A swim pond is intended for swimming, but it is not a swimming pool surrounded by plants. A proper swim pond should give you the feeling that you are swimming in a natural lake. Ideally, the surrounding area should be natural, although it can also be sleek and tidy, and should have waterside plants and perhaps even a fringe of reeds. You wouldn’t have a diving board with a swim pond, but you could build a wooden deck terrace or jetty for diving. Swim ponds come in many shapes and forms, from rustic to sleek, just as gardens can have totally different designs.

A swim pond is deep enough for swimming and diving safely, but also provides a habitat for fish and other aquatic life. You should not, therefore, use any chemical products to maintain this type of pond. You should do this naturally. You should do this naturally.

A proper swim pond is an environmentally friendly unit which you can use for swimming in the summer and even, possibly, skating in the winter. Swim ponds are becoming more popular than swimming pools. A well-constructed swim pond has good, clear water but no chlorine. So you can safely allow children with sensitive skin to play in it. The water is self-cleansing because specially selected water-purifying plants have been planted along the edges or in a specific area. We call this a Helophyte filter. Sometimes, extra mechanical purification is used but that is not necessary if the design is good.