2010/9.1, September 8 — Pond Shelves, Careless Contractors, Water Wars and more

September 8, 2010

WATERSHAPES.COM

FEATURE ARTICLE

Don’t Forget the Shelves!

According to waterfeatures construction manager Brian Helfrich, creating an outstanding pond requires proper planning and excavation to accommodate the needs of various aquatic plants. He advises thinking ‘in terms of broad shelves that encompass the ideal water depths for the ranges of plants you want to include’ — marginals, water lilies and oxygenators, for example. [more]

LESSONS LEARNED

Contractors, Footprints and Dust

In the latest installment of his ‘Lessons Learned’ series, watershaper Scott Cohen writes about problems he’s encountered on projects due to the carelessness of contractors from other trades. He also discusses precautions and preemptive measures watershapers should take, and how proper communication with clients can head off misunderstandings and bad feelings. [more]

MYSTERY SWIMMING POOL INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE REVEALED [more]

MY PERSPECTIVE

Staying Ahead of the Water Wars

In this thought-provoking ‘My Perspective’ essay, landscape contractor Lyle Lavietes argues that the industry had better take a leading role in addressing water management issues, because governments are becoming increasingly interventionist in this realm. As he puts it, ‘Like it or not…water is the new oil, a potentially powerful wedge issue in many political and financial decisions.’ [more]

BOOK NOTES

Uplifting Ideas for Trying Times

‘I regard it as one of the most inspiring and life-altering books I’ve ever read.’ The ‘it’ to which WaterShapes book reviewer Mike Farley (‘Book Notes’) refers is The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino. Farley first read this well-known work as a teenager, then later in college. Now he’s re-reading it with his 12-year-old son. [more]

JOIN THE DIALOGUE

Landscaping and Watershaping Without Water?

In “Staying Ahead of the Water Wars” in this issue of WaterShapes EXTRA!, author Lyle Lavietes suggests that more, stringent government water-conservation regulations are likely to be coming down the pike. An item in the latest ‘Ripples’ focuses on research that indicates we may be in for severe water shortages in large parts of the United States due to global warming. To comment, see the box at the end of his article.