With more and more homeowners staying close to home during their summertime downtime, a backyard pond with the sound of cascading water is a must-have for those seeking the perfect spot to unwind.
Not only are today’s backyard water features easy to maintain, they are also designed to look as natural as possible. But before you start digging in the dirt and filling that hole with water, keep in mind the following: a stagnant pool of water is like quicksand; you don’t want either one in your backyard. In order to avoid the potential hazards—dead plants or sick fish due to a chemical imbalance in the water—it’s best to leave the art and technical aspect of design and installation in the hands of the professionals to bring the look and feel of nature home.
Signature Pond & Patio
Mark and Martha Miller of Birdsboro chose Stanley E. Sensenig, owner of Signature Pond and Patio, Wernersville, for their EcoSystem Pond installed in the fall of 2011.
An ecosystem pond is a natural, low-maintenance water feature that is designed to provide food, shelter and safety to nearby wildlife, according to aquascapeinc.com.
The Miller’s approximately 1000-gallon pond—with two waterfalls—flows into a 15- by 2.5-foot stream. A shallow area showcases bog or marginal plants, says Martha. Large rocks positioned along the pond’s sides are so big that the family can stand on them to feed their pet koi and goldfish. The pond attracts visits from butterflies, frogs and birds and an occasional visit from a snake, Martha shares.
Other features include lighting under the water and in the garden around the pond’s edges. “We love everything about our pond!” says Martha, who particularly enjoys sitting under a nearby pergola and listening to the waterfalls. “It is so relaxing. We love the birds, the flowers and the colors of the fish shimmering in the sun. Our grandson has even taken a dip in it!”
For pond installations, Stanley first establishes a main viewing area from a kitchen window, garden gate, patio, deck or gazebo. “I like to get the water up close to be seen and heard for a sense of tranquility inside and outside the house,” he shares.
If a pond looks unhealthy, it is probably due to bad design and poor maintenance. “Ponds done wrong are a lot of work,” he says.
He continues, “When it comes to maintaining ponds, our philosophy is 'work with nature, not against it.' This involves creating a balanced ecosystem where the fish and plants thrive off each other just like they do in nature. A balanced ecosystem takes a little time to establish, but once established it is very low maintenance and a joy to observe!”
A do it yourself (DIY) Ecosystem Pond kit starts at $999. This includes everything needed to install a small pond, but plan on spending approximately 40 to 60 man hours digging and lifting rocks, Stanley says. The price for a custom designed and professionally installed pond-less waterfall normally starts around $5,000 and an Ecosystem Pond with a waterfall typically starts at $7,000.
Trending right now, according to Stanley, are sustainable water gardens that use captured rain water from roof tops. That water is then stored in underground vaults and re-circulated at a later date.
Another trend—one that sets professional pond builders apart from the amateurs—is the use of machine-set accent boulders. “Fifteen years ago it was common to see a completed water feature where all the rocks were small enough to be placed by hand,” Stanley says. “But they had a distinctly man-made look to them.” To avoid any confusion, the company uses a mixture of small gravel and large boulders in excess of 2,000 pounds to create the look of having always been there. Signature Pond currently installs between 40 to 50 water features per year. In addition, they offer a year-round water garden maintenance service.
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New Castle Lawn & Landscape Inc.
Richard “Rick” J. Kleckner and Brad Stephenson at New Castle Lawn and Landscape in Birdsboro have a combined 40 years of experience in building ponds. New Castle itself has been creating water features for 10 years. All projects involve in-depth questions and discussions about location, size, shape and types of water features in addition to possible plantings, sitting areas and lighting. And all projects are custom-designed and can be made even more spectacular in stages spread out over time, according to Rick, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in ornamental horticulture and environmental design from Delaware Valley College, Doylestown.
The number of man hours it takes to maintain a pond is also discussed. For instance, a pond-less water feature (typically just a waterfall and stream) is less expensive and easier to care for than a pond, which makes it a good choice for busy individuals. If there is enough room, you can always add a pond at the base of the waterfall at a later date. “From there we basically put together an illustrated digital image of what it will look like before a single shovel is stuck in the ground,” says Rick, who uses pictures of the landscape site and then superimposes the pond and plantings. That information is then emailed to the client. As far as price, water features start at about $600 for a bubbling rock feature or a trickling urn, $1,500 for a smaller pond or pond-less water feature or $3,500 for a larger pond with lighting, plants and more.
As far as location is concerned, most water features are installed in the back of the home where the owners can enjoy them on a regular basis.
If a client already has a sloped back yard, this is typically a great place to create a realistic, natural looking water feature, Rick shares.
For a recent project in Sinking Spring, Rick removed an existing deck to create a multi-level outdoor living space. “The water feature starts at the upper level and finishes between the pavilion sitting area and the fire pit,” says Rick, describing the work. Stepping stones installed through a water stream allow the homeowners to walk from one area to the other. Choice plants and strategic lighting in and around the feature put the finishing touches on the project, he says.
Spayd’s Greenhouses, Nursery And Floral Inc.
For Chris L. Savage, the most important aspect of building a water feature is listening to what his client has to say and then using that information to create something amazing.
Things to consider when designing a water feature, he says, include knowing your client’s needs, wants, budget, space requirements and more. “We then take all of that information and put together a custom design—a 2D or 3D model with specific site requirements—catered for that individual,” says Chris, who has 19 years of experience in the industry.
A custom design costs $75 an hour, and the client can then use the design to shop around for a builder of their choice or hire Spayd’s do the work.
Once construction starts, the focus shifts to installing the most natural looking water feature possible. “We incorporate many natural materials in our designs, including boulders, wall stone and flagstone and several different river stone sizes. We take all of these individual materials and create a natural, cohesive environment that both looks great and functions properly,” Chris says.
John and Nancy Prann of Lower Heidelberg had their combination pond and waterfall constructed by Spayd’s last year in two phases on a non-usable space alongside their home. “The pond is stunning and easier to maintain than a lawn,” explains John who did not enjoy mowing grass on a slope in that area. The completed project–a patio, retaining wall, pond, waterfall, trees and mulch–was installed to honor John’s mother who had recently passed away. “It’s so beautiful and peaceful and just a wonderful way to remember her,” he says. “The entire area, a walkway lined with trees and the natural stone retaining wall, lights up at night.”
The 2,200-gallon pond has a 7-foot waterfall and is filled with koi and goldfish. To protect the fish from predators such as raccoons and blue heron, the pond has custom-built shelves set into the stone where the fish can duck. They also hide underneath tropical palm lilies, which bloom a bright purplish blue at night.
When it comes to water features, size doesn’t matter, so think big and splashy and put your project in the hands of the professionals who will make sure your outdoor oasis is designed, placed and installed properly to get back to nature.
Sources
New Castle Lawn and Landscape Inc. 3 East Pointe Dr., Birdsboro | 610.796.7818 | nclli.com Signature Pond and Patio 37 E. Penn Ave., Wernersville | 610.374.8281 | signaturepondandpatio.com Spayd’s Greenhouses, Nursery and Floral Inc. 3225 Pricetown Rd., Fleetwood | 610.929.2026 | spayds.com
