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When we think of water, much of the time we think of a tropical scene - Hawaii, the Caribbean or some other exotic island somewhere - a place we'd all like to go. Why not create that "somewhere else" in your clients' backyards? They'll thank you for all the money you'll save them on that cruise that probably would have been less than perfect anyway. And this tropical scene will be one they can enjoy not only this week, but for as long as they want. Imagine palm trees swaying in the wind, the sweet smell of
Throughout my entire working life, I've never moved too far away from the water. From my early days as a pool manager (beach bum) at a resort hotel in Miami Beach through many years in pool service and still today, I've always worked and played in and around water. Whatever it is about bodies of water that infects people's spirits and pushes their internal fun buttons, I have it bad: I love to sail, fish and snorkel, I like living near bodies of water and I just love to look at water. On top of all that, I'm a Pisces. If there's one thing I find that I tend to have in common with my customers, it's this passion for things aquatic and the pleasures that come along with them. This is powerful stuff, and I've come to believe that our innate fascination rises to an even higher level of drama and interest when
Through the years, the #1 question asked of me at seminars and trade shows has been: "What's the difference between bonding and grounding?" I have wanted to do an answering article far some time, but I was concerned that its length would require it to be split into two pieces and that the every-other-month format of WaterShapes might make it difficult to maintain continuity of thought over a two-month span. I was pleased when our editor informed me that we would be going monthly for a while. I figured I'd strike now, while the fingers are nimble and the magazine issues more
Let's say your clients have spent all their loose change on your watershape and can't afford to hire a landscape designer or architect. They don't even want to meet that wonderful person you've been telling them about. So why not suggest a few plants that will really spiff up their new backyard Niagara Falls? If you're brave enough to try, I'll help you here and in a couple of future columns. Let's start by talking about
Not long ago, my friend and Genesis 3 co-founder David Tisherman was in Miami. We took the opportunity to drive around and look at some of my jobs. As we moved through the Coral Gables area, really enjoying that beautiful waterfront community, he said, "This is nice. I'd really love to work around here." Now, in case you don't know, Mr. Tisherman is one of the finest pool designers and builders anywhere. My first reaction to his remark was, "Jeez, what would
During our last session, we explored the water-flow/electric-current-flow analogy and summed it up in a few sentences that are worth repeating: • Water: The pressure created by the pump forces water to flow through the pipes and valves, overcoming the friction losses of the system. Higher pressure provides for more gallons per minute. • Electricity: The voltage created by the battery forces electrons to flow through the wires and switches, overcoming the ohmic resistance of the circuit. Higher voltage provides for more amperes. (The short version of that is, "Volts push amps through ohms.") To be truly useful to us, we must know something about the way these three basic units relate to
I've had the pleasure over the past few years of working with a client who ultimately has become a good friend - and with whom I created a very unique garden. The process of designing the space was lengthy, but it afforded me time to truly understand my client and her wants. As we progressed, many issues arose that needed to be addressed; over time and at many points, patience was indeed a virtue. Her yard had existing structures as well as large Eucalyptus, Pittosporum and Chorisia trees and other plantings along with
Several years ago, I was asked to conduct a seminar on basic electricity for the members of a small homeowners' association. They were working their way alphabetically through the various trade disciplines with which a homeowner might come in contact. As I recall, they had covered attic fans, brickwork, cabinetry, carpeting, decks and doors at previous meetings. I learned that I was to be followed in coming months by fences, fireplaces and
Among the most complicated tasks you'll encounter in designing a watershape is determining your clients' style and how it applies to the project. How important is it to know what style they want? That's a complicated
Value by Design