New pond - size and location help please

This topic comes up frequently on koi pool message boards, where we're talking about pools with a depth of water that would come well over a child's head. The sad thing is that a small child can drown in a couple of inches of water after a fall. Children are naturally attracted by water and can make determined efforts to get at it.
A prevention I've always favoured is sheets of standard weldmesh. This can be cut to fit, painted black if necessary to make it less obtrusive. The advantage is that placed over a pool, it would support the weight of a child and be of no impediment to plants growing through it.

 

@Doghouse Riley has described what I mean. Here are pictures in this link.

safety mesh for garden ponds - Recherche Google

 

Life is full of dangers and I'd like to bring up my kids with an awareness of how to look after themselves and realise dangers. Driving is one of the most dangerous things you can do with a child but millions of people do it every day!

 

Been looking at this...

It’s only my opinion, so take with a pinch of salt.

My thoughts are that the area the other side of where the bridge is needs to be made larger by remodelling the raised bed area. I’m a great believer in areas that draw the eye, and give a reason to explore (cross the bridge). I think that a pergola/seating area tucked away in the right hand corner along with some tall (climbing?)plants would enhance that area. I do feel that the area as it is, needs ‘more’ to draw you in.
Only my thoughts

 

I may change it further in future. For now I have planted a Camellia near the corner of the bed. The back wall now has a Thuja hedge along it that will be allowed to grow to 7ft but kept narrow. The bench looks onto a pear tree that should grow nicely this year. I plan to cut down the brick wall behind the pear tree and train it along something nicer looking. I may also put in a trickle of a stream in the left hand side of the pond in that picture. The hedge will stop at the cotoneaster, which is usually swarming with bees.

That corner is the last spot in the garden that the sun leaves in the evening so a perfect place to sit with a beer. I'll certainly be doing something as special as I can there

 

The latest update... this is how it looks now the bridge and security are finished. The mesh is a soft one that won't give kids anything solid to cling onto and climb. Combined with some careful education this seems ideal for us. The only issue is I'm going to have to hop over carefully when planting! I have a small area to the right to plant outside the rockery area (where the ball is in the pic), on the lawn, and of course the actual pond plants when they come in stock.

I will sit down for an evening and plan what plants to buy. I sort of wish someone could just hand me a list and say "here, these are the perfect species and quantities for your pond"!

I am thinking of tipping in a bag of horticultural sand and pebbles at the left hand side, around the slates, to create a bit of a beach. It's VERY tempting to turn the rockery on the right into a waterfall feature with running water, and keep the strawberries and other plants there as if they are river bank plants... maybe next season.

 

It's lovely, @glasgowdan! Hope you have a lot of enjoyment from it. I love the bit on the far side of the bridge, it's almost like a little island. All we need now is a dry summer for you so you can enjoy sitting out. Well done !

 

It looks really nice apart from the fence round it, i understand you have kids and to need protect them but to me it looks like your keeping crocodiles ,

Surely something like this would be much better on the eye and safer, kids love to climb.
Child safe koi pond cover-elite pond covers

 

Excellent glasgowdan.....envious of your skills
Consider acorus ogon, carex testacea, carex elata aurea, campanula birch hybrid, ajuga as evergreen subjects too. Heucheras and Tiarellas too if not too wet there. White arum lily, evergreen here but at least semi evergreen, is a spectacular foliage plant with pure white spathes.
Although not evergreen astrantias are superb near water......check out Jumble Hole, a fantastic summer long flowerer, Hadspen Blood and Roma.
Already astilbes have been suggested but a variety called Cappucino is a class plant.........dark red/brown foliage topped by white flowers.

 

I forked out loads of money for a cover like that on my pond when I began fostering and re homing yorkshire terriers - to be sure they would be safe. It was fine for the first year, but then when I needed to remove sections for planting and/or cleaning, etc. it all started to fall to bits - more trouble than it was worth!

 

My friend has had one for years very very costly even i can stand on it. its still as good as new.

 

Does your friend find it easy to remove and replace then - for ongoing pond/plant/pump maintenance?

 

I know exactly what you mean . But your pond is lovely, a credit to all your hard work. I'm sure the wildlife will love it . I guess you can always tweek the planting as you go along.