.
To build your BBQ in the backyard pool, your first step would be to empty the pool.
Next, you should determine the BBQ size you want before sizing sections for the grills.
Now that you already have a pond, in this case, a slightly raised pond, you can overlook the step of looking for bricks and cement blocks.
You only need to find gravel to pave the way or leave it as it is.
Once you know the grill size you want, you can subdivide the space into grills with enough clearances.
A pond will have an added advantage, such that you can easily space your grills for simultaneous use.
You can even store your cooking utensils in the extra space.
3. Tile It And Make A Small Paddling Pool For The Kids
If the pond is within sight of the house, you can make it into a play area for your kids.
Children enjoy playing in the water, especially in the summer. Therefore, you can turn your unused pond into a paddling pool for your babies.
Most paddling pools come as inflatable plastics that you fill with water. The problem with these pools is that they can hardly contain the kids’ excitement playing in them.
However, if you have a lovely, shallow pond, you can add a lining material and create a paddling pool for your children.
To create a paddling pool:
- You need to clear your pond and line it with a smooth material. The best option is to use a waterproof material that will discourage the growth of any plants on the surface.
- Also, you must fill the unused pond to a level that is friendly to your babies. A deep pool will be a hazard. So, make sure you get the dimensions you want right.
Alternatively, you can get a sinkable pool from a manufacturer and create a more traditional swimming pool.
When creating the paddling pool, remember to make the pool children-friendly.
Avoid any slopes that could make your child trip and fall into the water or sharp rocks that could hurt them.
4. Create An Outdoor Hot Tub For Yourself
Rewarding yourself after working hard is a rule of thumb.
It would help if you created a spot where you enjoy your alone time.
Where else can you get the satisfaction of watching the sky while enjoying a warm bath than in an outdoor hot tub?
If you have an unused pond, then your work becomes more manageable.
You only need to empty the pond, include some piping work, and install a base.
A sturdy level base is crucial for hot tubs.
If your unused pond already has a sturdy base, all you need to do is renovate it and seal any cracks.
An adequately installed base prevents damage and encourages the proper functioning of your outdoor hot tub.
A perfect position for an outdoor hot tub is a hidden spot with a garden or potted plants around it. The area should be away from your neighbor’s view.
With this idea, you can create a small oasis for yourself and your family.
However, you may need to add gravel to connect the tub and your backdoor to avoid getting muddy as you enter or leave the hot tub.
5. What About Creating An Ecosystem
Sometimes, not getting rid of the pond might be an excellent idea.
If you can renovate the area to become a low-maintenance facility in your home, you can continue to use the pond.
In this case, you do not have to leave your pond without any care. Instead, you should modify it to fit the natural habitat of small animals and plants.
For Instance – You can transform the stagnant pond into a koi fish aquarium by including a water inlet and outlet. Moreover, you can add a waterfall for a picturesque effect. Koi fish are beautiful and low maintenance.
So, rather than filling up your unused pond, you can line the surfaces, bring in some soft rocks and gravel, and connect a water supply before bringing in the fish.
6. A Fountain Sounds Like A Great Idea!
Fountains are remarkable sights, no matter how old you become.
When you see a beautiful and unique fountain, you stop and wonder how it works as you unravel the mystery of water falling from the top.
If you have an unused pond in your front or backyard, you can transform it into a magnificent fountain.
For this, you will need a source of power and a pump.
The design you choose for your fountain can differ depending on your vision.
You can decide to add some accessories to raise the fountain above the ground or leave it at the base and add diversion.
However you choose to go, you can never go wrong with a fountain.
7. How About A Sandbox For Your Kids?
Finally, if you do not intend to leave water lying around your home, you can fill your unused pond with sand.
Sandboxes are famous for fostering good relationships as kids play in them together.
A sandbox also strengthens your child’s muscles without harming them.
If your baby wants a swing at home, an unused pond would be an excellent place to set it up.
Kids can play without hurting themselves in a sand-filled pond, even when they fall from the swing.
However, it would be best to remove any hard surfaces like rocks and concrete around the pond to avoid serious injuries.
Final Words
When you have an unused pond in your backyard, you can choose to wake up every morning and look at the unpleasant state it is in or make something out of it.
While some ideas are expensive and time-consuming, renovating your pond can make your home look ten times better.
The ideas mentioned above are affordable and creative. In addition, you do not need to worry about maintenance.
The suggestions above are low-maintenance, meaning you do not have to create extra time to take care of them.
