The liner should be covered to prevent sunlight ... children below the age of five are most at risk of drowning in garden ponds. The only way to avoid potential disasters is to not have a pond.

or more beyond the pond’s edging stones and cover it with mulch or gravel. The rubber liner will block water-seeking roots. D. Make a mow-over border where garden meets grass Flat stones set at ...

But if you want to use soil, only ever use the special aquatic compost, devoid of almost all nutrients – garden soil will give you algae problems. It’s best to use rainwater from a water butt, as tap ...