Sometimes it just takes one look to see what you were missing all along in your landscape. One of our clients saw Bill and Elizabeth Eagleson’s pond, stream and bog, and knew they were looking at their future backyard. These homeowners had many plans to improve their landscape. The highlight was to be a substantial water feature; however they also wanted to expand their deck space, and block off an area for a future swimming pool. We worked with them to refine their vision and create a backyard where each of these elements fit seamlessly together.
The water feature is comprised of a large waterfall tumbling into a pool, while a stream flows into the other side of the pool. At the beginning of the stream is a manmade bog, which acts as a natural water filter. The sound of running water creates a lovely backdrop of white noise that echoes off their home gently.
We built the waterfall with maximum visibility in mind. Not only can you easily enjoy the sights and sounds from the patio and covered deck, you can also see it from inside their home. We chose sienna sandstone and various super slabs to create the waterfall. We made the pool it falls into deep enough to support fish if our clients ever wanted them in the future.
The 30-foot stream includes its own little waterfall, and flows along the edge of the yard and patio. The movement and shape of the stream recreates the look of the natural streams of upper Michigan or Brown County where we find much of our inspiration for water features.
A stone bridge crosses the bog and allows easy access to the patio area, tying the two spaces together nicely. Bogs act as a bio filter, keeping water clear, and we love using them when we have space. We build bogs with stone and aquablocks (a kind of glorified milk carton) that create a layer which water passes through. Good bacteria can live in this layer and break down organic materials that the water brings in. The cleaner water then recirculates to the waterfall, and the pond below is filled with crisp, clear water.
In addition to the water feature, we built a patio and fire pit onto their covered concrete deck structure, expanding our clients’ entertainment space. We plan to do some boulder work around the patio to finish it off once our clients decide on what kind of pool they would like to install. Creating a perfect landscape takes time, and can include many phases. We love to see our clients through to the end with their landscaping projects, and expect that we will have a long relationship with them as they make new decisions about their yard.
It was one of those serendipitous moments in life that these clients saw our backyard and had the same vision for their landscape. They love their waterfall and stream, and we look forward to working with them further to complete their vision for their backyard.
Eagleson Landscape Company provides landscape and hardscape services in the Greater Indianapolis area, including Carmel, Zionsville, Westfield, Fishers and Geist.
