Wondering how easy it is to design a natural swimming pool? Swimming pond designer Sarah Murch offers her five top design tips for creating one.
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Now 15 years old, the Murch family’s own natural swimming pond at home at Ellicar Gardens near Doncaster is 25m long and 5m wide, and features aquatic and marginal plants including Cyperus longus and Nymphaea ‘Virginalis’, which play a role in the pool’s biological filtration system.
Before they decided on where to put their own pool, Sarah and her husband Will first spent two years clearing and surveying the land. They trained with professional swimming pond installer Biotop in Austria in 2009, becoming partners in the company, and now Ellicar is the family business, installing natural swimming ponds and pools for private clients, and making sure they work within the garden landscape.
Sarah has lots of advice on what to think consider before creating a new natural swimming pond, explaining that you don't want the pool too close to trees, as debris from the trees can fall into the pond and becomes bad for the pool's water biology.
She also recommendeds thinking carefully about the site typography, and making sure no surface water runs off into the pool, which would upset the water balance. Finally, designing for access and with maintenance and access in mind is really important from the beginning.
Watch the full video to discover Sarah's top tips for designing a natural swimming pond.