You are here because you need pond ideas on a budget. The feeling of having a pond in your garden or backyard is priceless and gives an instant facelift when others see it.
Whatever the size of your backyard or garden you can get pond ideas for everything you have in mind to do with a pond.
Do you know there are budget-friendly ideas too that you can use to build your pond and these ideas can be done by yourself?
On a budget, these natural and cheap pond ideas will help you get plenty of inexpensive ways to get water into your plot and decorate it to look good.
Below we will pick out the best pond ideas on a budget that will be suitable for you.
Things To Consider Before Installing A Pond
There are a lot of things to consider before building a pond. Below are some of them;
The Design
Before installing a pond in your garden or backyard, this is the first thing to consider. You need to know how the pond’s design will look before the structures are put in place.
You can use designs that you think are compatible with what you have in mind or make do with the designs we have on this post.
The Structure
The structure of your pond is also very important. According to your budget or what you want, you need to choose the structure you want your pond to take.
Whether it will be in-ground, above ground, or partly in-ground you need to decide before choosing the pond ideas below.
The Materials To Use
Another thing that you need to consider is the type of material you will use to build this pond.
If you are on a tight budget, it is advisable you go for natural materials for the love of nature or you use second-hand materials that can be refurbished by you.
This will enable you to reduce costs. But if your budget is enormous then you need to go all in. Go for that classy and fascinating look.
The Situation Of Your Pond
Have you asked yourself where your pond will go in your backyard?
The place you will keep your pond in your backyard or pond is also very important. You need to choose this, clear the place, and imagine your pond there.
Check very well to make sure you don’t have any obstructions before setting up your pond.
What And What Will Be In Your Pond
Here we will not only talk about pond ideas on a budget. The things you will put in your pond also need to be put into consideration.
The kind of things you will put in the pond, the type of fish, and the grass that will be placed in the pond are very important.
These things need to be put in place before installing the pond.
If you have a sloped backyard and need ideas to develop your backyard then check out our sloped backyard ideas on a budget.
Type Of Plants For Ponds
Not all plants are suitable for ponds or water gardens. It is important to know and understand the type of plants that can survive in an aquatic environment.
Below, we will list and explain briefly the plants suitable for ponds;
Floaters
Floaters are those plants that float on top of the water with little or no root but don’t survive on normal land.
These plants are very common in lakes, ponds, or streams. Water lettuce and water hyacinth are very good examples of water floaters.
Oxygenating Grasses
These are plants that grow totally submerged in the pond. They are known to produce lots of oxygen through the process known as photosynthesis.
They help make the water of the pond alive. Examples of these oxygenating grasses are Eelgrass and Fanwort.
Emergent Plants
These plants normally grow at the edge of the pool. They are known as root plants that are usually 4-12 inches below the surface of the pond and with aerial leaves, stems, and flowers emerging above the water surface.
Examples are water lotus and cattail.
Bog Plants
Bog plants are the semiaquatic plant that grows in soft wet land. They are known to survive at the shore of the pond or any water.
Partially in and partially out of the water. Some bog plants are white rush and bog bean.
Deep water plants
They are a bit similar to emergent plants because their foliage or flowers also float in water.
Just as the name applies, deep water aquatic plants are those plants that grow on the bottom of the pond or on the deeper shelves, so that they have several inches of water over their crown.
Example of deep water plants is water lily and hornwort.
Best Pond Ideas On A Budget
With the pond ideas below, you will be able to go with any budget and style you want.
Go Natural
Do you agree that sometimes there is beauty in simplicity? If you agree, you don’t need to be extravagant with design and styles.
You can keep it simple and still make the most out of it. A natural pond is not only budget-friendly but also nature and ecology friendly.
To get this started, all you need is plants, stones preferably pebble stones and slabs, and a type of clay that prevents the water from going into the ground.
Repurposed Tank Garden Pond
The most important item you need while setting up a pond is a container or anything that can hold water. An old stock tank can be a very nice option.
This is one of the easiest and simplest pond ideas on a budget because it takes a few hours to set up. You just need to bury the tank so that it is on ground level and then add water.
After that, just add a few other items you want like plants and stones around and inside the pond.
Recycle Tractor Tire Pond
With a small tractor tire, you can create a natural outdoor pond at a low cost. If you have the tire at hand it is even cheaper.
But if you don’t you can always get it at a recycle store at a lower price. This is totally DIY. The first step is to dig a small portion in your backyard that will contain the tire.
Cement the surface, place the tire, and slice off the top surface. Also, cement the edges of the tire to make it firm.
Use cement to place stones at the edges of the tire in beautiful designs, add plants that you want, and finally add water.
Use Old Barrel
Being creative does not mean you should go all extravagant with materials. You can turn an old barrel into a perfect garden pond with little or no cost.
Old barrels are gotten for free at bottling companies and if you want a more classic look then search for classy designs on amazon or any other store.
All you need to do is add aquatic compost for the plants and add rainwater. Also, top up water from time to time.
Upcycle An Old Bath
If you have an old bath and you are searching for cheap garden pond ideas then your enamel bath is a brilliant option.
With this, you won’t need to spend much. Insert the bath into the ground so that organisms can access it.
With rainwater, hardy plants will be able to survive. You don’t also need to add many plants to the pond because of plant multiple as their season approaches.
Rectangular Pond With Old Pallets
This is one of the simplest DIY pond ideas on a budget because they are practically modern. Some old pallets can be recycled to get the perfect pond or leftover boards that were used for other projects can be used.
It is easy to build because it gives a more modern and contemporary look than the typical traditional pond.
Performed Garden Pond
If you don’t have time to build a pond from scratch, don’t have the strength, or have built one and failed but you still desire to have a pond in your backyard.
Then there is an option for you. You can buy a preformed pond and just drop it in the area you want the pond to be placed.
This is just simple. You can get the shape of the pond you want and the design too without stress. You can add stones and plants if you want.
Conclusion
An outdoor pond is a beautiful addition to your backyard. That natural feel you so desire can be achieved with just a little budget.
If you tend to do things yourself and also like DIY ideas then our pond ideas on a budget are perfect for you. With just a little time you are good to go.