9 of the best raised ponds for 2024

Introducing a raised pond into your garden can bring numerous benefits. As well as providing a calming ambience and creating an attractive focal point to an outdoor space it will attract and help wildlife flourish.

For the DIY-averse, a raised pond is a hassle-free way to have a water feature in your garden. There’s no digging involved and many of the raised pond kits reviewed here can be made in a day, or even just a few hours. A raised pond is a much safer option than a sunken pond for families with small inquisitive children too.

Here we’ve found some raised pond options, each with varying benefits. Once you have decided on the design you’d like then it’s worth considering some vital practicalities, such as:

• Size and shape – Will it fit the area and complement your existing garden design?
• Material – Once your pond is installed you will want it to last. Is it up to the task?
• Suitability – Fish and plant life require specific conditions, so check that it’s deep and wide enough for what you need.
• Plants - we've got a list of some of the best pond plants to make your pond lush and attract wildlife.

Read more on why we should all be building a pond in the garden.

Top 9 raised ponds for your garden

New Garden Pool with Liner

Best for easy assembly

This attractive hexagonal pond is a great choice for those with small outdoor spaces who are looking for a water feature. It can take 227 litres of water, so it’s diminutive in size yet certainly big enough to become home to a few small fish and carefully selected pond plants.

As three of its six sides are benches, it also doubles up as additional seating for your garden.

We love how easy it is to assemble with a unique slot-together design that involves neither nails nor screws. The perfect choice for the less DIY-inclined. The Swedish wood is renewably sourced too.

Corten Steel Pond

Best for style

• Buy now from Flora Select (£1,360.99)

If you have a penchant for industrial-style garden design then this chic raised pond will suit your aesthetic. It's made from Corten Steel and comes in a range of sizes (plus bespoke), with the smallest measuring up to 120 x 80 x 40cm.

Corten Steel is very strong and durable, and its rust-forming properties create a lovely warm hue while also making it naturally weather resistant. A great material for a raised pond that will stand the test of time. Lined with non-toxic polyurea to prevent rust leakage, it’s also a safe home for wildlife and plant life.

This pond features an overflow pipe and inlets for a pump and a light. Bespoke options are also available.

Zest Aquatic Planter

Best value for money

The simple shape of this compact raised pond makes it a great buy for those with smaller gardens or courtyards, particularly with its optional internal base for hard floors. It’s available in three sizes, the largest measuring in at 180 x 90 x 45cm, which is enough room to house small pond life.

We particularly like the classically stylish wooden frame that will blend in easily with a variety of garden designs. It's made from pressure-treated softwood timber to resist erosion, and comes with a waterproof Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) liner.

Lotus Clear View Garden Aquarium

Best for fish enthusiasts

The eagle eyed will notice that this is called a ‘garden aquarium’, rather than a raised pond, which hints towards its USP: two large viewing windows to display pond life and fishtank ornaments.

Children will love to watch the fish, and the large windows also provide an opportunity to create a light feature in your garden that really comes to life at night.

Constructed from Forest Stewardship Council certified wood, the aquarium is available in three colours (grey, green and brown). It comes with a box welded liner that has been pre-integrated into the windows for quick and easy installation.

Assembled measurements are: 131 x 131cm in width and 51cm in height and it can take 650 litres of water.

Octagonal Wooden Raised Ponds

Best for versatility

• Buy now from Bradshaws Direct (£560.99)

As well as having a stylish look, this octagonal wooden pond is modular in design and comes in numerous size options, so you can play around with shape and height.

We love this versatility, and it doesn’t stop there as you can position the pond above ground on concrete, patio, decking or grass, or submerge part or all of it, without compromising the guarantee. Each section has pre-cut tongue and groove slots, making it a strong option too.

The pond is constructed from 27mm or 44mm timber, with the wood pressure treated to withstand environmental wear and tear, and both sizes come with a decent guarantee (five and 10 years respectively). A black fitted liner, linerlock and self-drilling screws also come as part of the package.

Laguna Wooden Deck Surround Pond Kit

Best for quick assembly

• Buy small size from Pond Keeper (£249.99)
• Buy medium size from Pond Keeper (£349.99)

If you’re looking for a raised pond that can be built quickly then we recommend this fool proof preformed raised pond kit. The medium set includes a rectangular tub, with capacity for 470 litres of water, a wooden surround that is built around the tub, and a pond pump.

The supplied pump includes a filter and UVC to prevent green water, with the added option to create various fountain displays. The frame comes ready to be painted or stained to suit your space.

The preformed pond is not large enough for koi but it can be a home for up to 30 small goldfish.

Norlog Garden Wishing Well Fish Pond

Best for making a statement

If you’re looking for a raised pond that makes a big visual impact, then this Wishing Well Pond is a good choice.

Despite its elevated structure, this is a relatively small pond that can take around 227 litres of water. Big enough for a few small goldfish and carefully selected pond plants.

The Wishing Well should be easy to construct, thanks to a unique slot design and the Swedish wood is made from renewable sources. The wood has been pressure treated to withstand environmental wear and tear and coated with a non-toxic clear preservative.

Three sides also act as seating area to sit and admire your garden.

Square Wooden Raised Pond

Best for bigger gardens

• Buy now from Bradshaws Direct (£338.99)

For those with a little more space in their garden, this square raised pond is a strong option. As this is a modular system, there is plenty of flexibility regarding size, shape and height.

Pre-cut tongue and groove slots should make this raised pond easy to assemble, yet incredibly strong. The timber is pressure treated to withstand wear and tear and coated with an ACQ wood preservative, an environmentally safer alternative to previously used products.

This pond looks very solid and with the biggest size option coming in at 200 x 200cm there’s plenty of room for carefully selected fish and plant life to flourish.

Blagdon Affinity Corner Mocha Pond

Best for awkward spaces

Fitting a raised pond into a small or oddly shaped garden may feel overly ambitious – but there are ways to achieve the look you're after. This corner pond is an ingenious solution for those looking for a neat design that can slot into a 90-degree space.

This pre-formed pond comes with a strong, fibre-reinforced liner and should be easy to set up. The three shatterproof viewing windows are a nice touch and with capacity for 330 litres of water there’s room for 25 small goldfish (but not koi due to limited space).

The set also includes LED illumination, an automatic night-time LED spotlight and a 10m-long power cable.

What to look for in a raised pond

Here are some key things to consider when buying a raised pond:

Size and shape

The idea of having a calming water feature as part of your garden design is an attractive notion but before you rush out to buy, it’s important to get the tape measure out.

Size matters here and you will need enough space to house the pond without it blocking walkways or appearing too large for the space. You'll also need room to manoeuvre around it with garden tools and equipment. Depth is also important and it’s recommended that raised ponds are a minimum of 46cm in depth. Notably, koi should be kept in a space that contains at least 5,455 litres of water.

Most raised pond designs are formal in shape but there is plenty of variety – circular, octangle, hexagonal – and they should be chosen to suit the look of your garden. Corner raised ponds are a great solution for smaller spaces or unusually shaped gardens.

Materials

Consider the construction of your raised pond. Most sets consist of a frame and a strong, waterproof fitted liner. The frames are often made from timber, but metal, glass and plastic are also common.

Ensure that timber has been pressure-treated to withstand environmental erosion, and check that it has been sustainable sourced.

The liner should be strong and puncture resistant to prevent leakage. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a good choice for pond liners and generally considered to be the best material for preformed tubs.