Just like indoor spaces, the visual appeal of your outdoors will play a crucial role in how much you enjoy these spaces. Places such as the backyard can do with a bit of landscaping and creative additions to improve the aesthetics and tranquility of the surroundings.
Incorporating a pond design is one way to add some visual appeal to your space; the gentle flow of water, the various wildlife it attracts, not to mention the numerous plants you can add around it to beautify your space even further.
A pond’s design will significantly be informed by the terrain of your outdoors as well as your house’s architecture. However, no matter your design, adding a pond to your backyard will completely transform your space. Here are 22 backyard pond ideas you can try.
Take a look!
1. Add a Modern Waterfall Feature
Creating a pond in your backyard is one thing, but adding a stylistic element to it brings out the design’s uniqueness. A modern waterfall has been incorporated into this design, acting as a delivery system to the pond.
The pond and waterfall design combine seamlessly with the house’s design. The Koi fish in the pond adds more aesthetic appeal to the design, making the space even more lively.
2. Incorporate Into the Pavement
If you like beautiful, inconspicuous designs, this pond garden design is for you. Incorporating a pond into your pavement can be an excellent way to add a much-needed water feature, even when you have limited space.
This pond design is artistically incorporated into the pavement, and several plants have been added to improve visual appeal. The pond is ideally located so that temperatures remain constant for most of the year.
3. Make it a Natural Addition to Your Garden
One unique way to design your outdoors is to make the different landscaping additions as natural as possible, making them seem like part of the natural features rather than artificial additions.
This pond design follows this stylistic concept with a seemingly natural ground spring flowing to a pond with multi-colored Koi fish. In addition to improving the aesthetic appeal, various plants around and inside the pond make the design feel even more natural.
4. Add Stepping Stones
A pond adds a feeling of calm and serenity to your space, making it ideal for anyone who wants to enjoy the peace of the outdoors. You can transform your garden with a modern Japanese pond, then add some stepping stones to create a path that makes accessing other areas in your backyard easy.
Stepping stones are fitted into this modern pond design, creating the perfect bridge between the backyard and the house. Several water plants have also been added to the pond to match the surrounding greenery.
5. Minimalist Pond Design
Minimalistic designs are known for their simple yet highly functional designs. If your house has a modern architectural design, a minimalistic pond is probably a great addition to your outdoor space.
This in-ground pond follows a minimalist design with a wooden bridge since it’s the centerpiece of the house’s entrance.
6. Go for a Natural Pond
Creating a natural-looking pond may seem impossible, but with suitable materials, you can execute it correctly. The good news is you don’t need many materials, so the design is likely cheap; you only need stones.
Here, a natural pond design is created using stones of varying sizes, river stones, and pebbles. Paving stones have also been added to make it easy to walk around the pond.
7. Use Boulders
Rocks are excellent for creating a border around a pond. Just find ones that are large enough, and you can use them to build a beautiful and functional border for your water feature.
Here, different-sized rocks were used to create the pond border. Notice the use of small stones to cover spaces between the larger stones, ensuring a well-rounded design.
8. Flowing Stream Pond Design
Your pond design doesn’t always have to be simplistic. Sometimes, it’s better to push the limits of your creativity and go with something less ordinary. This elaborate pond design features a small stream from an artificial waterfall spring.
The pond runs in a stream between the patio, creating two well-defined spaces. For this pond design, you can choose various layouts, including a garden around the pond that may benefit from continuous irrigation.
Several plants have been added at the beginning and end of the stream to improve visual interest without requiring constant upkeep.
9. Add Pond Décor and a Sitting Area
A pond will serve less purpose than it can if you don’t have an outdoor sitting area where you can relax and enjoy the space’s serenity.
Here, this pond design is highly functional, with a small artificial stream flowing into the pond. The stream divides the garden and sitting area opposite the pond, with the two areas connected by a wooden bridge. The flamingo sculpture in the pond adds a bit of character to the space.
10. Layered Pond Design
A layered pond design is one of the most exciting features you can add to your outdoor space. The trickling of the water is calming and serene, and the design also mimics small mountain rivers, making your pond feel more authentic.
Here, the pond design is in the form of a small mountain stream trickling down from one stone to the other, hugging the terrain of the land. The pond acts as a great accent feature to the patio.
