The Sound of Angels Singing
Hawaii Remodeling, February, 2001
"It's been said that the sound of running water is like the voices of angels singing, which may explain the popularity of water feature's with Hawaii's homeowners. Or it could be the Asian influence of blending nature into the home by using ponds and waterfalls. And then again, it could be the Polynesian way of being close to the land that nourishes us all and using elements of nature to soften our suburban neighborhoods.
Whatever the reason, water features are among the most requested items we want in our yards. With this in mind, we asked three of Hawaii's most successful landscape contractors to share with you some of their professional knowledge about water features.
When planning for a water feature, the first three items to consider, as realtors say, are location, location, and location. Where you place your pond makes all the difference in the world to the plants you'll be using, to any fish you may want to have swimming in the water, for the utilities such as electricity and water that need to be hooked up. It will also determine how much enjoyment you'll get from the feature over the years.
"Normally water features are placed at the entry of the home, in a courtyard or in the backyard," says Gary Shinn of Hokauahi Lawns. "Some homeowners, and especially commercial concerns, want to use the water feature as a way to greet visitors to their home or business. It can help to set the tone for what they can expect inside. Placing it in a more private area, such as the backyard, means the family can enjoy the sounds of falling water and the visuals such as swimming fish and plants at their leisure.".........
"A water feature can be anything from a simple bird bath or tsukabai bowl with trickling water to a large tumbling riverbed and roaring waterfall," says Shinn. "It all depends
upon the effect you want to create in your overall landscaping scheme and the character of your garden. You want your water feature to be of an appropriate scale to these other elements in your garden."
Fine, fine, but what is all of this bringing nature into your yard going to cost?
"Water features can cost anywhere from a low of a few hundred dollars up to several thousand. Unless you are naturally blessed with a spring or stream on your property, you will have to recirculate the water in any sizable pond, which means you will need a pump. This means you will need to hire a licensed electrician to install a grounded outlet, adding to the overall cost. Talk with a licensed landscape contractor. He or she will be able to provide you with quotes for everything and they can take the leg work and worry out of the process for you", says Shinn."
"It's been said that the sound of running water is like the voices of angels singing, which may explain the popularity of water feature's with Hawaii's homeowners. Or it could be the Asian influence of blending nature into the home by using ponds and waterfalls. And then again, it could be the Polynesian way of being close to the land that nourishes us all and using elements of nature to soften our suburban neighborhoods.
Whatever the reason, water features are among the most requested items we want in our yards. With this in mind, we asked three of Hawaii's most successful landscape contractors to share with you some of their professional knowledge about water features.
When planning for a water feature, the first three items to consider, as realtors say, are location, location, and location. Where you place your pond makes all the difference in the world to the plants you'll be using, to any fish you may want to have swimming in the water, for the utilities such as electricity and water that need to be hooked up. It will also determine how much enjoyment you'll get from the feature over the years.
"Normally water features are placed at the entry of the home, in a courtyard or in the backyard," says Gary Shinn of Hokauahi Lawns. "Some homeowners, and especially commercial concerns, want to use the water feature as a way to greet visitors to their home or business. It can help to set the tone for what they can expect inside. Placing it in a more private area, such as the backyard, means the family can enjoy the sounds of falling water and the visuals such as swimming fish and plants at their leisure.".........
"A water feature can be anything from a simple bird bath or tsukabai bowl with trickling water to a large tumbling riverbed and roaring waterfall," says Shinn. "It all depends
upon the effect you want to create in your overall landscaping scheme and the character of your garden. You want your water feature to be of an appropriate scale to these other elements in your garden."
Fine, fine, but what is all of this bringing nature into your yard going to cost?
"Water features can cost anywhere from a low of a few hundred dollars up to several thousand. Unless you are naturally blessed with a spring or stream on your property, you will have to recirculate the water in any sizable pond, which means you will need a pump. This means you will need to hire a licensed electrician to install a grounded outlet, adding to the overall cost. Talk with a licensed landscape contractor. He or she will be able to provide you with quotes for everything and they can take the leg work and worry out of the process for you", says Shinn."
