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Preformed pond liner suggestions?

pandakoalagirl49lS9c8QR_pandakoalagirl49lS9c8QR_ Posts: 71
in Problem solving
Looking for a small starter pond, just big enough for a lily and another plant or two, and hopefully of benefit to wildlife. There are several on Amazon from £30-130 and I am somewhat bewildered. Does anyone have personal recommendations? (The liner/underlay are probably a bit pricy for me to make the large freeform pond of my dreams at the moment, so I intend to practice pondkeeping with a small one before embarking on anything more ambitious).

It doesn't have to be deep enough for fish, though I suppose that would be a bonus and my other half is keen on 🐟
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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    You can buy a few sq metres of liner for a tenner, and the underlay isn't dear either, if you don't have something else you can use  [Bradshaws or Pondkeeper etc]
    Much easier to deal with than the preformed ones  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • pandakoalagirl49lS9c8QR_pandakoalagirl49lS9c8QR_ Posts: 71
    a tenner? I was looking at Butyl liner and couldn't find anything nearly so cheap. Where can you get that?

    I have been looking at preformed more recently because from what I read they are quicker to install and less delicacy/care are involved.

    thank you for your input


  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    Preformed ponds can be an absolute pain to install.  Trying to backfill under the pond to get it dead level, and not allow it to drop in areas when filled with water isn't easy.
    Butyl rubber is expensive these days but far cheaper liners are available.
  • pandakoalagirl49lS9c8QR_pandakoalagirl49lS9c8QR_ Posts: 71
     thank you for your input. I am certainly open to using liner as it would let me get a good shape and make a nice deep bit in the centre. What are these cheaper liners and where could I get them, please? my garden centre and hardware shops don't carry liners, I've checked, so I will need to order it online
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    To make my little pond I bought one of those plastic garden rubbish trug things with handles on , cut the handles off and sunk it in the ground .Pond 3plants 2 large rocks £20 .Looks great .
  • pandakoalagirl49lS9c8QR_pandakoalagirl49lS9c8QR_ Posts: 71
    that sounds really cute, bcpathome! I think something like that incorporated into a flower bed would be amazing
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    If you want something for wild life you would be better buying a liner, you can dig a slope one end so creatures can get out,  pre formed are not as easy as they look, you have to dig the hole exactly as the liner, any discrepancies and thing goes wonky.
    i bought this one,  then used it brown side up, your choice though.
    https://bradshawsdirect.co.uk/pond-liners/polyex-pond-liner/pondkraft-pond-liners-with-free-underlay/

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • pandakoalagirl49lS9c8QR_pandakoalagirl49lS9c8QR_ Posts: 71
    Ooohhh thank you Lyn, that's really great. And a fair bit cheaper than the Butyl I was looking at- so more money for planting it up! I will do some measurements and calculations, but looking at that, it would not be much more expensive than a preformed liner.

    also digging a sloped entrance is a good idea. We finally have hedgehogs this year  and I really don't want to harm the little things 

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    That company will do the calculations for you, you just put in what you want the finished measurements to be and they’ll tell you how much you’ll need.
    I think there are a few people on here who have used that. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Yes sorry - I should have said  - not butyl at that price  :)
    I use the same stuff as @Lyn.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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