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There are many items to think about once you’ve decided to build a water feature in your yard. The first thing would be what type; bubbling rocks, a waterfall, stream, formal brick fountain or pond?

When selecting the location for your water feature, pay attention to overhead trees that could drop leaves or needles into the water. Also, determine where you will get the most bang for your buck. Are you using this water feature to mask the sounds of a nearby street? Are you making it to hold Koi or other fish? Every time I place a water feature in a design, I try to figure out where it would go that can be seen or used from multiple spots (e.g. view from dining room and sitting on back patio). 

Selecting the right type of water feature is a very important step. Decide what type of water feature fits your tastes, your neighborhood or your housing style. If you’re building a formal fountain, use materials that match the facade on the house or compliment the structure or adjacent patio. Bubbling rocks have become very popular in the past 15 years and give a natural appearance, even though having water flow out of the top of boulders isn’t often seen in the real world. Many people chose to install waterfalls in a flat yard by building up the soil in the corner, with mixed results. Try to utilize the topography on your site and it will look much better in the long run.

Talk to your local water feature experts to determine the size of pump you need or calculate them yourself. It’s better to slightly oversize your pump and have control of the water flow with a ball valve. Some pumps require 220v power, so be sure to see what electrical you have available. Like pools, ponds and other water features can be outfitted with filters and skimmers to help keep the water clean. Many Koi ponds we’ve installed utilize UV lights in filter box to keep algae from growing and the water clear. When installing pumps and other equipment, be sure to keep them in the lowest point under water or in soil to protect them from freezing.

Remember to use low-voltage spot lights or underwater lights to really enhance your pond, fountain or waterfall. The view of a water feature at night is quite often the best one. Light reflecting off of the shimmering water will bring people outdoors and utilize your garden more.

Other items I would recommend on any water feature would be an overflow pipe or attachment for a pump to drain the system for maintenance or even the winter. The other addition would be an auto-fill pipe or drip system off your irrigation. There always seems to be evaporation or splash that slowly drains water features during the summer.

As with most things there can be downsides to owning a water feature. First of all, they can harbor insects and attract frogs that might drive you crazy. There is sometimes maintenance that needs to be done to insure a healthy environment (e.g. cleaning filters, removing debris, draining pipes, leaks) for your water feature, so please keep that in mind. Try to make good decisions on where and what to install,  then enjoy your water feature for years!

Mow your lawn a little shorter to allow the sun to reach the roots. Use winter fertilization with weed killer to make a thicker, healthier lawn next spring. This is also the time to use pre-emergents to remove annual grasses that are unwanted.

Shrubs and trees can be pruned at this time to help them force new growth for the springtime. Fruit trees especially need to be pruned and sprayed with a sulfur based anti-fungus to keep them from becoming diseased.

Irrigation systems should be turned off and blown-out with air compressors to keep the lines from breaking during winter freezes. It’s also a good time to review that everything (sprinklers, valves, timer) works first, before turning it off.

One thing that the fall is good for is planting lawn seed, trees and shrubs. Many times you can find shrubs on clearance or bare-root at the end of summer, and they will require less water during this time since it will be raining. Try to plant your lawn seed before the typical freeze period starts in your area. Allow one to two weeks for germination to assure your lawn will make it through the winter. Over-seed as needed in the spring and enjoy!

 Being environmentally friendly is on everyone’s  mind these days, and landscaping shouldn’t be an exception. With updates in technology, low energy-consuming items can become even better.

Twelve-volt outdoor lighting systems can almost always be upgraded with LED inserts. Not only do these LED lights use less energy, they are more consistent, easier to install and last a lot longer than traditional bulbs. Using timers and optical eyes can help save energy by turning them off when you don’t need them running.

Irrigation systems can be updated with a combination of low flow pop-up sprinklers for lawn, using drip systems for shrub beds and installing ‘smart’ controllers that know how much water is needed, where and for how long.

Many clients have chosen to install synthetic lawn in their landscapes. Although the initial costs are high, the benefits of not having any irrigation, fertilizers or lawn mowing make this a good option. The lawns also serve as a good place to run water from patios since it can allow up to 25 gallons of water per foot to flow through it. There is even colored, ground-up rubber mulch to use in your shrub beds instead of barkdust. This product is made from recycled tires and will last up to 12 times longer than wood mulch (it can reduce your carbon footprint by 85%).

Lastly, we can all do our part by planting trees to provide shade for our houses and patios. Install native plants  that thrive in our zone and we will all use less water and not have to replace those exotic plants in the future!

Using items for more than one purpose can really help make a useful space. Consider using a retaining wall as an informal bench seat, or as a spillway for a waterfall. Picking the right hardscapes can also create the feeling of a larger space (hint: large stones or pavers will keep the patio from looking too busy) .

Finally, plant selection and layout is critical to giving the appearance of depth and can draw the eyes to a focal point farther away, thus giving the illusion of more space.