Milk Can Water Feature

This recent project involved using an old milk can that the homeowner had and incorporating it into a small water feature. The pond was placed on top of the patio, leaving the smallish, but quaint yard for plants and paths. A 'Bloodgood' Japanese maple was planted near the pond to provide a little shade and offer some interesting reflections on the water surface. A special shout out goes to Bella (featured in the video) and Dolce for their superb company.

The little pump that could.

I recently got a call from a lady I had built a water feature for about 8 years ago. She was concerned over a noise coming from her pump. At one point I asked her how old this pump was. She told me that it was the original. Wow! Most pond pumps have a lifetime of around 3 years, so this was definitely a rarity. She told me, during our phone conversation, that she had unplugged the pump, which is what I would have advised her to do.

Today, I went by to check on things. Upon plugging the pump back in, the noise was gone and this eight year old pump had new life. Admittedly, the pump could stop tomorrow and it would be five years over due, but this is quite amazing.

On with the project! The home here has a small back yard. The view from the rear of the home looks right out onto the water feature, where there are also some tasteful plantings. The water feature includes a 4' x 6' main pool with a water course that is about 2.5' tall. The flagstone coping around the main pool gives the project a sort of old world, yet elegant appeal; and the water recalls the peacefulness of nature. Beyond the pond, some small, curved flagstone landings and small stepping stones help to create a cohesiveness with the rest of the yard.



If this video is not available, try this link.

Note: I installed the project, but was the recipient of a very thoughtful design by a very nice lady that lives in the area.

Consider your hardscaping before going soft.

When ever I talk to a client about a landscape project, one of the first things I mention (if the client hasn't) is, "will there be a need for hardscaping?". My definition of hardscaping is any non-movable element in the garden. Of course, plants and turf grow, so they are considered softscaping.


PHOTO RIGHT: Pondless waterfall


Hardscaping would include walls, walkways, ponds, bird baths, driveways, garden art, steps, etc. The reason I ask about hardscaping is because it's always a good idea to do that phase of the landscaping first to make the entire project go more smoothly.







PHOTO RIGHT: Wall with waterfall incorporated.


These photos and video are of a project I've been working on. I'm done with the major hardscaping and have done very little softscaping, so the results look a little unfinished until I get some fall plantings, possibly a few well placed mini-boulders, and a stone bench installed.




PHOTO BELOW: Stepping stones are considered hardscaping.



ABOVE: Video of pondless waterfall.

My brush with fame....

It's a stretch, I know. My buddy, Jimmy Rockett of Bug Juice Gardens on Shelby Hwy 43, does a television spot on gardening every Wednesday on FOX 6 and today he did a spot on ponds and waterfalls. The pond he featured? It was one I built about 5 years ago. Here's the link:

http://www.myfoxal.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=A96D00BB407E6279B0A21F9C7C38D46B?contentId=6895094&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1
(my blogspot "insert a link" option isn't working for me, so you can simply copy and paste this address to your browser, and it will take you to the video)

Thanks Jimmy! You did a great job!

Water through a wall

A client of mine had a retaining wall built along the back of his house and he left a 5 or 6 foot wide hole in the wall for me to put a water feature in. Sorry about the video quality...I kind of just wanted to see if the video feature from my phone (I've only dropped my phone into a pond once, so far) could make it to my garden blog.
As for the noise at the end of the video clip...my wife, Donna asked, "is that your stomach?" No, it isn't! Ha Ha Ha!

Picture and a poem

Gypsy Forest
the dolphins live in the open sea
and the gypsies live in the forest
while the owls and the crows and the sure foot does
still live like those before us

and the oak and the pine and the sycamore shines
and the day spins round like a feather
and the sawmill whines and the bluebird dines
and the song goes on forever

now the old folk tell of an ancient bell
somewhere sunk in the meadow
but the shepherd there with the snow white hair
just sings in the evening shadows

and no one knows where the clear creek goes
when the moonlight fades in the forest
but the peacock screams and the gypsy dreams
of a time gone by before us

round and a round and a round and a round
round and a round and a round
round and a round and a round and a round
round and a round and a round...

Lyrics are copyright 1975, 1976 Steve Cash & Randle Chowning



Pond I built in 2002

Job Walk Through

Recently, I undertook a project in Dadeville, AL. My clients wanted me to convert an existing rock patio into a more appealing and usable patio area. The design I presented included a kidney shaped patio, a 15'+ moss rock sitting wall w/ flagstone coping, and a fire pit (raised and also with moss rock and flag coping). We also decided to rebuild/enlarge an existing small pond and water course that is within just a few feet of the patio. You are welcomed to take a tour of this job with me, if you like. Here we go!



