Fine Living: Backyard Oasis

Refined outdoor living continues its explosive trend of exciting innovations, treating Edmond residents to resort-style wonderlands just beyond the back door.  Sleek grills and outdoor kitchens sizzle with modern convenience.  Firepits crackle with the cozy charm of a remote cabin retreat.  And ever-evolving plant varieties dress local landscapes in botanical splendor.

To anchor the numerous outdoor amenities and create the ultimate getaway that homeowners crave, nature’s simplest element – water – plays a starring role.  In its many forms, water compels us to reconnect with nature and indulge both our quiet and playful moods.  Edmond’s wealth of landscape and pool professionals have seen a number of distinct trends emerging in today’s plentiful array of water features.

Taking their cue from indoor style preferences and today’s time-pinched lifestyles, this season’s choice water features reflect all the fashionable, high-tech tastes of the day.  Local experts like Clyde Dowell, sales manager at Wholesale Hot Tubs Recreation Warehouse, note that homeowners want all the technology they can get in their recreational choices.  “With so many negative things going on in the world, consumers are cautious about making investments, but when they’re ready to go, they want all the bells and whistles,” he comments.

The broad category of ‘water gardening’ can include many things, from a simple bubbling pot tucked in a garden, to an elaborate Koi pond.  Landscape Manager, Mike Freeman of Edmond’s Complete Landsculpture, notes that water gardening is really a matter of the elements that surround a water feature.  He says, “You can have a nice Koi pond but you must have the landscape to complement it.  You don’t want one dominating item, but the whole backyard to make a statement.”

Lifestyle and budget are key determinants in selecting an appropriate water feature.  Freeman says a number of homeowners who want the relaxing sight and sound of moving water, often opt for low-maintenance water features to accommodate their busy lifestyles.  “Bubbling pots that cascade down into a collection pool or urns that recycle water” are two prevalent choices, he says.

While water features inherently create the mood and movement that bring a landscape to life, their modern operational conveniences also add to their carefree appeal.  ‘Pondless’ fountains and waterfalls, which cleverly hide unsightly pump and reservoir mechanisms below ground, offer space-conscious style and simple upkeep. 

Linda Shackelford, 30-year owner of TLC Nursery and Greenhouses, credits the pondless feature’s longtime popularity to its safety and low-maintenance characteristics.  “They are a great choice because they are safe for children and easy to maintain, yet you still get the sound and movement of water,” she says.  No stagnant water and a choice of solar or electric power options add to their easy appeal.

Modern advances in today’s water features are also evidenced in the profusion of smart materials, design options and dazzling accents available.  The heat and rust-resistant materials used at Wholesale Hot Tubs Recreation Warehouse create durable, family-friendly pools and hot tubs that require no exterior maintenance.  Natural colored pool acrylics that mimic nature’s hues have gained significant popularity, edging out the cobalt blue and teal of the 80’s.

Freeman, of Complete Landsculpture, has seen a surge in the use of natural materials like copper, metal, stone, river rock and boulders which harmonize with the environment.  “Many residents like slate coping,” he says.  “The goal is to make it look like it’s been there forever.”

Glass tiles are one of the hottest style trends this season, lauded for their prolific color selection and sleek texture.  Especially in modern homes, glass tiles bring the home’s interior style outdoors, creating a consistent theme.  Freeman says some of the best water features his company creates are those that “have nice color and texture combos, using glass tiles and natural stone.”  Also popular with Edmond homeowners are water features lined with glass tiles that use spray jets.

For the more adventurous outdoor enthusiast, Koi ponds offer the ultimate intrigue.  The colorful fish and their mesmerizing motions add an extra dimension of nature’s beauty, while inspiring pond-gazing – a calming antidote to today’s hectic pace of life.  Shackelford’s design department at TLC Nursery and Greenhouses helps create water features and has seen a steady interest in water plants.  Water lilies and water hyacinths are choice selections, adding beauty and functionality to ponds.

Koi ponds require expert planning to ensure proper filtration, circulation, oxygenation, plant life and sun exposure to control algae and protect fish.  Although it demands greater maintenance to achieve a balanced ecosystem and arrange heating for the pond in winter, the rewards of the tropical little paradise are equally consuming.

A number of local residents have recently experienced Koi thefts.  Although theft may be a factor in some instances, Freeman advises that cats and raccoons can often be the culprits.  An open-weave mesh netting over the pond can help prevent loss of the prized fish, some of which can range in cost from $200-$1000 for larger species.

To create quintessential resort-style living at home, nothing delights the senses and incites summertime freedom more than a sparkling pool.  Waterfall ledges, fountains, underwater lights and earthy hardscapes dress today’s private pools in luxuries once reserved for only the finest public settings.

According to Freeman, “nine out of 10 clients want user-ready pools with great aesthetics, but low-maintenance upkeep.”  Beautiful and durable elements such as glass tiles and lower-maintenance saltwater pools score big with busy Edmond homeowners.  Freeman also comments that 90% of his pool customers choose saltwater over chemical pools and often opt for professional pool servicers to maintain them.

With such an impressive selection of design and operational amenities to consider in planning a water feature, expert consultation and installation are paramount to achieve the oasis you envision.  Longtime pool and hot tub expert, Dowell, offers one of the best guiding principles for pool purchasers: “Get the biggest pool that you have the space to fit.  Family members will all show up!”