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Adding Water Elements to Your Landscape

add a water feature to your home to provide aesthetic appeal, peace, and tranquility

Imagine entering your backyard and being greeted by the soothing sound of flowing water, the gentle rustle of leaves, and the serenity of a well-designed water feature. Adding water features to your landscape is not just about aesthetics; it’s about creating a harmonious and tranquil outdoor space you can enjoy

Water Feature Options

There are many options to enhance your water features

  • Streams or creeks that recirculate slow-moving water.
  • Waterfalls provide a landscape focal point and provide calming background noise.
  • Fountains create a statement, add interest, or change the mood of any landscape or garden.
  • Dry creek beds accommodate and conserve seasonal rainwater in your landscape.

 

Provide a Tranquil Retreat

Water features can transform your outdoor space into a tranquil retreat, whether it’s a bubbling fountain, a meandering stream, or a serene pond. The sound of water has a calming effect on the mind, reducing stress and promoting relaxation. Incorporating water into your landscape design allows you to create a peaceful haven to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life.

The Aesthetic Appeal of Water Features

water features provide aesthetic appeal

Water features add a touch of elegance and visual appeal to any landscape. Whether you opt for a modern, minimalist fountain or a more natural pond surrounded by lush vegetation, water features are eye-catching focal points. They create a sense of balance and harmony, enhancing the overall aesthetics of your outdoor space.

Give a Biodiversity Boost

Water features boost biodiversity

Water elements in your yard contribute to the biodiversity of your landscape by attracting various forms of wildlife. Birds, butterflies, and even frogs are drawn to the sounds and sight of water, adding a lively and dynamic element to your garden. Their presence contributes to the ecosystem and provides entertainment and a connection to nature.

Increase Property Value

Investing in water features can significantly increase the resale value of your property. A well-designed and properly maintained water feature is a sought-after addition for potential buyers, making your home stand out in the real estate market. It’s a cost-effective way to elevate your property’s curb appeal and make a lasting impression.

Temperature Regulation

Water  can help with temperature regulation. The cooling effect of water can help moderate temperatures in your outdoor space, providing relief during hot summer days. This natural cooling can make your outdoor living space more comfortable in warmer temperatures.

Creative Customization Options

One of the best aspects of incorporating water elements into your landscape is the wide range of customization options available. From the size and shape of the water feature to the materials used in its construction, you can tailor it to your preferences and the overall style of your home. Depending on the style of your garden or overall landscape, we can also design a water feature to blend with your aesthetic, like a sleek modern water bubbler or Japanese garden water element bringing natural elements together.
Whether you seek a peaceful retreat, enhanced visual appeal, or a boost in property value, water features offer a solution for elevating your outdoor space. Frontier Landscaping designs, installs, and maintains water features. We construct large, multi-featured waterscapes as well as smaller, simpler set-ups. We maintain the plantings in and out of the water, install any irrigation needed, and add outdoor LED lights for nighttime ambiance.

Hardscape Design with a Natural Look

Natural hardscape

Hardscapes are composed of the non-living elements of your landscape design. These may include walkways, patios, walls, arbors, fences, lighting, and more. When a hardscape is developed to express a natural design aesthetic, it’s fun because the ‘hard’ pieces (gravel, rocks, and boulders) often play off of nature’s ‘softest’ elements: spongy ground covers, textured bark, and water.

Rocks and Boulders

Does the thought of hauling huge rocks into your yard seem a little strange? It’s not unusual for clients to give us a raised eyebrow or two when we assess their design goals and suggest bringing in boulders and rocks.

Natural hardscapes accent rockery boulders

Truth be told, natural hardscape designs almost always include accent rockery. Think about the views you encounter when out on a hike. Elements are rarely standing alone: it’s a combination of rocks, grasses, trees and water that work together to create nature’s beauty.

In the installation below, a backyard water feature moved from ordinary to enchanting when we mirrored the composition of Mother Nature.

Fir trees cleared during the home’s construction were repurposed to create this stream, fed by a custom pond above. The strategic placement of large boulders and accent rocks brings power and definition to the piece, maximizing its beauty in the landscape.

natural water feature landscape installation

Slate and Flagstone

Hardscapes have a few workhorse elements, and slate and flagstone are longtime favorites. These materials are available in myriad colors, shapes, textures, and sizes. While a formal look calls for a tight “jigsaw” style perfect fit of pieces, a charming transformation occurs when we stretch out to 2-4 inches of space between each.

natural hardscapes pathways English garden style

Taking cues from English gardens, these pathways and patio have been spaced widely to allow hardy groundcover to grow in around each piece of stone. Irish moss, Corsican mint, and Blue Star creeper all shine when put to use in this way.

