From Derelict to Showpiece

As a long-time pond installer, I have no fear when it comes to tackling large projects.

In this case, a garden center in our area asked us to convert a derelict swimming pool on the property into a showpiece pond/waterfall complex the center could use to entice customers into thinking about aquatic settings and plants. We at Full Service Aquatics (Summit, N.J.) jumped right in, and I recorded the process in two videos – the first of which can be found by clicking below. (Part Two will be covered in the July 25 edition of WaterShapes EXTRA.)

The remarkable thing about this project is how simple it was to make the change. Yes, there was a good bit of hard, physical labor involved in demolishing the edge of the original watershape and in clearing away some of the old hardscape, but once those tasks were complete, the old shell provided a wonderful foundation for the new liner and all that came with it.

A point often made about pond installation is that there’s always a measure of improvisation in how things unfold on site. The fitting of stones, for example, or the working out of aesthetic details of waterfalls, can only happen once the foundation has been set, and there’s no way to tell exactly how things will look until the last stone is placed.

In this specific case, another point can be made about the pond’s intended use as a commercial ambassador: It’s about as approachable as can be, with firm, secure footing around much of the perimeter and a capacity both within and beyond the water that allows the showcasing of the widest possible variety of plants.

To view the video, click here.

Mike Gannon is owner and lead designer at Full Service Aquatics, a pond installation and service specialist based in Summit, N.J. He is a certified Aquascape contractor and may be reached at [email protected].