DESIGN/BUILD: WATERSCAPES - Waterborne Design

There’s something inherently captivating about flowing water. Whether people are drawn to lapping waves and a crisp ocean mist, the cool currents of swiftly moving rivers or the strength of rushing waterfalls, everyone from honeymooners to families taking weekend vacations flock to destinations promising the calming influence of water.

Lately, however, more people are forgoing long hours of drive time and the hassle of packing for a trip in favor of creating private oases in their own back yards. "Water features are very popular among our clients," says Jay Marino, landscape architect and director of landscape operations for Landmark Landscapes, Asheville, N.C. "We try to include water in any design where it fits the site, and for landscape clients the best money they can spend is on water. There are a lot of psychological benefits to having a water feature in a landscape – it’s a calming, soothing, natural retreat at your own home."

As both homeowners and commercial property managers invest in water features on their properties, designers report specific trends among their customers’ requests. From new pondless waterfall styles to modern architectural looks, contractors can sample some of these up-and-coming concepts to boost water feature sales among prospective and existing landscape clients.

PONDLESS PREFERENCES. While water features are landscape focal points in and of themselves, clients’ eyes and ears are instantly drawn to waterfalls within water features. Indeed, waterfalls are the lifeblood of well-crafted ponds, providing aeration to keep fish and aquatic plants healthy and offering the comforting, fluid sounds customers crave.

Knowing the strong impression waterfalls make on their own, contractors and suppliers report that many customers are requesting to do away with the pond elements of water features altogether. Instead, they’re opting to install less traditional pondless waterfalls.

"The newest thing that’s showing a lot of potential is the pondless water feature," says Mike Masterson, president, Masterson’s Aquatic Nursery & Garden Center, East Aurora, N.Y. "Those will be very hot for a while, and there are a lot of manufacturers coming into the market with their takes on this style. There will be a lot of products available come next spring."

Richard Walsh agrees, adding that he has been installing pondless waterfalls for three years. "The pondless waterfalls are really great for a couple of client groups in particular – commercial projects and families with small children," says the president of RikRock, Northbrook, Ill. "Homeowners like these designs because they’re a lot safer when you have little kids running around. Instead of the waterfall ending in a pool that children could fall into, our pondless designs fall into a gravel base that’s much safer. You still get the water sound, which is what most people are after when they install water features. We also create bog pockets with plants and streams that maintain the feel of a water feature with a much more unique design."

Mark Beitler, owner of Effective Enhancements, White Lake, Mich., agrees that safety is a good selling point for pondless waterfalls, especially on commercial sites. "Property managers also appreciate that pondless water features require less maintenance," he says. "You’re creating the sound and movement without the upkeep of an actual pond. For our pondless features, we only have to visit the site once a year during March or April to clean it out."

Beitler and other contractors say maintenance for pondless waterfalls is as easy as emptying the basin and refilling it with fresh water once a year. Occasionally, it may be necessary to add water to the system to compensate for evaporation. A few drops of algae control also helps to maintain these systems.

In terms of cost, pondless waterfall kits can start at $1,500. Walsh says his pondless designs usually carry price tags of $6,000 to $7,000. However, prices can vary widely, depending on a project’s extent.

MODERN MYSTIQUE. Though pondless waterfalls often are intended to have a natural look and feel, their designs are more modern than the typical traditional water feature. This reflects another trend some contractors are seeing among their high-end residential clients.

"Lately, we’ve been designing much more modern, contemporary water features rather than the natural look that has been popular for so long," says Kathy Swehla, senior designer, Land Expressions, Mead, Wash. "We’ve been doing natural-looking designs for so long that they’re becoming commonplace. When someone comes to us asking for a water feature, we like to suggest something more unique than a natural design they may be used to."

Swehla says her recent architectural water features have included more cut rocks and sculptural pieces, as well as metal accents. "Our upper-end residential clients are moving away from more natural looks because these are people who travel a lot and are influenced by other design styles," she explains. "They spend more time researching these types of projects when they’re designing their homes, and they work with interior designers and architects who also travel a lot and realize that most of the water features out there are natural-looking. These clients want something more unique."

Additionally, Swehla says clients who spend less time in their homes and more time traveling want water features that are low maintenance. As a result, she says Land Expressions rarely incorporates fish or high-maintenance plants into its water features, which reinforces the modern feel.

Moreover, clients requesting pricey water feature designs that include copper basins or cut granite walls also can afford the extra filtration these designs require.

"When you do a non-natural system, your filtration has to be much better – more like a swimming pool or hot tub," she explains. "The copper and granite aren’t going to hurt the water, but if algae starts to grow in the water feature, that really takes away from the sleek, contemporary design. Whenever we do a water feature, we always ask our clients what level of water quality they expect. A little algae might be OK in a natural-looking design, but customers who are looking for architectural water features will probably want crystal-clear water, which requires extra filtration."

Harry North, owner of Santa Rosa, Calif.-based Creative Environments, also sees some of his clients moving toward new water feature aesthetics. "We do a lot of waterfalls with natural stone, but we also get requests for more ornate fountains and other designs," he says. "We’ve done some designs with tile fountains and patios that are more trend-setting than old-looking. People are willing to do more artistic things outside with sculpture and pre-cast bronze, as well."

NATURAL SELECTION. While requests for more streamlined water features are becoming more common, not all landscapes or homeowners are suited to contemporary designs. Eric Meyers, president, Aquapro Services, Rockville, Ill., notes that the natural look is actually becoming more popular in his area.

