Man-made ponds, streams and waterfalls inspired by the environment

by Sally Bouorm | January 1, 2010 9:39 am

By Anthony Archer-Wills

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Beautifully executed water features have existed for thousands of years. In fact, these days, there are more well designed and constructed examples than ever before. In the last 30 years there has been a quantum leap forward in quality within the pool and water garden industries. However, there is no room for complacency and always room for improvement. Like anything else, landscape design incorporating water elements must evolve and adapt.

With new pumping technology and advanced impermeable materials emerging, landscape design is on the brink of another leap forward. As designers acquire more and more experience, they must also keep their eyes and minds open for future inspiration, whether looking to the trends of the future or traditions of the past.

A brief history of water features

In ancient Rome, emperors spent staggering fortunes on extravagant villas and water features, built with great precision and engineering skill. Huge formal pools, embellished with fountains and sculpture, were constructed of the finest longest-lasting materials available. These installations have survived for thousands of years, a testament to their construction techniques. Numerous magnificent water gardens developed during the Renaissance period are still enchanting crowds of modern tourists to this day. However, one shouldn’t pay attention merely to the much-visited gardens, but also look for more subtle and humble installations that can just as easily serve as inspiration. Designers also need to study the work of nature, in all its complexity.

This summer, I revisited an area in southern France where several fountains and stone basins lie concealed in small towns and villages. The ancient, formal stone structures and carvings have undergone a complete metamorphosis, thanks to the buildup of limestone and moss, softening and transforming them into natural organic shapes. These combinations of man-made and natural designs can serve as a reminder to modern designers to soften the straight lines of formal pools and pathways with cushions of plants. Cracks in rockwork can be hidden behind moss and ferns. Even the simplest pool and water chute, if allowed, can be transformed into an object of great beauty when accented with natural elements.

Finding inspiration

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The choice between incorporating a formal or informal water feature into a property will be decided by the chosen location, relative to any existing architecture, topographical considerations and requirements of the owner. One should ask, “What are we trying to achieve?” Is the water to be an extension of the geometry of the buildings, a pool to reflect something special, a pond for Koi, a fountain to mitigate traffic noise? Perhaps a swimming pond, waterfall or series of streams and pools are required. Maybe a naturalistic pond with lotus and a collection of moisture-loving plants is in order. Is the homeowner looking for something classical or whimsical? The permutations are endless. Budget and imagination are the main limiting factors—site constraints can usually be overcome.

It is often effective to incorporate a formalized feature into a naturalistic one. This addition, e.g. a dock or boardwalk, will make the pool seem more natural by contrast. Make the pond as naturalistic as possible and then extend towards it the more formal areas from the house. Culminate in a deck or purpose built viewing platform extending out over the water. Consider the planting potential and design suitable shallows to accommodate emergent and aquatic plants. These could be viewed from a specially constructed boardwalk and their image will be reflected on the water’s surface.

The orientation of the pond is crucial for maximizing reflections. Clear or dark, the water will mirror architecture, rocks, trees and plants alike. To capitalize on this phenomenon, the light source should be behind the observer. Early morning and evening sun will light up any coloured bark or golden fall colour trees. Therefore, the pond should be placed so this spectacle can be enjoyed from the house or some other good vantage point. The brilliance of the pond surface ‘mirror’ can also illuminate the north side of a house by bouncing light up onto the ceilings. With much thought and care during the planning and planting stages, designers can allow homeowners to enjoy these beautiful reflections.

Evaluating the site

There are further considerations needed at the planning stage, including a careful site evaluation. One of the most important issues is determining the presence or absence of natural water.

If the water table is constantly high, one can dig down and grade back to achieve a brimming pond. This, however, is a rare luxury. A site could offer a reliable, clear-running stream that has never been known to dry up in summer, though this scenario is even more unlikely. These ideal settings do exist, but they are certainly few and far between.

More often, any stream present in a backyard will vary greatly, ranging from a crashing silt-laden torrent for a day or two each year to a barely discernable trickle most of the summer. This can be managed, however. In fact, many successful ponds have been constructed under these conditions. It is best to build an ‘off-stream’ pond; that is to say, allow the stream to bypass the pond. Designers should allow only enough water to maintain the water level. This can be achieved by building a small aperture as entry to the pond. In the event of a storm, the majority of the water will rush harmlessly past the pond, carrying away silt and debris. The aperture could take the form of a narrow rock inlet or merely a pipe.

