Proper placement of  the pond in the home landscape involves several factors:

Sunlight - The amount of sunlight that falls on the pond influences several other factors. Aquatic plants such as water lilies and tropical plants require at least 6 hours of full sun to flower properly. More hours would be better and fewer hours will result in fewer flowers.

Sites with more sunlight will also result in warmer water in the pond. The pond will warm up faster in the spring and reach higher temperatures in the summer. In a warm pond, plants will grow faster and flower earlier in the season. Fish will become active earlier in the spring and may grow faster.

The downsize of a warm pond is that it may actually get too warm for some fish species during the middle of the hot summer. Also, the more sunlight, the higher the possibility of developing an algae problem.

Trees - The presence of trees in the area of the pond has at least two potential impacts. One is that the shade cast by the tree will cut down on the light reaching the pond. The impact of this is discussed above. The second factor involves tree roots. Roots may continue to grow near the liner and may actually puncture the liner in future years.

On the positive side, a nice, shady pond can add to the relaxed atmosphere of the landscape. By shading the pond, algae may be suppressed and the fish may not get too large, too fast.

Sound - At least half of the enjoyment of a backyard pond is the sound of water flowing. Therefore, it is important to locate the pond where the sound may be enjoyed to its maximum effect by the family.

Access - You will need to add water to your pond periodically so you need to have easy access to a water source. However, you also need to consider restricting access to young children and neighborhood pets.

Sight - The other half of the enjoyment comes from observing the pond. Locate it where it is easy to see from your common vantage points in the landscape. If you spend a lot of time on your deck, try to get the pond where you can both see and hear it from that point of view.

Local Regulations - Be sure to check with your local community building inspector to determine if there are other regulations regarding your pond. In some jurisdictions, there are restrictions on the depth of ponds. If they are over a certain depth, they may be considered the same as swimming pools and require a fence to exclude young children from falling in.