How to Build a Pond in a Raised Garden Bed

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This shows how to build a pond in a raised garden bed. It’s a good option if you cannot dig a pond or simply want better accessibility. It also opens up more options for pond locations in your garden.

This is part of a complete guide to garden ponds: 20 Backyard Pond Ideas and building tips.

Small pond built in a raised garden bed.

Garden Pond In A Raised Bed

Small garden pond built in a raised garden bed.

I originally built this small pond in a raised bed at our old house because I wanted a water feature in a narrow strip of garden near the house.

We could not dig the soil there due to underground cables so I opted to build up instead.

I ended up liking this arrangement much better than an in-ground pond for a number of reasons.

This also shows lots more options for small backyard ponds designs.

Advantages To Raised Bed Ponds

The height of the pond makes it very easy to access the pond filter pump for regular maintenance.
It’s easy to maintain the plants.
You are much less likely to fall in. I tell you this as the person who has fallen into the in-ground pond. Twice.

Safety and Legal Considerations

Before you install a water feature of any kind, check your local bylaws, and consider the safety issues. You do not want any open water where children might play unattended.

Supplies & Materials

You will need

A pond form or pond liner. My pond is approximately 400 gallons.
If you use a pond liner, you’ll also need some flat-bottomed rocks or stepping stones to hold the liner lip down around the edge of the pond.
A recirculating pond pump made for the size of the pond. A 450-gallon pond needs, at minimum, a 450 gph (gallons per hour) pump plus more power if you have a waterfall. I always buy my pumps new and keep a spare on hand in case of malfunction so the fish and plants are safe and never freeze in the winter.
A raised bed built to fit the pond. I have free instructions for building raised beds here.
Soil to fill in the space between the pond form and the bed. You’ll want good compost and potting soil for the top 8″ (or more) of soil. If you will be growing fruits or vegetables in this bed, make sure your soil is food-safe. This has budget-friendly ideas for filling in the rest.
Access to a GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter) outdoor electrical outlet for running the pump.
Aquatic water plants. Look for ‘hardy’ ones. Annual water plants require separate winter storage to avoid freezing.
Fish—if the size of pond is suitable.

Planning

Get your pond form first since it will determine how big the raised bed needs to be.
Consider the length, width, and height of the raised bed. You want room for plants beside the pond and enough height to fit the depth of the pond.

Example

My pond raised bed is 4×8′ and about 16″ deep. I buried about 8 inches of the pond in the ground, which was as much as I could dig without hitting underground cables. I used the soil I removed for filling in the space around the base of the pond form.
You don’t want a bed much wider than four feet or it becomes very difficult to reach into the pond for maintenance.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare your pond location. Level the ground and have a GFCI outlet and water source nearby.
Build the raised bed. Need to know the best type of wood to choose? See this.
Insert the pond form.
Fill in the spaces around the pond form with soil, making sure it fits snugly.
Figure out how you want to arrange the circulating pump and where the electrical cord will go.
Fill with water and start running pump. Use a timer if desired.
Add aquatic plants.
Plant area surrounding pond. If you have fish, make sure plant choices are fish-friendly—some plant debris can taint pond water.

Pond in a raised garden bed with lavender plants — Lavender growing in raised bed with small pond

Winter Care

Place plants low down in the pond for the winter.
So long as you keep the water circulating all winter long, wildlife overwintering in the pond can survive. They simply go dormant in cold water.
You can also use a floating de-icer to prevent the pond from freezing over.