Pittosporum would be another, a bit slower growing but still fast. Lots of choices within the genus. Some like Pittosporum undulatum grow pretty tall. Mock Orange has a nice scent imo at times. Very low water once grown.

If you wanted instant shade, like in the next month, Giant Reed, Arundo donax, would do that. It does have to be contained and divided each year.

Bamboo would be a long the same line, but much slower grower. But you can buy mature plants to speed up the process.

Banana is a fast grower, roots aren't normally a big problem. Wind can be an issue and they don't throw a lot of shade so you'd have be particular on where you planted them.

Back to shrubs, I like Angel Trumpet, Brugmansia. Not very tall so it'd have to be close to the pond. It's listed as a toxic plant, most plants are. So skip it if yu worry about such things. I had one hanging over the pond and the Koi ate the flowers and leaves. They also jumped up, grabbed branches, pulled them into the pond, breaking branches to eat the leaves and flowers. None died or even seemed sick. Very nice scent imo at dusk.

Oleander is a common choice and can be trimmed to tree form. Another toxic plant, but planted every where.

The leaves on the plants above are large and easy to remove from the pond.

When you get into trees you're probably going to think any of the fast grower are going to create the same problems as the Acacia. Slow growers and you'd have to wait 20 years for shade.

We were also thinking tree ferns, but they are slow growers, and can cause allergic reactions in some people, I have heard. We have Oleander up front of the house, and that is a possibility. They don't seem to be messy or fussy.

DW wanted a Brugmansia a while back- I will look at that. Is it messy? I'm ok with occasional mess, but not constant mess. We were thinking some Japanese Maples as accent 'shrubs', since they are basically just an autumn mess.

Privet is a dirty word around my wife. We bought this place and there were Privets everywhere, or so we thought. We thinned them out, and started irrigating for other plants. Did you know a mature Privet tree can make ten million berries a year? We didn't. Until the next spring. Then there were Privets everywhere! Weeks on hands and knees removing them from the lawn. The big Privets met the Husqy and went to the great chipper in the sky. Replaced with a ginkgo and ornamental purple plum.

We were also considering adding a Hollywood juniper nearby. Anyone have experience with those? They look cool, and not too messy, but I've never actually had one, so any direct experience would be nice to hear.

My pond was originally to help dry out my paddocks, and has since become a little oasis of sorts.

On MY list of things to plant around it are more cypress, a few crape myrtles for a little summer color, another red maple, and a weeping willow out on the island. That is likely to get messy, but ponds in the wild deal with leaves, and so must mine. I have also purchased some kind of drought resistant cold hardy needle type palm for placement on a burm.

Not that this has helped, but I did participate :). I sure wish this board would get cranked up and have lots of traffic and responses.

Cheers
M

I do have a Chamaecyparis obtusa next to my pond that looks sort of similar. It doesn't drop anything into the pond.

I have two Japanese maples near my pond and they do drop leaves and seeds but I deal with them. I wish I didn't have to deal with the neighbor's mature fir trees. They drop needles, catkins, cones and branches.

Hi Butterfly, thanks for the first hand info on the Hollywood. They look so cool, and I think you just convinced us to get one. We're off to the tree nursery tomorrow to see what they have. Thanks again. : )

Buyorsell, I looked up your juniper on giggle, and it's very close actually, to the Hollywood, if the pictures are to be believed. Looks like a winner for us, and I appreciate he info. I think the maples will be manageable since they more or less make one mess a year. The fir trees sound like a pain. My condolences. ; )

Here at the homeplace we are just over three acres - mostly under livestock use for our horses and some cattle to cut. I have two earthen ponds here which are really to capture rainwater. We have a farm halfway between Houston and Dallas, and that is where the good catfish and perch are. Lots of lillies which were planted ten years ago. The pond at the farm is spring fed, and overflows to a creek year round. It also remains a constant temperature all year and never has frozen. I need to upload a pic. I wish my ponds here at home could be as neat, but nature takes care of the farm pond and she is much more knowledgeable than I.

I'm just here to hope that some knowledge drips off of you guys and happens to fall on my head....

Cheers!
M