Kristin, I must say your English is excellent... and to be able to write it so well too
There is a small raised pond on my patio. Its made from railway sleepers. This whole area needs a while to mature / blend. The pond plants are in pots and have gone crazy. That reed was given to be by my dad... it was a cut down titchy thing when I got it (there's pics of its fast growth rate somewhere on this forum). As for the duck weed, I don't mind it in the small patio pond, but somehow its got into the big pond... mind you, I'd forgotten about it down there and it may be gone