by Tory Jon | Last Updated: October 11, 2022Pond Academy is reader-supported. Buying through links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Pond edging serves two important purposes - it enhances the appearance of your pond and seamlessly blends the pond into the landscape around it (hiding and securing the liner and inner workings of waterfalls, skimmers, etc.).
It's one of those pond elements that you should have a good idea of what you want and a design laid out before adding.
So, let’s look at 48 pond edging ideas to help you create a unique and beautiful backyard pond!
What You'll Learn:
Pond Edging Ideas for Every Type of Pond
Small Pond Edging Ideas
With the right edging and landscaping, you can turn a small, boring garden pond into the envy of your neighborhood!
You'll notice the most visually pleasing designs incorporate a mixture of materials, like flat stones, gravel, plants, etc.
Large Pond Edging Ideas
One thing to remember with a larger pond is the amount of materials needed to edge around it. Depending on the size of your pond and your design, the price of materials can really add up quickly.
So, here are edging ideas for large ponds that fit all different types of budgets.
Natural Wildlife Pond Edging Ideas
The edging around wildlife ponds typically consists of more natural materials like plants, grass, gravel, or stones. This is opposed to using man-made materials like concrete or bricks to line the pond.
But, ultimately, the choice is up to you.
So, here are a few ideas for natural edging for backyard ponds.
Koi Pond Edging Ideas
Koi pond edging doesn’t necessarily differ from the edging of any other type of pond. But, some like to create a more zen or modern-looking pond to compliment their koi.
Another important consideration is that koi and other fish may eat any marginal plants you plan to incorporate along the outer shelf of your pond. This can be good if you have aggressive plants, as the fish will help keep their growth in check. But, it can also be an issue if you have plants you like for aesthetic and water-oxygenating purposes.
Raised Pond Edging Ideas
Even if you plan to design an above-ground or raised pond, you’ll want to consider the type of pond edging you use. Here are a few ideas using different materials like stone, wood, etc.
Preformed Pond Edging Ideas
Preformed pond liners are great for quickly and easily constructing a pond in your backyard. Check out our DIY guide on how to build a pond step-by-step, where we use a preformed liner as the foundation.
But, whether you use a preformed liner or another type of pond liner, you’ll want to seamlessly blend it into the landscaping around it with some edging.
Need more pond design inspiration? Check out these 48 cool backyard pond ideas to get those creative juices flowing!
Pond Edging Material Ideas
When applying landscape edging around your pond, you have many different options for the materials suitable for that specific type of environment.
Some of the more popular pond edging materials include:
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Gravel
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Stones
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Pavers
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Bricks
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Plants
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Concrete
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Grass
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Decking
If you want a more natural-looking pond edge, then gravel, plants, and grass are perfect for seamlessly transitioning your pond to the landscape around it.
Large edging stones create a dramatic-looking pond and are especially popular for creating beautiful waterfalls.
Concrete and brick ponds are low maintenance but require a bit of work and a typically higher upfront cost. These are especially popular choices for raised ponds.
Tip
Remember, you can always mix and match materials to really create a unique pond! For example, mixing a gravel edge with marginal plants, sprinkling in a few large stones, and even adding a deck that butts up to the pond is one of my favorite edging designs.
Stone Pond Edging Ideas
There are numerous examples of stone pond edging on this page, as it's an extremely popular edging material, but here are a few more for inspiration.
Gravel Pond Edging Ideas
Pond Edging With Plants Ideas
Pond Edging with Pavers Ideas
Concrete Pond Edging ideas
Pond Deck Ideas
Pond Edging FAQs
What Can I Put Around My Pond Edge?
Several popular materials to put around the edge of your pond include rock edging like stones and gravel, pavers, plants, bricks, wooden edging, and grass. Mixing and matching these materials will help hide the pond liner and create a seamless transition from the pond to the landscape around it.
For example, using large flat stones or slabs to hide the liner and securing it in place while filling in any gaps with pebbles or gravel is one of the easiest and most popular ways to edge around a pond.
How Do You Hide the Edge of a Preformed Pond?
To hide the edges of a preformed pond liner, you can overlap the edge with large edging stones or stone pavers. If your preformed pond has shelves, you can further hide the walls and edges with marginal plants spaced along the shelves.
Another option is to use a mixture of large stones and gravel, as we did in our pond build.
How Can I Make My Pond Edge Look Natural?
You can make your pond’s edge look natural by using a mixture of plants, stones, gravel, and even grass. You’ll want to avoid manufactured materials like bricks and concrete for the most natural look.
What Plants Look Nice Around a Pond?
The best plants to plant around your pond are ones that thrive in moist soil conditions or grow well in rocky crevices. For example, creeping jenny, watercress, and calla lilies are excellent options to soften the edges of a pond and improve its aesthetics.
