Outdoor Living Spaces

Now that the weather's warming up, it's time to turn a critical eye to your outdoor living space. Flowers, fences, gazebos and benches are all pretty ... but what really makes your landscape a peaceful paradise is the sound of running water in the landscape. Combine a variety of elements in your landscape to create a beautiful outdoor living space you can enjoy for hours on end.

A cottage-style gazebo provides the optimal viewing vantage of this lovely pond and waterfall.

Pond Paradise in the Backyard

Some might view a wooded, sloping lot as a landscaper's design challenge. But when you incorporate water, the solution is quite simple. Work with the natural slope of the yard to create stunning waterfalls, and create twists and turns around trees to provide visual interest. This yard has it all! From a soothing water feature to gazebo to outdoor kitchen, and more!

Just outside the patio door is a stunning fireplace and flagstone patio that cozies up to a

small waterfall and pond. Comfortable seating provides a great place for relaxing well into the evening.

Winter Wonderland

Winter arrived late for many parts of the country, but once the snow flies, water gardens are transformed into frosty, magical places. Hope you enjoy the scenery ...

Freshen Your Landscape

Nothing makes a landscape sing like a melodic waterfall, babbling brook, or peaceful pond. That large expanse of grass in your backyard can be freshened with a breathtaking water feature - and let's face it - you hate mowing the grass anyway.

Here's your typical suburban yard ... well manicured green lawn with trees, shrubs, patio, and decorative fence. Not bad, but not great either.

Come Set a Spell

A charming bench awaits your company. It's calling your name, beckoning you to make time for yourself and drink in the view of the peaceful water garden. You answer the call and set a spell while the stress of the world slides from your shoulders.

Lush greenery and a soothing water garden help cool the climate.

Waterfalls: The Perfect Abode for Moss

In the splash zone around cascading waterfalls, a fine mist dances through the air ... perfect for nourishing a verdant carpet of moss. Moss lends an earthy element to a new water feature, making it look as though the pond and waterfalls have been there for eons.

Climatis winds its way around the rocks, its lavendar flowers providing a perfect foil to the bright green moss clinging to the cool rocks.

What's Outside Your Window?

Everyone wants a room with a view, right? If your landscape is lacking when you look out your window, you can always spruce up your yard. Or better yet ... you can add a room with large windows and design a water feature to flow right up to the glass like this homeowner did!

Rather than put the patio next to the sliding door, the water garden was brought up close, with a charming walkway stretching across the pond.

Small Ponds Pack a Punch

If you're under the mistaken impression that a pond simply won't fit in your yard ... think again! Ponds come in a variety of shapes and sizes and their versatility is what makes them such a great addition to your landscape ... in addition to the music of the waterfalls and the birds and butterflies they attract.

You might not think to use big rocks for a smaller pond, but a few boulders create focal points, softened by aquatic plants. The flat rock on the left is a perfect spot to sit and dangle tired tootsies in the water.

Livin' the Outdoor Lifestyle

Back in the 1950s, the lawn was a status symbol of suburban living. The bigger and greener the lawn, the better.  The first lawn spreader was invented during this era, and the market was flooded with lawn care products. Today, we're ripping out those green lawns for eco-friendly landscaping solutions like native plants, rainwater harvesting systems, and ecosystem ponds. In addition, we're moving the indoors out ... fireplaces, cushioned furniture, gazebos, even kitchens have moved outdoors. Here's a home located in the suburbs of Chicago that truly seems to have it all when it comes to outdoor living.

Outdoor kitchen to the left, beautiful paver patio for enjoying waterfront views, and a floating deck and gazebo for personal interaction with this amazing pond and waterfall.

What a great place for entertaining! Ample seating is available on the floating deck and dining furniture is available at the far end of the paver patio, as well.

A rustic boardwalk traverses the pond, beckoning visitors to feed the fish up-close, or simply dangle feet into the cool water. By the way, this backyard is featured on a pond tour in Downers Grove, IL on August 20th. The tour is free and more information is available here.

Ornamental shrubs soften the cool, hard edges of rock and lend a calming color palette to the overall design. Very natural. While only 2 years old, this water feature looks as though it's been part of the property forever.

