In a perfect blend of beauty and biodiversity, designer Will Tomson has created a lush, ecologically rich garden with a tranquil natural swimming pond at its heart.
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The central swimming area is bordered by a regeneration zone – a submerged, gravel-filled shelf with planting, which acts as a biological filter. Will implemented a low-tech, air-lift bubble-pump system pioneered by David Pagan Butler of Organic Pools for filtration, whereby the bubbles draw the water through the gravel, and beneficial bacteria and microbes on the gravel’s large surface area keep it clean. “Like any area of the garden, you do need to get in and garden the pond,” explains Will. But it is a meditative process: “Dragonflies dive past your head and frogs hop in alongside you.” Toads also happily use the pool for breeding each year.
Below are Will's tips on creating your own natural swimming pond
How to build a natural swimming pond in your garden
For size, think as big as possible, as a larger body of water retains its temperature better. My pond is 1.8m deep, but if I did it again, I’d make it 2m deep, so the bottom doesn’t get stirred up when you swim. Make sure the regeneration zone is half the total surface area.
Check out the work of organic pool expert David Pagan Butler, whose low-tech bubble filtration method offers a low carbon footprint and minimal running costs.
Use plants as an integral part of a chemical-free management system. Plant directly into the gravel or sand regeneration zone around the edge. Use large specimens and plant them densely to help to establish a happy ecosystem quickly.
Remember that algae is a part of the ecosystem and you probably won’t be able to eradicate it completely. Tadpoles feed on algae and so a small amount is beneficial.
Use some ‘rafting’ plants, such waterlilies and water hawthorn, which will cover a portion of the water’s surface and cool it in summer.
A natural swimming pond will require ongoing care and gardening, to manage the plant life within it and ensure a healthy balance.
Always pick through any vegetation that you’ve removed for larvae and leave the pile on the bank for a while for organisms to find their way back into the water.