FINISHING TOUCH
CUE MOTHER NATURE
When you install a backyard water garden, you’re welcoming the sensory charms of the element that sustains us all. And that’s just the beginning.
W of the ocean and its waves, the serenity of a lake or the gentle music of a tinkling creek,
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something about water and its rhythms calls to us, soothes the mind and feeds the soul. And the pleasure of this element needn’t be restricted to your beach house or your seaside-resort vacation. It’s constantly yours with a water garden, right where you live. It will also summon other life there, says Michael Gannon of Full Service Aquatics in Summit. “A water garden not only brings the sights and sounds of the water onto a property; it also offers the pond keeper the chance to enjoy seeing how nature responds to it. Songbirds, small animals, butterflies and dragonflies all flock to a water garden. They open up a new world of gardening experiences and backyard enjoyment.” Adding a water garden can be the extra step that transforms a backyard into a true natural oasis, sustaining life and creating a lushness other spaces lack. “Water gardens are best located close to outdoor living areas,” Gannon says. “Avoid placing them in heavily wooded areas—or very wet ones.” A water garden’s design can embody a purely natural look or a more formal scheme. “The most popular trend in water-garden design at the moment is the naturalistic approach, which incorporates natural boulders, gravels and aquatic planting areas into a free-form shape,” says our expert. These gardens mimic the look of naturally formed ponds. Formal water gardens, on the other hand, are designed with crisp, sharp geometric shapes and are often bordered with decorative tile. They recall Italian gardens and create amazing reflections in the sunlight. And what if you decide you want to have it all? “Formal and naturalistic design fusions are gaining more attention and will likely grow in popularity,” says Gannon. Whatever aesthetic you choose, sit back and listen as your yard fills with the musical chime of a waterfall and the soft melodies of songbirds and frogs. Following in your footsteps, the rest of the world has answered the call of the water as well.
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HETHER IT’S THE COASTAL MAJESTY
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