"The latest and most popular trend we’ve noticed is the naturalization of water features," he says. "We’re actually getting away from the cut wall and stone-type water feature you might see along a pool. Our customers want the water feature to appear as though it’s coming out of the ground, goes through a stream and then disappears back into the ground."

Marino agrees, noting that the typical water feature he builds is natural-looking, with a stream and often a uniquely installed waterfall. "We’re in the Appalachian Mountains and a lot of our clients have steep terrain, so we install a lot of boulder retaining walls," he explains. "One installation technique I’ve started using for water features is to run tubes up behind the boulders during the retaining wall installation and use the wall as a backdrop for a waterfall."

Marino says these types of water features have gotten rave reviews and are especially useful when sites are restricted on space.

Still, these natural features require different types of materials. For example, to keep natural water features in tune with their surroundings, Marino uses local rock that fits better in the landscape. At the same time, however, Marino says he likes to go all out when it comes to aquatic and other plants he uses. "I always like to use lots of flowers with a good evergreen background," he says. "Outside the pond, any kind of plant that spreads, such as creeping phlox, gives a soft, natural look to the water feature, while adding a punch of color. I also use a lot of ornamental grasses for texture, as well as dianthus and irises for color and interest."

For aquatic plants, Marino says he always uses lotus flowers if there is room, as well as hardy water lilies and plants that offer vertical interest, such as rushes and cattails. "When the client and I determine the perennial budget, I go through some perennial books and make a shopping list of the plants I want to include in the feature," he explains. "I don’t pre-design the plantings because, just like the overall look of the water feature, the design is really site-driven. The rocks of the water feature determine what the lines will be, and then I go back and use the plants as paint to fill in the canvas. The process requires a certain level of trust from the homeowners, but I sell this as art – flowing sculptures – and that really keeps clients interested."

SALES CINCH. Promoting aesthetic value is just one way to sell clients on water features, though most contractors say selling these landscape elements is rarely difficult.

In fact, a recent survey by lifestyle and how-to publisher Taunton Press showed that adding a water feature took the top slot as the improvement homeowners would most like to make to their yards. Also, water gardening sales have grown at a compound rate of 20 percent since 1997, reaching $1.4 billion last year. Aquascape Designs President Greg Wittstock, West Chicago, Ill., even estimates that the potential market for water feature sales in the residential sector alone could be as high as 50 percent of owner-occupied, single-family U.S. homes.

Swehla confirms this market segment’s growth. "We have water features in 50 percent of the landscapes we install, so we have a wide portfolio for our clients to look through," she says. "They can look through the portfolio to see the type of work we do and get a feel for what kind of design they might like, but any time a client is wavering about whether or not to install a water feature, the best sales tool is letting them visit a landscape you’ve installed and showing the impact a strong water feature can make."

North agrees, noting that clients may rework their budgets after seeing a water feature up close. "It’s inexpensive to dream on paper and a lot of times architects’ creative juices aren’t hampered by a budget," he says. "Still, we have our clients create a wish list and then we put some dollars against it. A lot of times, the client will extend their budget if they really love a design."

Clients also are spending more to get what they want from the start instead of adding on to a feature later.

"More people are investing more money upfront with the pond instead of coming back in a few years because they didn’t do it right the first time," Masterson says. "Our average sale has probably doubled for new customers in the last couple of years, and if you stretch that overall, we’ve probably seen a 20- to 25-percent increase across the board."

Some contractors even note that clients are requesting bigger ponds and waterfalls than in the past. "Three years ago, we were selling a lot more 8-foot-by-11-foot ponds. Now, it’s uncommon for our installations to be smaller than 11-by-16," Meyers says. "A lot of our customers choose to increase the size from there with custom designs and they’re adding long streams, as well."

Because size impacts sales, Walsh adds that he uses visual aids to encourage customers to increase the scale of their water feature designs. "Once the client is sold on adding a water feature to their landscape, the second thing we do is go in and lay out the area," he explains. "We paint out the basic area of where the water feature would sit and explain to the client, ‘This is the size of water feature you’ll get for $8,000.’ Sometimes when it’s laid out, their original idea starts to look a little contrived and doesn’t quite fit in the space. From there, you can upsell the design by bumping up the size of the pond, upgrading the stone and things of that nature. You’re accessorizing their water feature."

Marino agrees that upselling during the design and early construction phases is easier and more fruitful than coming back a year later to amend water feature designs. "Our projects have mostly been on new construction or total renovation," he says. "I do all my upselling upfront to ensure that the client has a really nice package for their site that works into their budget. Our profit margins get smaller if we go back and retrofit a water feature because you’re working in an established landscape and a lot of other elements can get in the way."

Beitler adds that larger outdoor landscape elements, like gazebos, fire pits and pergolas, also are good upselling opportunities on the front-end of water feature construction. "These are the features that allow people to use their water features more, so they really can be sold as extensions of the client’s house," he says. "We tell them we’re decorating their largest room and they see the benefit of putting money into exterior designs. It lets them use the space more often and enjoy it when they’re entertaining."

Beitler says the majority of his clients buy in to additional construction projects when their water features are installed, and 30 percent will come back the following year to upgrade the landscape.

Marino adds that fish, plants and lighting are usually the elements clients choose to cut when faced with budget constraints. Though customers must be educated that a pond won’t be ecologically balanced without an appropriate number of live elements, these are easy to add later when homeowners are ready to expand their liquid landscapes.