I have seen a lot of pictures of ponds that look like they were just plopped down in the middle of a yard. Well they don't look that way, they are that way.There is nothing around them and the waterfalls usually just come out from a mound of dirt or rocks that is about as wide as the falls itself. My advice to "would be" pond builders is to set the pond off from everything else. Try to build it with a backdrop of some sort, A fence or garage anything that will stop the eye from seeing behind it. If it has to be built in the middle of the yard then plant something or put something behind it, and not just the width of the pond, but wide enough to keep the eye trained on the pond. There are ponds that look good that do not have anything behind them but they are in the minority. Here is a picture of a friends small pond that is only about 6 feet long and three feet wide. They have two falls one in the back and one from a small rock on the side.
It's all about the placement and landscaping
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Beautiful, I absolutely agree with you!
bettasngoldfish
Maria
Very nice, I really like the last photo
Mmathis
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@mgmine You make an excellent point, but keep in mind that most people have to work with what they have available to them in terms of space, landscaping, and creativity. And not everyone does research into aesthetics when they build their ponds. And not everyone really cares as long as they have their pond and have their fish -- it works for them. There are a lot of "necklace" ponds out there. I don't think they're attractive, but if the owners are happy with them, who am I to complain. Maybe they are like me and lack the creative touch [our pond, started 4 yrs ago, is still unfinished as far as edging -- looks pretty tacky now, but some day....... 
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Koi ponds [in general] are a good example, where the fish themselves are the showcase item. Some of those ponds are quite stark with equipment shacks set up everywhere, etc. But that's what it's all about for dedicated koi folks.
]Koi ponds [in general] are a good example, where the fish themselves are the showcase item. Some of those ponds are quite stark with equipment shacks set up everywhere, etc. But that's what it's all about for dedicated koi folks.
I agree with you 100% @mgmine . I see so many ponds and think hmmm... If they just did this...or tried that... But then I remember beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And many things inform our decisions, budget being the big one, but also personal taste and interest. But you gave a great example in your photos!
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Very nicely done! The ponds I've built over the years have all been built with the idea, "It looks like it grew there".
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I do agree with what your saying and it is sound advise for some. However I think it may put a few off from sharing their ponds on a forum like this. We can all improve on our designs in one way or another. If you build it and your proud of it then good for you and you should share it. Their are a few ponds I do not like the look of the but their passion and knowledge makes up for it and is well received.
And I think it bears repeating that ponds serve a variety of purposes - for us, it's a big part of our garden, so the aesthetic is the main thing. For others, the fish are the point of the pond and the beauty of that type of pond is a completely different thing. I say if you've got it, show it!
Mmathis
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Tee, hee! Nail on the head! You'll probably never see a picture of my pond.... I love it to death and it's MINE, but it looks like crap compared to almost every other one I've seen. I just don't have "the touch." The desire is there, but that's as far as she goes, LOL!
Mmathis
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Yes, way back, when I was still ignorant and before I saw everyone else's ponds and before I realized that my expectations were greater than my abilities and talents, LOL! One day, maybe......
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Pretty much every pond has it's good points. The most important one is that you enjoy your pond. Nearly all of us are skewed one way or another, my own focus is the pond/stream as part of the landscape and fish are low on my priorities. I would never want a "formal" pond, but I can certainly appreciate them.
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I don't agree with this post, not for my own sake, because my pond is in my fenced in back yard blended with all my plants and bananna trees and patio. This kind of thinking and suggestion makes others who didn't follow suite feel bad or may make their pond feel inadequate. I left one forum because of post like this, they were elitist and they had very very nice ponds, most professionally built. They even stooped to call mine a "garden pond" which compared to their 50,000 ones yes it was. I would neither spend that kind of money on a pond and I don't have that kind of money to spend on one. As long as you enjoy your pond, it thrives and gives you what you want, then it sounds like it was well designed to me.
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The advice in the OP is good advice, but could have been phrased in a more positive way. Having said that, you have to work with what you have. Unfortunately, in my yard the ground slopes the opposite of what I might like it to to get that natural "coming out of a hillside" kind of look.