Imagine a huge hole in the ground, lined in black rubber that also lays out around the hole which is really a fish pond. That is what we started out with this year. Just that black rubber with no landscaping around it.
We have tons, literally tons of rocks that we have collected since we moved here 40+ years ago. I can't tell you how many times we have moved them over the years. So of course, I started moving rocks to line the side of the pond, covering what I could of the black rubber. Sometimes work stopped to give our Blue Birds the time they needed with their babies. This is a pic of the female, either visiting the pond or maybe deciding if she should use this house again. I thought it might be getting late for another brood, but I'm not sure.

Here is a pic of the same side of the pond, to the right of the area where that house is. It looks much more presentable than the area where the blue bird house is. I moved dirt under the rubber to create that island where the alligator is which created a small channel between the island and the edge of the pond. In the early morning the fish swim really fast back and forth down the channel. We have two frogs that like to sit on the island and keep the alligator company. We have tree frogs too, but they are not usually in the immediate pond area.
The front of this picture is the opposite side of the pond. I planted ground cover all along this side. There is also a two seat covered swing on this side and the Indian is directly across and to the right of the swing. You can see the black rubber in front of the rocks. We plan to fill this area in with smaller rocks and pea gravel as a walk area.

This area is on the right end of the pond. We were originally going to put a water fall in here, but really it would have been so much more work and we decided against it. My daughter bought us this little bridge several years ago. As we were sitting in the swing enjoying our 90 degree weather, I got the idea to move the little bridge here and added rocks under and in front of it to cover the liner as best I could. After I came in the house after placing the bridge I caught a pic of this chipmunk enjoying a view of the pond. The green behind it are Rose of Sharon that will bloom in July and August. I have elected not to plant annual flowers in the pond area. But as a second thought, I might add a few pots of geranium for more color right now.
There are Iris and Day Lily planted along the fence that are not in bloom yet. Also orange Trumpet vine his climbing on the fence. You can see it behind and next to the Indian. I can't remember when exactly it blooms, but it is pretty invasive so I have to keep it from going crazy where I don't want it.

We had a terrible and unusually cold winter two years ago. We lost all of our fish, even though we had a heated air hole for them. We also lost the pond plants. Last year we went to a nearby lake and dug out a couple of plant to bring home. This year we added 7 Water Lily. Most have not reached the top of the water yet, but a few have and have just started to bloom. I bought all colors at Terry's insistence, but this dark pink is my favorite. Until the rest start to bloom, of course.
We often see a frog sitting on a Lily Pad. Also, Terry bought a battery operated alligator a few years ago. So far I have only found the head, which floats. It usually hangs out in these Lily Pads and looks so real. You might also notice a plastic snake I have added to the plants in the rocks.
This has been a really lot of work. Our weather last year in the summer was pretty much overcast most days. It always felt like it was going to rain so we didn't really feel like tackling the pond landscape. My grandson Kyle helped Terry build a deck at the left end of the pond. We just got a patio table and chairs for it.
This year for Father's Day, Laurie and Kyle bought Terry a light for the pond. It kind of pulsates creating the effect of glistening water in the moon light. It relects on the fence and in the trees above. I'm sure if our neighbors have noticed it they are wondering what the heck we have over here. I have never seen one before.
Its a beautiful and relaxing spot in the day. It's a wonderland at night.