This is a before picture. The existing patio was there long before my clients bought the house and, as you can see, it was very uneven and practically unusable.


The first thing I did was bringing a mini-excavator to the job. That machine helped pull out all the stones from the old patio, as well as digging a foundation for the sitting wall/fire pit and leveling the patio area. The blue tarp was my way of working even when it was raining.


Once the mini-excavator work was done, it was good ol' pick, shovel and rake time to complete the fine grading. I had to start work on the sitting wall and the fire pit before getting involved with the patio construction, as well.

With the sitting wall and fire pit in progress, I installed a crush and run gravel base for the patio, which I compacted with a plate compacter.


This is the stone patio with out grouting....Using the stone from the old patio presented some challenges because a lot of the stone was not very flat and the thickness of the stone varied from 1 inch to 5 inches.


More stone patio installation before grouting....The reason for using the stone that was already there as opposed to simply getting new flagstone was that, despite the difficulties I've already described, this stone was very pretty stone.


Here's a shot of the project nearly done. The sitting wall w/flagstone coping is completed and the fire pit is also done. Just a little bit more grout work before the patio project is complete.



I encountered all kinds of weather while working on this job. Did I mention it snowed down there?



The finished product!


Here is the pond redo. I pulled up all the rocks and replaced the liner of the old pond, and then redesigned, installed and enlarged. You can left click on the any of the pictures on the right side of my blog to get a closer look.


View from a room!

What's fun about being a landscaper?

A waterfall I designed and built about 6 years ago in North Shelby County


I spent lots of time at the creek near our home, in Homewood, Alabama, when I was growing up and my mom can attest to the fact that I came home very wet and dirty on many an occasion, so it's sort of fitting that I've chosen to make working with dirt, stone, water, etc., my vocation. Not that I am the only guy that got dirty playing in a creek as a little boy, but I will say I was REALLY into the creek!...just kidding...no more than most kids.
One of the main reasons I enjoy being a small landscape contractor (really small, as in often a one man operation), is that I get to be creative. I know there are mega companies out there that can install 20 ton boulders and 10 inch caliper trees, and have multiple corporate size projects going at one time. That's not me, but I'm quite happy doing what I do, working closely with my clients and developing some friendships along the way. I know lots of people that truly enjoy what they do for a living and I'm right in there with them. At a time when we are all hearing from the political pundits about what's wrong with America, I'd like to think there are lots of folks out there that are also feeling blessed for what ever they have.

Let's Go Play in the Garden!

I did some hardscaping (stone steps, patio, pond and walls) this past spring for a couple that lives in Homewood. It was an exciting job for me and I was fortunate to be allowed to do some more work and help finish off the backyard landscaping this winter. Part of the enjoyment I've recieved working on this job has been the thoroughly engaging personality of this couple's son, Kyle. Kyle, age 5, has always seemed interested in what was going on in his backyard, asking questions and making suggestions. I love it! In fact, I sometimes feel like it's good to have a playful, childlike eye when deciding how a landscape might come together and maybe that's why I've enjoyed Kyle taking an interest in the landscape, so much. Well, a huge smile came over my face when I drove up to the job site and noticed that Kyle had placed hand written signs, in crayon, all over the garden. He had given each area of the yard a delightful name and I just had to share a few pictures with you. Sorry about the fuzzy photos...they don't do Kyle's art work justice.

PHOTO #1 - Stone steps leading to the garden
 

PHOTO #2 - Kyle's first sign, signifying the beginning of the garden
 

PHOTO #3 - Kyle has a sign on this red twig Japanese maple called, "Maple Garden"
 

PHOTO #4 - The sign attached to the stone, pointing toward the pond: "Titanic Garden"
 

PHOTO #5 - This is Kyle's favorite part of the garden...He calls it, "Garden Garden"
 

Photogenic

These fishies are very special. They know a photo opportunity when they see one! I had finished building a pond for a guy in Shelby County and he wanted me to supply the fish for the pond as a surprise for his wife who was coming in from out of town. These guys were great and they lined up perfectly for my wife, Donna, as she took this group shot.
Some of the ponds I've built over the years have gravel bottoms. It is a good look, but cleaning gravel bottoms can become a bit of a hassle as years of sediment build up. Now, I go other the pros and cons of having a gravel bottom...go over other options (including rocking the side walls of the pond but leaving the bottom without stone of any kind)...and then let the customer decide.