You can get floating pond plants like small water hyacinths, there are others as well that don't survive the winter so are not invasive, if (if?) we get a hot summer as its so small be careful it doesn't dry out

Shallow ponds like yours tend to suffer from algae because they heat up so quickly.

Usual advice id to have at least part of the pond 2 feet deep.

This also helps wildlife in the pond because water that deep won't freeze to the bottom of the pond whereas 6-78 inch deep water might

Well, I like the sound of a water hyacinth,Pam and am now considering redoing pond to reach depth of 2 feet at some point, Anchorman. Told you, I didn't know much! Thank you both.

Hi Tuesdaybear, don't know much about ponds, but round here that's a puddle, lol, Derek.

Lol.Thanks, Derek!

Its no use making a pond as small as that deep though - the ratio of depth to surface area is important for the pond to get properly balanced. It would be a good idea to get yourself a book on pond making from the library and read up about it before you start to make alterations. If that 's the biggest you have room for why not treat it as a very large bird bath where you keep changing the water and put plants round the edges growing in the ground rather than the water?

Thanks, Stera. I did wonder about making it so small but advice from very good local garden centre said it would be fine. I do have room to create the right depth but lack the physical strength to dig that deep myself. May just postpone until OH or one of my boys can give me a hand - meanwhile large birdbath it is!

Hi I made a pond 7 years ago ,it about 5ft by 5ft, and about a 18"" deep and about 6"" of that is mud and slit,(you need mud and slit for newts and frogs to bury themselves in) it was always said that a pond should be about 3ft deep, but know they say a foot is fine if you have no fish in it, I have frogs, newts, and dragonfly lave , and the water is very clear,(no pump needed) the birds bath in it and the squirrels drink from it,( plus the neighboring cats seem to think its the local watering hole) it as also brought lots of wildlife in to the garden, you will need some oxygenating plants, and make a ledge for the wildlife to get in and out so they don,t drown. good luck.

The birds will love it whatever size it is as long as there's somewhere shallow enough for them to bathe in!

Taz; certainly no problem with provding mud and silt!
Stera; if the birds enjoy it that's a good start. Thank you both.