Gardenworld

Creating a pond in a barrel isn't a new idea, but what makes this project different is the sheer size of the barrel - at least three times as big as the average barrel pond!

It makes much more of an impact without taking up much more space so it's ideal for patio gardens. Because the volume of water is greater, more plants can be grown and it is less likely to gather algae than the small bucket-sized equivalents.

Adding a barrel pond to your garden will give it a whole new dimension. The water itself provides reflections and movement, particularly if a mini-fountain is installed, and fish will live happily in it. Even without fish it will be a focus for wildlife, with butterflies stopping to drink the water and even dragonflies buzzing around it.

You will need....

1m half barrel without drainage holes

Dwarf pond plants,

Spirit level,

House bricks,

8-10 1L black plastic pots,

Aquatic compost,

Gravel

Choosing pond plants:
Pond plants are divided into different types according to where they grow in the pond. Marginals grow around the edges; deep water plants, such as water lilies, root on the bottoml and oxygenarots float in the water. The key to success when choosing plants for barrel ponds is picking those that don't grow too quickly and won't swamp their neighbours.

Buying barrels:
Half-barrels have exotic pasts: they start their lives in Spain as sherry casks and are then used as whisky barrels in Ireland and Scotland, where the traces of sherry help to flavour the whisky. Finally they are cut in half and sold at garden centres. When buying, look out for the name of a chateau or distillery branded on the base and the charring inside. These indicate that the barrel is authentic and watertight, as copies made from ordinary planks, which are common in garden centres, are not. If unsure, check with the garden centre staff before you buy.

Instructions:

Barrel Pond: Step one Barrel Pond: Step two Barrel Pond: Step three

Step one:
Choose an open sunny site for the pond and roll the barrel into position. Be sure that you're happy with its location as it can't be moved once filled with water. Step two:
Check that its top is flat with a spirit level and build up the sites with wedges of wood or slate if necessary. Step three:
Fill the barrel with water. If it leakes, it's because the timbers have dried out and shrunk. But if you keep it topped up, the wood will expand and naturally plug the gaps.

Barrel Pond: Step four Barrel Pond: Step five Barrel Pond: Step six

Step four:
Plant up the marginal plants in 8-10 1L black plastic pots using aquatic compost. Cover the surface of the pots with gravel to stop the compost floating up and clouding the water. Step five:
The oxygenating plants can be placed straight into the water, but the marginal plants need to sit on shelves. Make these by lowering plack plastic pots upside down into the water. Then sit the planted pots of marginals on top. Step six:
Water lilies like to grow in deep water but cannot cope with the low light levels until their leaf stalks are long enough to reach the surface of the water. To encourage the stalks to grow, make a stack of bricks from the base of the barrel to 15cm below the water's surface.

Barrel Pond: Step seven

Step seven:
Lower the water lily onto the bricks and, as the leaf stalks grow in length, remove the bricks layer by layer until the lily pot sits on the base of the barrel. Trim back any plants that threaten to crowd out their neighbours.