In the absence of a reliable water source, good clay or other means by which an earth pond may be formed, it is best to use a pond liner. This is particularly relevant with smaller ponds, where the volume is less and a water-level drop of even a few inches would be unsightly. However, designers must be careful to guard against the threat of a ‘hippo,’ a black bubble of liner that rises out of the water, much like its namesake. These eyesores are formed by ground water beneath the liner. It is essential, in almost every case, to provide an under-liner drain. A system of land drains should be laid to direct water away from the underside of the pond liner. This network can then connect to a pipe that discharges water into a ditch, sump or suitable low point on the property. This discharged water may then be recovered and used to top up the pond.

On the edge

In any pond, the most defining part of the design is edging. This single detail will determine if a pond is formal or naturalistic, ugly or beautiful. It is here that designers and homeowners should direct the majority of their budget. Historically, the magnificent geometrical shaped ponds found in palaces, villas and gardens had one thing in common—the stone edges were precisely level with the water brimming. It is essential the perimeter be level wherever hard architectural exposed edging is used. Designers also need to resist the temptation to indulge in more than three types of edge around any given pond. This is, after all, a person’s backyard, not a garden centre exhibit.

Of course, one may use just planted edges, particularly for a natural pond. More likely, this would be part marginal planting and part rock. The edge might be composed of planting, rock and sandy beach. Another combination could be planting, stone and timber decking. Attractive edging details used quite frequently is planting, timber decking and lawn to the water’s edge. One is fine, but never use more than three.

Creating attractive edges with liner ponds is not difficult to achieve if one thinks of the liner as merely a waterproof bowl into which the contents are placed. Designers should build all block work, rock work, stepping stones and soil beds within the liner. This way, the edge of the liner will be completely hidden. I like to form a hard edge around the entire pond, even though it may ultimately appear as a ‘soft edge,’ after being overlaid with soil for planting. This ensures a precise level rim that cannot be trodden down. In addition, designers must always remember the water is only as high as the lowest point in the liner.

Streams and waterfalls

The basic principals of pond design also apply to streams, which are essentially elongated ponds, and waterfalls, which also need to be constructed within the waterproof membrane. Rocks for streams and waterfalls need to be treated with great sensitivity. If one wants to build a waterfall that appears natural, there can be no hint of artificiality, such as exposed liner or concrete. Rock selection should be thorough and specific to the job at hand. One shouldn’t skimp, either. A few large rocks are more convincing than lots of little ones and they tend to go in quicker and cover a lot more space.

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To construct a series of pools and waterfalls that truly resemble nature, one has to spend time in the wild studying the real thing, observing how water exposes the strata over which it passes and leaves the surrounds partially vegetated. Designers should not use too much rock on either side of a waterfall. There should be obvious ‘cheeks,’ which keep the water on course and outcroppings as needed, but not an excess of bare stone. In a waterfall setting, the water is, in essence, in conflict with the surrounding rock. The flow is thrust in all directions, while beautiful fans, sprays and chutes are produced. These are elements a good designer can recreate in the backyard.

In nature, streams generally begin as gentle trickles in high valleys, gradually increasing in volume as they flow downhill. The source is being joined by springs, side streams and tributaries, all of which combine to swell the flow. While this can be mimicked in a water feature, the designer needs to plan the source with considerable care. When I am called in to consult on a stream project, much of my time is spent finding a clever way for water to emerge.

Pump it up

A water feature’s recirculation system must be efficient and aesthetically pleasing. Designers should aim to make the bottom of the pond greater in surface area than the rest of the stream and pond surfaces combined. This ensures the water elevation of the bottom pond (from which the recirculation system draws water) will not significantly drop during startup.

Pumps should be installed in a chamber or vault separate from the pond, assuming it is practical to do so. A separate housing serves as a dry chamber for surface pumps or a wet sump for submersible pumps. A balancing pipe connecting the pond to the tank or vault will allow water to be drawn from the pond into the pump. In either event, a connected tank, set adjacent to the pond, can be used to house a top-up and overflow system. An adjustable weir plate or pipe with a sliding collar will fine tune the water elevation. Designers should look for energy-efficient, low-pressure, high-volume water circulation pumps. Solar-powered pumps are also a good environmentally conscious option—the hotter the sun, the stronger the flow and more refreshing the sound.

A bright future

With such a wealth of experience and natural inspiration to draw upon, the industry standards and workmanship in the water feature industry is improving yearly. As designers produce more daring designs and improve execution in their aquatic endeavours, the ponds, streams and waterfalls that grace modern backyards will continue to impress.

 

Anthony Archer-Wills is a water garden designer specializing in water gardens, formal gardens, natural gardens and waterfalls and streams. He can be reached via e-mail at aaw@archerwills.com[5].

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