A water feature can add a powerful element to a landscape design, but bigger doesn\u2019t always mean better when it comes to delivering the right experience for your customer. Sometimes, a smaller water feature can provide just as much of an impact while also reducing both the overall installation bill and water-use costs.<\/p>\n
Choosing a water feature should begin with a talk about what the customer is willing to pay, says Nicholas Tate, owner of Uppercut Property Services in Chattanooga, Tennessee.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I get approached for a water feature, I\u2019ll start with the budget to see what exactly that will let us get,\u201d Tate says. \u201cI\u2019ll talk about what\u2019s available in that range.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Tate says he stays connected with his local suppliers to make sure he has plenty of options for customers that come at a reasonable cost. That way he can offer the best possible price for a water feature that won\u2019t break the customer\u2019s bank and still make enough money to make the job worthwhile.<\/p>\n
That conversation should also include some discussion of what the customer wants out of the water feature, says Sam Pole, operations manager at Lawns of Texas in Woodway, Texas.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it just a visual, is it auditory?\u201d Pole says. \u201cIt depends on a client\u2019s aesthetic needs with their landscapes.\u201d<\/p>\n
With that information in mind, it\u2019s time to talk to the customer about options. Pole says water restrictions in Texas can make it more challenging to provide a high-impact water feature, but providing the client with details about costs of installation and its water use is the right approach.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need to educate them,\u201d Pole says. \u201cThat\u2019s the best customer, an informed customer.\u201d<\/p>\n
The installation bill isn\u2019t the only place where a more conservative water feature can make an economic difference for customers. Tim Brucks, owner of Total Landscape Concepts in Roseville, California, typically does much larger water feature installations, but the water restrictions in his region cause some customers to look for more water-smart options.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re a drier climate and we deal with a lot of evaporation,\u201d Brucks says.<\/p>\n
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Higher amounts of evaporation mean a more expensive water bill over time for customers, so Brucks\u2019 goal is to reduce that rate in the water feature. One of the best ways he\u2019s found to do that is to focus on a pondless feature, such as bubbling rocks and urns that catch the water in a basin underground. That minimizes the amount of splash and prevents large amounts of water from exiting the fountain.<\/p>\n
\u201cLimiting splash or even channeling the water a little bit \u2014 that\u2019s the biggest thing you can do,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
When designing a landscape with a water feature, Brucks utilizes plants around the feature that can make use of any extra water that might splash.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously we don\u2019t plan on any water being outside the parameters,\u201d Brucks says. \u201cBut we try and put some plants, maybe some grasses, around the feature. We use Virginia creeper around the fountain on the edges. We\u2019ll utilize plants that are going to really like that water. That gives it the potential to use it without wasting it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Waterfall-style features are always popular and can still be an option for smaller installations, says Pole. A waterfall feature doesn\u2019t have to have a huge splash at the bottom to provide both strong visual and auditory aesthetics, and it can be constructed with a small basin area to reduce the amount of water.<\/p>\n
In some designs calling for a pondless waterfall, Brucks has used a trough from a farm supply store, depending on the budget, he says.<\/p>\n
Any part of a feature that has exposed running water is an opportunity for evaporation, though, says Pole. Another popular look is a stream bed-style feature with circulating pumps taking water over a longer distance as compared to a pond or basin.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019ve got that moving water, you\u2019ve got more of an evaporation situation present,\u201d says Pole. \u201cWe will steer them away from that or give them a short run that gives them the stream but then keep most of the basin water protected, hidden in a larger basin or under gravel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Water feature placement can also affect evaporation, with full sun causing the most trouble, says Pole.<\/p>\n
An important part of designing a smaller water feature is choosing the right pump, says Brucks.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need to make sure that your pump is matched to what you\u2019re doing,\u201d he says. In the same way that he wouldn\u2019t put a 6,000-gallon pump in a 10,000-gallon feature, he wouldn\u2019t put a huge pump in a project that doesn\u2019t require it.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019re always trying to be conservative, and thinking about the electricity used comes along with that,\u201d Brucks says. Using a larger pump turned down on a smaller water feature not only wastes electricity, it can strain the pump and damage the parts more quickly.
\nThe pump is also one part of the water feature where Brucks doesn\u2019t suggest using less-expensive alternatives.<\/p>\n
\u201cNever go cheap on the pump,\u201d he says. \u201cA good pump is going to be quiet; it\u2019s going to be efficient. It\u2019s going to be less likely to break or have issues. They last a long time, and a good pump will use less electricity overall.\u201d<\/p>\n
The type of pump should be determined during the design phase of the project. An above-ground pump is what Brucks prefers because it\u2019s much easier to service than a submersible pump. If the pump is above ground, it\u2019s important to consider the pump\u2019s suction and total dynamic head, or how far the water will be pushed. Determining the correct amount of flow for a water feature takes some trial and experience, he says.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always say that even though you don\u2019t want to crank down a pump too much, you can always turn it down,\u201d Brucks says. \u201cToo small of a pump is going to be lackluster.\u201d<\/p>\n
Working with smaller projects doesn\u2019t mean that the water feature has to have a smaller impact, says Pole. Using a water feature in concert with other landscape elements can deliver the experience of a larger installation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they want big features, then I would accent more around those features with elements not necessarily anything to do with the hydro feature, but accent it,\u201d Pole says. \u201cSo you would have a tropical look around that or even a hardscape that accentuates it, but you\u2019re not using a larger amount of water.\u201d<\/p>\n
Using a water feature as a centerpiece of a hardscape installation can bring a lot more energy to the feature, says Brucks. He uses rock along with additional landscaping elements to really make an impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe landscape is key, because you can really create that focal point by complementing it with some color and other foliage,\u201d Brucks says. It\u2019s important not to go overboard in bringing those additional elements, but finding that balance point takes practice. The overall goal is for all of the elements to feel incorporated and natural in the design, even with the more modern look of a feature like a water blade.<\/p>\n
Using hardscaping like a bench or walking path can make the feature feel even more inviting, regardless of its actual size. \u201cIt gives the client the best of both worlds,\u201d says Pole.<\/p>\n
No matter its size, a water feature can make a big splash.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":4736,"parent":0,"template":"","main-categories":[28],"class_list":["post-4061","features","type-features","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","main-categories-landscape"],"yoast_head":"\n