What started as a plan to simply redo the existing pond on the homeowner’s roughly four-acre property turned into an ambitious overhaul of everything there. His wife’s sage advice that got everything started? That you’re only going to do this once, and you shouldn’t regret any parts of it. You should go all in.
01
Assessing the Pond
The homeowner reached out to us, planning to redo the pond that was already on his property. It was set to be a straightforward refresh and nothing more. After conferring with his wife, the plan grew into something much bigger but completely undefined. So, he asked us what we could do to improve this large property.
02
The four-acre property was perfectly situated for a project of this size, but presented some serious excavation challenges. The biggest of these was the pond’s existing concrete, which had to come out for us to execute the expansion. This bump-out needed a large excavator, and we carefully planned how to safely move the machinery onto our client’s patio.
03
We built boulder retaining walls to wrap around the property’s living area, and positioned two elevated waterfalls on the back side at an angle. When viewed from the deck, they look like they emerge straight from the field.
We also added a two-terrace boulder retaining wall around the pool to tie the stonework motif across the curated landscape. The first is located behind the pond waterfalls, and the second sits around the low side of the swimming pool.
04
Once we finished the pond, and then the stream and waterfalls at a later date, we turned on the 6,000 gph solids handling pumps and the submersible 2,700 gph solids handling pump for the mystery waterfall to get the water flowing.
The plantings have filled in completely, covering any mulch and softening the abundance of stonework. The stream looks like a natural feature that’s always been there, and the homeowners can’t tell where it starts or stops. It’s the kind of project where going bigger paid off.
Originating at the property’s back edge, a 70-foot stream (the longest we’ve ever built) now runs the length of the yard.
The dual, angled waterfalls create the illusion of being a naturally occurring feature while adding bright texture to the soundscape.
Retaining walls constructed out of boulder wrap the entire living area, giving the property one consistent motif from pond to patio.
The stone motif carries across the property into the lush two-terrace boulder retaining wall.
~4,500 gallons
6,000 biofilters (x2) & 1,000 series skimmers (x2)
6,000 gph solids handling pumps (x2) & a submersible 2,700 gph solids handling pump (which feeds the mystery waterfall)
Shenandoah boulders, Pennsylvania mountain stone, Delaware river jack gravel
Ever-changing arrangements of hardy and tropical plants as part of our Stewardship Program
Primarily koi
Every upgrade we offer, including landscape lighting outside of the pond
We didn’t stop with just the pond and waterfall. We continue to visit the homeowners as a part of our Stewardship Program and tweak the stonework, or refine the areas they feel are nearly perfect into ones that deserve an A+ grade. Not every Premier project ends in a week; others, like this one, evolve over time.
Here are the answers to the most common questions people ask a pond contractor:
Where maintenance keeps a pond running, stewardship keeps it evolving. For clients in our Stewardship Program, we return to service the system weekly or bi-weekly and revisit the design itself. This can involve adjusting stonework and adding or removing features to create a design the homeowner wants today.
Yes, and this project is a great example. What started as a plan to redo the existing pond expanded to include a 70-foot stream, boulder retaining walls, and a poolside plant terrace.
For a stream of this size, plan to have a full crew completing on-site work for about 2 weeks.
It comes down to carefully placed plantings and time to settle in. Once the added plants fill in and soften the stone edges, those hard lines that draw your eyes disappear.