If you’re considering a naturalized area for seating or dining, keep in mind that flagstone is more textured and makes for a bumpier surface for your tables and chairs. Larger pieces with wider bases will allow you to sit more comfortably.

Paver-style stones can offer natural texture in conveniently standardized sizing, typically 18×18 or 24×24 inches. Considerations for slope, drainage, and planned use in your landscape will all play a part in determining which material is best for your project.

Get Your Look

After nearly three decades of residential and commercial installations, we’re still energized by the process of finding the “just right” balance of hardscaping and plantings for our clients. Are you ready to trade a monotone view for natural beauty around your home or business?

Call (360) 574-8979 or send us an email to arrange a consultation today.

Further Reading on Hardscapes: natural hardscapes water feature

Winterize Your Landscape

We tend to think or decide that there isn’t much to do in the yard once fall rains and winter cold arrive. Some figure their yard won’t look good again until next spring after a good deal of work.gutters, clean out gutters

The good news is, whether you’re a commercial enterprise or a homeowner, several tasks done in the off season make it possible to have a healthy and attractive landscape year round. The steps you take to winterize your landscape will become visible throughout the spring and summer. Which projects apply to you?

Paths & Patios
Anywhere you end up walking through mud when you would prefer not to is an opportunity to solve a problem and beautify your surroundings. One solution is the use of paving stones. They drain well, can be configured to an area of any size or shape and offer endess possibilities in creating attractive, affordable walkways, patios, retaining walls and more.

Pruning
Most pruning is done in the winter. It’s important to check trees every year for dangerous, damaged or unattractive limbs or odd growth habits. There may be trees you’d like removed, whether for safety or aesthetic reasons. Whether a tree has outgrown its space, is poorly placed, poses a threat or otherwise just bugs you, doing away with it makes a huge difference in your yard’s appearance.
Winter’s a favorable time for hedge trimming and tree and shrub thinning. Your plantings will look all the better for it next season.

Clean Up
Don’t batten down the hatches until you’ve clear the decks of weeds, fallen leaves and other debris. They spread disease, smother the lawn and increase next year’s slugs and weeds! Watch for hidden nooks and crannies where leaves tend to congregate or weeds go unnoticed. Steps, sidewalks, driveways, decks and patios have been subjected to abuse over the past year and if not tended to now may grow slick and slimy come winter. Moss treatment and/or pressure washing may be in order.

Water Features
If a water feature is large enough, it may be best to keep it running all year, not only for the pump’s sake but for that of the fish. Smaller features should be drained and properly protected for the season.

Irrigation Systems & Drains
It isn’t until the weather gets really wet that we remember that spot in the yard where water always pools or runs in the wrong direction. Let us help you remedy the situation with a free assessment to discover whether you’d benefit from the installation of a drain or culvert. Irrigation systems vary, but most require expressing air through the system to blow out any remaining water.

Gutters
Need we say more?

Lighting
Stroll around to make sure all outdoor lighting is firmly secured and in working order. You may see areas where you could use more lighting. For information on low-voltage landscape lighting, see our recent blog!

Plant Care
Annuals typically die when temperatures drop below freezing; the entire plant should be removed. Perennials may die down, but they will be back bigger and better next year (there’s also time to divide and transplant them). Any dead foliage and surrounding debris should be removed. If you mulch, keep it back from the root crown by a few inches. If a hard frost threatens, it may be a good idea to heap some protection over them such as pine branches, straw or cloth for the duration.

Be Wise: Winterize! Frontier Landscaping has a systemized weatherization program adaptable to any property. Our professionals are well versed in the best practices for every aspect of landscape design and installationmaintenance and expert tree service. Contact us today!

Is there a water feature in your future?

A water feature is the ‘icing on the cake’ fornatural water feature landscape installation many commercial and residential landscapes.

There’s nothing like a water feature to add sound, texture and movement to the landscape and create more natural, unique surroundings. You might say a water feature brings nature to your door. During lunch hour or after a stressful day, the sound of running water can be both soothing and rejuvenating.

Water features can be designed around whatever size or shape of yard you’ve got to work with. A slope could become a cascading waterfall and creek or an awkward flower bed near the front door a welcoming fountain. Koi ponds are a source of delight with their flashy fish darting among the waterlilies. Because of its recirculating nature and materials used, most water features require little maintenance.water feature Battleground Washington

At Frontier Landscaping we design, install and maintain a wide variety of impressive water features. We construct large multi-featured waterscapes as well as smaller, simpler set-ups. We can take care of the plantings, in and out of the water, install irrigation and install outdoor LED lights for nighttime drama.

We use only quality materials to install smooth-running water features that add value to your property and become a source of pride and joy for years to come. Call us today for an estimate!