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By Susan Newman
It’s hard to be uptight when you’re listening to the trickle and
gurgle of a waterfall, or dipping your toes in a tranquil pond.
Water sounds connect us to nature in an immediate way, lowering
the decibels of everyday life to a dull roar.
“People want to create an oasis at home, and water features are
central to most landscape designs,” says Bob Franey, president and
founder of Total Landscape Inc. “Higher-end landscape installations
almost always have water features as a design element.”
Indeed, a recent survey by the Associated Landscape Contractors
of America (ALCA) shows that landscape installation and construction
accounts for $11.2 billion of all home improvement spending. And
because landscaping and water gardening have developed from an afterthought
to the main event, full-service landscape services are doing more
business than ever with homebuilders.
A very small, self-contained pond can be installed over a period
of several days, for about $3,000. According to Franey—who has completed
projects ranging from $7,000 to $40,000—the median price is between
$15,000 and $20,000. That includes a typical waterfall, plantings
and the pond’s installation. More elaborate projects might include
installing large boulder outcroppings, or reconstructing the natural
topography of the property.
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Water
feature by Total Lanscape.
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While nobody’s saying you can’t design and install your own water
features (there are literally hundreds of Web sites and countless
books on the subject), it can pay big dividends to hire a design
and build firm. Hiring professionals, such as landscape architects,
helps homeowners save money by avoiding costly mistakes.
“Designing and installing a water garden properly is not only skill-based,
it’s an art form,” says Tom Dunn, president of Dunn Lawn & Land.
“And if homeowners are at all wary about the process, a professional
for the job is the way to go.”
Again, the ALCA cites a study of home sales in Greenville, S.C.,
suggesting not only that well-landscaped homes sell better, but
also that homes with sub-par landscaping in neighborhoods with good
landscaping sell for up to 10 percent less.
To reduce cost and complications, homeowners should work with Mother
Nature as much as possible. “Water features need to look like they
belong within the existing landscape,” Dunn says. “Large creeks
and ponds are dramatic and beautiful, but may not belong on a property.”
Once you’re ready to pick a contractor (or roll up your sleeves),
there are innumerable options to choose from. You might go with
cascading water, which ripples peacefully from higher to lower elevations.
Or you might prefer the fountain effect of bubbling water.
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Water
feature by Total Landscapes.
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“Water can be designed to sheet off a central weir, or roll down
a hillside at a slow trickle,” Dunn says. “Different degrees of
velocity of water create different sounds and overall looks.”
And though background, or “white” noise, can be relaxing, homeowners
don’t need to go overboard. Jason Burney, president of Ecological
Design Solutions, says even an old whiskey barrel filled with water
lilies can bring a sense of tranquility and peace. “Water is such
a dynamic element,” he says. “Even in small, compact urban spaces
like Lafayette Square, reflections of light bouncing off water can
awaken our senses like nothing else.”
If you’re planning on stocking your pond with fish, it should be
at least two feet deep. This will allow the fish to survive Missouri
winters, where the freeze line averages between 12 and 18 inches.
Japanese Koi can survive even the harshest winters by hibernating
at the bottom of a pond.
Plantings can also add a richer dimension to water features, but
require hands-on attention from homeowners. Experts recommend a
mix of four types of plants for a self-sustaining system: deep water
plants; bog or marginal plants; submerged plants; and floating plants.
But when all is said and done, the key to any successful water project
is imagination and planning. “From these general ideas, there are
lots of ways to customize a water project,” Dunn says.
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THINGS
TO CONSIDER WHEN
PLANNING A WATER PROJECT
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Give
scale, existing topography and the placement of the water
garden special consideration. When planned correctly, the
outside view becomes an extension of the living area inside
the home. Vantage points to think about include the dining
room or master bedroom area.
Try to avoid building at the bottom of a hill, which encourages
ground water runoff and chlorination—not an optimum environment
for healthy fish and plants.
Try to build your pond in the sun, which offers better options
for plant material.
Take advantage of the industry’s latest low-maintenance offerings.
Ecosystems are evolving into self-contained user-friendly
packages, such as skimmers buried along pond edges. The latest
biological filters make it easier to create beautiful waterfalls
and keep the ecosystem in pristine condition.
Remember that waterfalls and limestone don’t mix. The lime
will leech into the water, elevating the acid level and stimulating
algae growth. While simulated rock-like materials are available,
weathered fieldstone or sandstone are better choices. |
Susan Newman is a freelance writer based in St. Louis. |
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