pond

A Recipe for Jambalaya
Truly a large-scale project full of unique technical challenges in an unusual and important civic setting, the renovation of the watershapes at Jambalaya Park in Gonzalez, La., is easily the most unusual project our firm has ever tackled. The park covers seven beautifully wooded acres in an older section of town that’s mostly residential but sits directly behind
Striking a Chord
When I first walked the four acres of wooded ravines of what would later be christened “The Garden of Wind and Pine” at the heart of the Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs, Ark., I was both delighted and daunted by the experience. The delight came in the site’s sublime natural beauty, which reminded me of tromping through the woods as a child – an activity I enjoy to this day. As for my sense of unease, I
Working with Rainwater
Back in January 2009, WaterShapes ran a big article on the team effort involved in installing the first-generation rainwater-harvesting system developed by the folks at Aquascape (St. Charles, Ill.). Ed Beaulieu’s article (linked below) went into great detail on how everything came together, so I won’t duplicate that information here. But I feel obliged to stress the point that a
Emperor Aquatics’ HOSS Line of UV Sterilizers
  Emperor Aquatics (Pottstown, PA) offers the High-Output Stainless Steel (HOSS) line of ultraviolet sterilizers.…
2012/9.1, September 5 — Integrated Views, Pond Fixes, Balboa Park and more
SEPTEMBER 5,  2012 www.watershapes.com ESSENTIAL Integrated Views A spectacular site is often the foundation for…
2012/8.1, August 8 — Stellar Reflecting Pool, Pond Tips, Japanese Inspiration and more
August 8, 2012 WATERSHAPES.COM ESSENTIAL Eyes on the Skies It’s not his daily practice to…
Beauty in Reserve
In one of my very first Travelogues (see the October 26, 2011 edition of WaterShapes EXTRA!), I wrote about Washington’s Bainbridge Island – and more specifically about Bloedel Reserve and its large reflecting pool, which was showcased by Kelly Klein in Pools, her wonderful coffee-table book. I’ve just returned from another trip to the island and once again
WaterShapes eArchives Index
Please note:  All of the issues listed below are available online, free of charge.  Printed…
Concrete Expressions
By Fu-Tung Cheng I’ve never been entirely comfortable with the term “decorative concrete.”  To me, the pairing of the words has always implied that one merely applies material over a substrate in the way a baker might apply icing to decorate a cake.  Instead, I see concrete as inherently profound.  More than appliqué, it is a medium that has long been used functionally as well as expressively.   In my own case, I feel far more creatively engaged in my work when I merge my thinking about those dual potentials of function and art.  Historically, in fact, I believe that when the two become an inseparable one, we recognize and celebrate these works as rising to the level of great design.   In my own case, I began using concrete as an expressive medium a few decades back, when I was among the pioneers in designing and installing concrete countertops in contemporary kitchens.  As both designer and builder, by the year 2000 I had