Water Features Bring New Dimensions

"A water feature brings new dimensions to your yard," says Becky Goldfisher, who recently had the delightful sights and sounds of water installed in her landscape by Bertotti Landscaping of Petaluma. "Movement and sound are the obvious added dimensions, however, increased animal life brings an element of beauty and harmony ... ," Goldfisher adds. "There's nothing as precious as watching a small flock of birds take their daily bath in your water structure. It's a satisfying feeling knowing you've provided these birds with a site for their daily ritual."

Brad Stewart, superintendent and water feature specialist at Bertotti, is understandably proud that Goldfisher's water feature took a first-place award this year in the California Landscape Contractors Association's annual competition. (In fact, it's one of more than 30 awards the company has taken for its water features.) But something that pleases Stewart even more, he says, is that his client is so happy. "A water feature can add enormous pleasure to your landscape and to your inner peace and solitude," he says. "Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, but in my view it has a monumental impact on your yard and on your personal well-being." Fred Warnecke was landscape architect on the project.

Bertotti Landscaping, Inc., has been designing and building fine gardens throughout the Bay Area since 1975. The staff of 40, which includes designers, masons, irrigation specialists, horticulturists and others, is equipped to handle complex sites and custom elements. Stewart has been installing water fountains, ponds, natural stone waterfalls and statuaries for Bertotti for more than 20 years. Here are some of his tips to help you decide if it's time to add a little piece of serenity to your landscape.

Hire a professional.

"Don't be afraid to call a few different CLCA contractors and ask them to show you their work," Stewart says. "What you're looking for is a water feature that will 'oooh' and 'aaah' you. When I meet with clients, it's important for me to know what their tastes are. What moves one person may not move the next. I ask them to show me pictures of things they like, and I take them around to see different projects. One client even brought me on a hike to show me a waterfall, and we were able to emulate that waterfall in the yard on a smaller scale. I also have a lot of long-term clients who are happy to talk to new clients." For a large job, Stewart recommends talking to three to five past clients. "You want someone with competence, confidence and a passionate desire to pour their heart and soul into your water feature-and to make sure your unique artistic creation is met."

Select a style that harmonizes with the site.

Formal features go well in formal gardens; informal landscapes require a blended, less structured design. If your yard has a slope, you're in luck. "It's hard for me to look at a hillside without imagining a waterfall there," Stewart says. Features can be designed in almost any size or style but one that Stewart describes as "California natural" has really become popular. These look like the rippling brooks, rock outcroppings and placid ponds you might stumble upon on a walk through the woods. "The natural stones are covered with mosses," Stewart says, "and they are fit together artistically." The rocks are strategically placed, with ferns, mosses, baby's tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) and Japanese maple trees blending the design and filling the spaces. "It's the fitting together of plants in all the nooks and crannies that give the features a natural look." Stewart says.

— Joan Waters