11. Complement with a Jacuzzi
A water pond will provide an ideal spot for many birds and animals to cool off on those hot summer days, so while at it, you may add another water feature to help you get through the hot season.
A jacuzzi has been added to the backyard to complement this Japanese-themed pond. Adding a bar on one side of the jacuzzi creates a well-thought-out space, while the flowers and plants improve the aesthetic appeal.
12. Add a Swing Arbor Next to Your Pond
Rather than adding seats next to your pond to enjoy the outdoor environment, why not try a more creative addition like a swing arbor? Besides providing the perfect place to relax and enjoy the evening, it can also double up as a play area for your young ones.
In this garden pond design, a swing arbor has been added at an ideal spot overlooking the pond. This way, you enjoy the pond’s beauty and the different birds or animals that may frequent it.
13. Build a Pond in Your Lawn
A well-manicured lawn and a pond may appear inappropriate, but a pond may be just the focal point that your yard needs. In the absence of plants and other standard features you would find in a yard, a pond acts as a reference point, and the eye is immediately drawn to the water feature.
This pond has been edged with stones of varying sizes to create an ideal water feature. The flowering plants surrounding the pond further enhance the area’s beauty.
14. Go Big on Water Plants
As previously stated, water plants play a crucial part in the pond’s ecosystem since they supply oxygen to various living things. Going big on water plants may be a good idea, especially if you want to add fish to the pond.
This pond has been adorned with several water plants, including the Victoria water Lily with giant leaves. You can also try other plants, such as the flowering Marsh Marigold or the water lettuce.
15. Add a Swing Bed
You can go for various options when it comes to adding a seating feature near your pond, and a swing bed is among the best. It provides the ideal spot to sit and enjoy a book or the cool evening breeze.
A swing bed has been added just next to the pond in this design. To make the design even more functional, a table is installed just beside the bed so you have a surface to place your drinks or food.
16. Use Riverstone
Riverstones are perhaps the most natural addition you can make to your pond. What limits most people is that they aren’t easy to find unless, of course, you’re living near a river; even then, legal and conservation questions might be asked.
However, they’ll make an excellent addition if you can easily access some. Several river stones were used to make this ground pond’s base and edge, along with appropriate bird figure décor.
17. Try Underwater Lighting
Even for a natural-looking pond, adding underwater lighting will bring an element of uniqueness and make your outdoors attractive no matter the time of the day.
Several underwater lights have been installed in this cascading pond design, making the pond stylish and an attractive outdoor feature even at night.
18. Enjoy the View
Firepits and outdoor bars make good outdoor hang-out areas, but so do ponds—simply because there’s plenty of flora and fauna to enjoy.
Here, a stone outdoor patio sitting area is ideally located next to the pond, making it easy to admire the pond’s beauty and Koi fish. The design has added a firepit to make those chilly nights more bearable.
19. Try a Waterfall Focal Point
A focal point separates a great design from an exceptional design, and the best thing is they’re easy to install even on uneven terrain. In this design, a stone waterfall adds a cascading water feature, making for a great focal point for the pond.
Planning is instrumental when constructing such a design to ensure the water flow is smooth, seamless, and uninterrupted.
20. Bridged Pond
Rather than looking to change the land’s terrain, why not complement the curves and flows of the landscape? This pond utilizes a shape that naturally fits the terrain, giving it an organic feel that is consistent with the environment.
The bridge over the pond adds an exciting dimension to the space, allowing the water feature to be appreciated from different perspectives. While the design is aesthetically pleasing, you may need to take extra measures when visiting the garden with children or pets, who may fall off the bridge.
21. Go for a Narrow Pond Design
Circular ponds are common, so they may become cliche; if you want a more unique pond design, try a narrow pond. This can be especially useful if you have a similar backyard and don’t want to go around the terrain or sacrifice the pond.
Here, a narrow pond is created in line with the small backyard. The paved sidewalk provides an ideal spot to admire the pond’s beauty.
22. Try a Symmetric Pond Design
A raised pond design can be a great addition to your space, especially if you have pets and children. That little bit of height makes the pond difficult to get into. Here, this indoor pond goes for a raised design with a symmetric shape to it.
Additionally, the design includes a watch glass. The plants around the pond add a little bit of greenery and liven up the space. Such artistic designs are suited for indoors, where they not only act as a water feature but also contribute to the space’s décor.
