Yes I broke the rule and put the first pond under the tree, but this has made a very natural pond which the local wild life seems to enjoy. This was dug into the bank and lined with a plastic liner. The surrounding garden is then allowed to hug to the waters edge.

With the liner under the soil on the waters edge marginal plants grow. Under the tree a large Gunnera (prickly rhubarb) offers dark shading with its large four to five feet leaves. On the far side of the pond is a clump of Acorus (Sweet Flag) its green leaves boldly stripped with cream. 

Just to the left of the Gunnera water in trickles , on the opposite side the water begins its downward decent over a small waterfall in to the middle pond.

This pond is stocked with some goldfish and shubunkins but it is a favoured by the local toad and frog community which provide the entertainment of frog and toad tadpoles in the spring.

My brother decided on the location of the middle pond for this has gone in to the hole left by the stump of the cut down tree. The pond is lined with a plastic liner  and edged with aged concrete blocks. on the fare side the blocks are inside the pond sloping down and away as if stratified. The blocks in the pond are dry laid  with the gaps providing nooks and crannies for plants and wild life above and below the waterline. The pond is stocked with goldfish and shubunkins and frequented by the frogs and toads.

The water genially cascades in to the left of the pond over the small waterfall and then exits to the right down between the rocks in to the stream.

To ensure the stream does not dry up when there is no flow the stream has been constructed as three long thin pools each overflowing in to the next over a small rock outcrop.

The firs  stream pool has been broaden  to include a bog garden, planted with Iris, Astilbe and lilies.

The other two stream ponds and rocky with a light planting on the edges. two flat stone bridges cross the stream.

There are no stock fish in the stream but the stream is a main event for the birds with its shallow edges ideal for the wash and brush up.

At the bottom is the  more formal pentagonal pond by the patio, edged with a 'tight' formed blocks. On the patio side a wooden seat is set in to the edge.The pod is planted with water lilies and rushes. Here the larger fish swim including goldfish golden orfes, shubunkins  and a couple of koi. The wild life keep clear of this pool

The water from the bottom pond overflows into a submerged storage tank from were it is pumped back to the top pond.