A SMALL CHANGE GARDEN POND: PART 2
Getting Started
The next step is the figure out a basic design for the pond. You need to consider location and size. Do you want the pond close to the house so it can been seen from a window or porch? Or, do you want it away from the house? Remember, ponds attract frogs that can make quite a racket at night (but it's a nice racket).
One debate about pond location is the question of should your pond be near trees or not. Most books suggest that trees should not be near your pond, especially deciduous trees, because when they loose their leaves, they go right into the pond creating a mess. This is true, however, if you live in a warm to hot climate, trees are very helpful. For examples, in Texas where I live, the pond gets too hot in the summer for the fish to be comfortable. Full sun also leads to full algae! So, here's one of those times you need to figure out what's best for your situation. Frankly, a pond without trees looks unnatural to me.
Once location has been determined, how big do you want it? One way to approach this is to start small with a plan for expansion. By designing the pond to have several ponds connected by narrows, you can get one area started and then slowly add to it. A figure eight plan is a good way to start, working on one-half at a time. A long-term plan is important so that you don't end up having to move plants placed around the pond. If you really get into your pond, you will always wish it was even bigger.