Water Features
Streams, falls, ponds and fountains built from real stone and set so they look like the water found its own way through.
Backyard Koi Pond & Waterfall — A layered stone waterfall and koi pond built from hand-placed boulders and river rock, tucked into a wooded corner of the yard. Part of a full backyard build in the Upstate.
Built, not installed
A kit water feature announces itself. The boulders sit on top of the ground, the falls drop in one obvious step, and the liner shows at the edges within a season.
We build differently. Stone gets set into the grade rather than onto it, so the feature reads as an outcrop that was always there. Falls are stepped and staggered so the water breaks in several places, which is what gives you the sound. Edges get buried and planted.
Ferns and moss are encouraged, not fought. Within two years a good feature looks older than the house.
Sound is a design decision
People rarely say it, but sound is usually the actual reason they want water. How much noise you get, and what kind, is controlled by drop height, how many breaks the water takes, the shape of the receiving basin, and how much flow you push.
A feature meant to mask road noise on a front lot is built very differently from one meant to be a quiet background near a patio. Tell us which you want and we will build for it.
Upkeep, honestly
A well-built recirculating feature is not maintenance-free, but it is close. Keep the skimmer or intake clear of leaves, top off for evaporation in high summer, and shut it down or run it through hard freezes.
We will walk you through operation when we finish and we will tell you up front what a given design will ask of you.
Common questions
Do water features use a lot of electricity?
Modern low-energy pumps are inexpensive to run — typically comparable to a household appliance. The pump size depends on the flow the design needs.
What about mosquitoes?
Moving water does not breed mosquitoes. A recirculating feature is actually less of a problem than a low spot in the lawn that holds standing water.
Can you add a water feature to an existing patio?
Yes, and it is one of the most common things we are asked to do. Access and power are the two things we check first.
Do you build ponds with fish?
Yes — koi and goldfish ponds need more depth and filtration than a pondless feature, and we will size that properly.
What happens in winter?
Most features can run through Upstate winters. During a hard freeze we generally recommend shutting the pump down. We will show you how.