Henry Mitchell, the Washington Post garden columnist wrote, “It’s true there are some gardens without fish pools, as there are some days without sunlight and some gardeners with out the sense of sight or hearing. But let us pass over those tragedies and give the garden its potentially greatest jewel, ornamental water.”
Water is an essential ingredient for living life. It makes a garden come alive and draws people to it.
How the water flows has an effect. Still water is calming, peaceful; a gentle fountain calms nerves and muffles the sound of neighbors and traffic. A waterfall can command a lot of attention due to the dramatic flow of the water and the sound.
It’s amazing what you can do with water based on how you direct the flow. If you spill the right volume of water over a smooth edge of granite stone, it will look like a ribbon of water. If you use limestone with jagged edges, the water will come down like a little stream. When you use boulders you can send water down a streambed, forcing it to move around the rocks giving a sense of movement and energy. Pools, ponds, waterfalls, fountains delight and enchant those around them.
Once you’ve decided you want to add a water feature working with one of our landscape designers and architects at Architectural Landscape Design can help you to determine what you want to accomplish. You may want a naturalistic pond that blends with an informal garden. Or in a long narrow stretch of land you may want to create the illusion of water with a long narrow stretch of water that doubles as a swimming pool and a beautiful reflecting pond.
Whether you’re interested in creating a little bit of nature in your backyard with a pond, stream, or a dramatic Japanese lily pond we are happy to explore the possibilities with you. Call 952-292-7177.
