stream design

The Life of Streams
Streams are about movement, journeys and experience. They create connections within the landscape and they even tell stories. As Anthony Archer Wills explains, designing and building streams is a form of watershaping that is best realized when based on keen understandings of nature, narrative and motion. ...
Gravel’s Virtues
Puzzled by its bad reputation among some of his clients, Mike Gannon began doing research on gravel. He'd always believed in its value, he says, but found a rich history that now aids in him on occasions when he needs to talk his clients through their moments of doubt.    
Exploring Possibilities
Generally speaking, the folks who visit botanical gardens fall into two categories. The first includes local residents who can best be described as garden enthusiasts - the sort who visit monthly, weekly or even daily to follow the lifecycles of favorite trees, shrubs and plants and can spend countless hours observing the diurnal operations of flowers or of the birds who come and go as a year progresses. The second group, generally larger and often much larger, includes local residents who stop by the gardens only when
Urban Renewal
What we have here is essentially three stories rolled into one. Partly, it's about what happens when a well-established company steps beyond its comfort zone with a major renovation project that involves an unusually large set of unknowns.  It's also about what can happen to a property when an old, large, man-made pond system breaks down, time passes and the space reverts to a wild, natural state.  And it's about what's involved in pulling a failed
2017/5.1, May 3 — Artful Restoration, Stylish Tiling, Helping Autistic Kids and more
THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS May 3, 2017 www.watershapes.com FEATURE ARTICLE…
Natural Revision
This is a story about turning an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. It starts with a couple who had recently purchased their ideal home - one with room for them, for horses and for serenely rustic outdoor living.  But the reality as they found it was somewhat different:  The entry from the street was boring, the house was bland, the backyard space was disorganized and the
2016/10.1, October 5 — Distant Beauty, Pond Liner ABCs, Shotcrete’s Place and more
THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS October 5, 2016 www.watershapes.com FEATURE ARTICLE…
2015/12.2, December 16 — Holiday Fun, Brilliant Mirrors, Old-School Decking and more
THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS December 16, 2015 www.watershapes.com INTERVIEW Santa’s…
On the Edge
Our work in this backyard was only part of a larger project - a big part, to be sure, but once we were done a landscape crew came on site and kept on working.  That's not unusual with a project on this scale, but we were so happy with our work that it was a bit disappointing not to paint the entire picture. In some sense, however, I think this made us focus all the more on
2015/8.1, August 5 — Digital Engagement, Pond-Free Cascades, All-Tile Remodeling and more
THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS August 5, 2015 www.watershapes.com DIGITAL DESIGN…