The edging you choose for the pond in your backyard water garden serves several purposes. While it will enhance the beauty of your pond, it will also hide the liner used to build the pond.
If you have a more formal style of backyard water garden, you may wish to use more hard edging such as bricks, pavers or timber. If you are using these types of materials around a sunken pond, make sure they won’t become too slippery when wet. Safety first!
If you have an informal, natural style of backyard water garden, you could grow plants as edging for your pond. These plants would overhang the edges of a sunken pond and provide shade for wildlife and even your fish living in the pond.
No matter what type of backyard water garden pond you have, its form and function can be greatly enhanced by its features and edging. Here are some ideas for beautiful and functional edging for your backyard water garden.
Backyard Water Garden Pond Edging Ideas – Stepped Edging
If you have a sunken pond within a patio in your backyard water garden, you could try edging it with flagstones to create a stepped edge. Choose edging that contrasts with the patio paving for a more unique effect. Or, you could match the edging with the existing patio paving.
Backyard Water Garden Pond Edging Ideas – Hedge Edging
If you have a raised pond in your backyard water garden, you can disguise the raised walls by planting a hedge. A good choice for this type of hedge would be dwarf lavender but any type of hedge plant could work for edging with proper care. Keep the hedge closely trimmed to ensure it doesn’t shed too much debris into the water and to maintain aesthetic appeal.
Backyard Water Garden Pond Edging Ideas – Stepping Stones
Stepping stones are a popular edging option for an informal, natural pond in a backyard water garden. Not only are they attractive, but they are also inexpensive and allow better access to the water of the pond.
Backyard Water Garden Pond Edging Ideas – Marginal Plants
Marginal plants are a fabulous edging option for a backyard water garden pond. Plants such as irises will effectively hide the edges of the liner used to build your pond. Plus, they enhance the beauty of your backyard water garden pond tremendously.
Backyard Water Garden Pond Edging Ideas – Wildlife Access
If you want to allow wildlife access to your backyard water garden pond, you might consider allowing a few edging stones to dip slightly into the water. This will give wildlife (and people) a way to get right to the water. However, you’ll need to keep safety in mind if you use this type of edging. If you have small children, they could easily slip into the water.
Backyard Water Garden Pond Edging Ideas – Using Pavers
If you have an informal backyard water garden pond and you’re using pavers as edging, try leaving gaps in between the pavers. Then, fill in the gaps with ground-cover type plants such as creeping thyme. Or, fill them in with small pebbles or cobblestones.