Mossy, well-worn rocks were hand selected to provide an aged feeling to this new water feature. The small rock urn on the right was hand-crafted and pieced together by an artistic friend and pond builder, of BJL Aquascapes in New Jersey.

The same waterfall scene all aglow with energy-efficient LED lights.

Rain dances on the pond while beautiful greenery hugs the rocks.

Large stepping stones descend from the patio to a pebble beach. This is a favorite spot of the children and their friends.

A closer view of the pebble beach where the kids can have hours of fun with their buckets and beach toys. Water lettuce at left provides an element of softness.

A fallen log slows the water before cascading over small rock pillars. What a unique waterfall design!

This outdoor paradise is a far cry from the plain, grassy turf it once was. With a little design inspiration, there's no telling what you can create in your own backyard! What element would you enjoy most? And don't forget, you can see this pond in person on August 20th during a FREE Pond Tour in Downers Grove, IL. Click here for locations, descriptions and directions to the ponds.

Linking to:
Wow Us Wednesday at Southern Savvy Style
Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer

Ponds Aren't Just for Fish

Baby, it's hot outside! If you're one of the lucky souls who has their own water garden, you can easily take advantage of its cooling magic during the dog days of summer. You can swim in a large pond (don't worry, the fish won't bite). And with a smaller pond, you can dangle your feet into its refreshing waters. A pond cools the air around it so if you're like me and hate being cooped up on a summer day ... no matter how hot ... be sure to sit by your pond where the air is cooler. A patch of shade and a gentle breeze will simply add to the refreshment you'll enjoy.

Water gardens pull kids outside, away from the TV and video games. Mom and Dad get to spend relaxing time watching their children and catching up on the day's events. This is so much better than reality TV!

Waterfall Wednesday

This morning's news claimed that at least 30 states in the US will be under heat advisory at some point this week. What better way to cool off than with a refreshing waterfall ... or two ... or more? Waterfalls range from sweet and gentle to dramatic and thunderous. You can really set the mood in your backyard depending on what type of waterfall you create. So to help keep you from melting this week, rest your weary eyes on these cool, refreshing waterfalls.

This is a favorite photo for me. I love the mossy rock behind the waterfall and the way the clematis winds its way around the rock.

Pleasures of Pond Fish

Fish play an important role in the nitrogen cycle of an ecosystem pond. Not only do fish dine on algae, but they provide a beautiful flash of color as they glide in and out of waterlilies. Koi and other pond fish make great outdoor pets ... even learning to eat right out of your hand, if you're patient! When you have a water garden of your very own, you'll grow to love your fish as much as you love your cat or dog!

An Eskimo Kiss is shared over a trickle of fish food pellets. Fido might look like he's snarling, but he actually adores the fish and watches over them every chance he gets.

This beautiful butterfly koi is a prized possession named Marathon. Special thanks to its owner for the photo!

This ethereal, white koi is truly stunning against the cool, dark, watery backdrop.

This festive fellow shows off his feathery fins, dancing about in the cool waters, swishing his tail first one way, and then the other.

And this golden gal proudly flaunts the latest shade of lipstick.

Sometimes hard to spot in the water, Mr. Dark and Mysterious reveals intricate designs in his shimmering scales.

A window frames the perfect view of finned friends. This is a perfect indoor spot for a morning cup of coffee, delighting in the views of the backyard oasis.

You simply can't ignore this face! He may look like a Grumpus-Ala-Bumpus, but he's actually quite pleased in his pond.

Another black beauty skims the surface of the pond. They say not to name your fish, fearing you'll become too attached. But when you see their personality reflected in the water garden, how could you resist naming your finned friends?

How many koi do you have in your water garden, and have you named them?

Dragonflies: The Devil's Darning Needle

The Dragonfly shares its nickname of "The Devil's Darning Needle" with Clematis virginiana, a vine native to the United States. Dragonflies are quite beautiful and gravitate to water gardens because their larvae, known as nymphs, are aquatic. Next time you're enjoying your pond or other fresh body of water, be sure to appreciate the flight patterns of this amazing creature.

For more information on dragonflies, read "Acrobatic Artisty," a 3-page article with more great photos of dragonflies.