Adding the sight and sound of water to your home garden does not need to be a difficult undertaking. Having a large pond just outside the kitchen window would be nice, but there are other appealing options that may be more in line with your space and budget.
At minimum, a water garden can be a small container that is home to water and plants. Add some fish and a pump to create that "trickling" sound and you should be quite satisfied with the tranquility offered by your new eco-system. You can start by purchasing a water garden tub from a garden center, or you may already have a plastic tub, an old bath tub, concrete dish or a half barrel that will work.
Is there room to dig a pond on your property? Ideally you will need a site that gets at least 6-8 hours of sunlight in order to keep healthy plants and fish. Pond maintenance will be easier if you can avoid nearby trees that will dump leaves into the pond. A simple way to get a picture of how the pond will fit in the desired space is to layout a hose on the ground. You can use the hose to form the size and shape that you desire. Use a shovel to mark the outline before removing the hose to dig. You also have the option of purchasing a pre-formed liner where the shape has already been determined.