Swimming ponds

Imagine a beautiful natural pond that you can swim in with clean naturally filtered and chemical free water. All in your own garden.

In nature, lakes, ponds and pools are kept clean by a combination of plants and micro-organisms including beneficial bacteria.

Organic waste matter is broken down by the action of these micro-organisms into substances that plants can absorb in the form of nutrients. These diverse groups of friendly bacteria also consume nitrates and phosphates thus preventing algae (primarily blanket weed) from thriving. It is this natural existence in nature that is essential to the swimming pond concept.

Swimming pond, Salisbury, Wiltshire
The project was finished in late December and this photo was taken 5 months later.
Natural pond construction, Andover, Hampshire
Around the diving platform the Typha angustifolia (narrow leaved reedmace) hold their shape until the dead plant material is cut down to below water level in early Spring.

Swimming ponds harness these processes through the creation of two zones which make up an ecologically balanced and self-cleaning pond.

Each zone is roughly equal in size and referred to as the regeneration zone and swimming zone. The shallow regeneration zone is a biological filter made of gravel planting media connected to a circulation pump via perforated suction pipes.

The gravel regeneration zone is planted with a variety of aquatic plants and water is drawn through the gravel and plant roots. It is separated from the swimming zone by an internal barrier which terminates below the pond surface, thus allowing free movement of water between the two zones and ensures the swimming area is kept free of vegetation.

Since the construction of the first UK swimming pond in 2001, they have evolved into two very distinct styles.

Natural swimming pools, or natural pools, frequently adopt a conventional approach with a contemporary or architectural slant and often use swimming pool filtration technology as primary filtration, with little or no planting.

Natural swimming ponds adopt a more naturalistic design style usually with gravel bed filtration, lush planting and freeform shapes.

Naturalistic style of swimming pond

Natural pond construction, Hampshire
Pond excavated prior to installation of butyl liner.
Swimming pond, Salisbury, Wiltshire
The project was finished in late December and this photo was taken 5 months later.

We create beautiful natural surroundings that you and your family can enjoy for many years to come. From very large ponds to boardwalks, small garden ponds and swimming ponds, our work covers a broad range of water-based construction and restoration projects. 

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Our work covers a broad range of subjects including pond building, lake construction, pond and lake restoration, pond maintenance, pond repairs, pond decking and other water-based landscaping projects in Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Berkshire, Salisbury, Andover, Winchester and Newbury. Other areas considered.