Adding a pond can be an intricate affair, and landscapers should be aware of all that goes into this process. They need to consider the dimensions along with location, water clarity and pond pumps. The following are the steps involved in installing a pond for a client.

Figure out the location of the pond

This will typically depend on the client. If the pond will need a pump and a filter, it will be necessary to consider the water and electricity source as well.

A waterfall enhances the look of a landscape while bringing the soothing sound of water closer home. Building a waterfall can be done in a simple way that is also not expensive. It involves building two structures namely the pool and the waterfall cascading structure. The water circulates in the waterfall with the help of a pump.
Waterfalls are in different sizes and shapes with the greatest concern being the achievement of the required height. The waterfall height is achieved by exploiting the property’s slope or creating an artificial slope.
To build the waterfall, you will need the following materials; Rocks, pond liner, submersible pump, tubing, plastic flowerpot, shovel, sand, garden hose and carpenters level.
Determine the location of the waterfall and remove any weeds that would be present. Start by constructing the waterfall pond and dig the hole where the pond will be. You can use the measurements of the preformed liner to determine the measurements of the pond in terms of diameter and depth. In case the water pond’s hole is big, you can apply sand to correct it. The hole should be such that the liner is one inch or more above the ground to prevent soil from getting into the pond.
After digging the hole, place the preformed liner in it and check the hole’s evenness using carpenters level.
With the water pond ready, then you should construct the waterfall’s cascading structure. This involves the use of rocks. The important rocks are spillway rocks where water will cascade. They should be flat instead of being rounded and should have square like and sharp edges to allow water to cascade cleanly to the pond.
Place a plastic flowerpot that has a drainage hole, at the cascading structure area. The pot holds the pump tubing in the right place as it is covered with rocks. The pot will not be visible eventually because it will have been covered with rocks since it will be boxed in with a four rock walls. The flowerpot should be inverted and placed at the centre of the waterfall structure. The length of the waterfall should depend on the length of the rocks.
Lay the first rocks and cover them with a black plastic sheet. Extend one end to the plastic pot and tuck the other end over the preformed liner. Lay another long and flat rock on top of the plastic and spanning over the other rocks. This is the shelf rock because it provides the shelf for the first spillway rock. The spillway should overhang the pond. Lay the four walls until the pot is encased and then place 2 stones that are longer across the top. Place the tubing between the 2 rocks. Test the waterfall by filling pond using water, plug the pump and test the waterfall.
It is important to check the water level of the pond on a regular basis to find out if there is water loss. You should also turn off the pump at night and when you are away in order to save on electricity.

Drainage of water in landscape may pose problems especially if there is a tendency for runoffs. The question you may be asking is where do I channel the drained water? Even if you construct French drains to drain your lawn, you should know where the water would end up. If it ends up in your neighbors, you might be slapped with a lawsuit. Channeling it to the streets may not be a good idea as you may get find yourself in the wrong side with the authorities in addition to inconveniencing the users. Some of the drainage channeling options is to direct the water to the storm sewers that are already existing. The only problem with this is that you will need permission from the concerned authorities, something that may not be easy to obtain.

Another option is to construct a dry well where the water drains. This consists of a hollow space filled with rocks. The water drains into  the hole percolating through the soil to the ground water. The down side is that it is not suitable for clay soil due to poor drainage capabilities. Ensure that the eventual destination you choose for the drained water is allowed and does not put you in trouble.

 If you are having a problem channeling the water, you can construct dry creeks, and French drains to help you with that. This will ensure that your lawn and landscape does not collect unwanted water. Below is a guide on how you can construct a French drain.

Ornamental grasses have many uses in landscaping such as being accents, focal points or as screens. They are easy to maintain because they do not need pruning, deadheading or staking and they provide the much-needed structure during winter. The grasses also provide architectural foliage and colorfulness. Some of the ornamental grass that you can use for landscaping includes stipa calamagrostis and miscanthus sinensis (spotted grass), which are tall and suitable for planting at the back or for blocking the view. There is also the medium sized pennisetum alopecuroides and the colorful golden Hakonechloa macra and blue Elymus magellanicus. The tall grasses such as moor grass or raven grass can be used to add privacy. The grasses can grow up to seven feet or more and if you plant them in large group, they can be used to block an unpleasant view. Considering that the grasses survive even during winter, they need to be cut in spring and therefore you may not have cover during that time.

If you want to have a container garden, look no further than the ornamental grass that comes in different colors, shapes and sizes. A good example is the optic grass. For better effect, use contrasting colors, shapes or textures. For instance, you can have golden grass in a blue pot. You can also use the grass to add texture to your flowerbeds based on their unique texture. You may use soft fountain grass with bold textured plants such as switch grass. Grow different types of grass at the same place in order to get the best effect. The grass can be used to soften hard capes such as pavements, swimming pools or walls. For instance, miscanthus can be used to soften a swimming pool edge. Your deck or patio can also look great if you add ornamental grass grown in a container. A good choice for the purpose is the tender or annual grass, purple fountain grass.

The grasses are used to create beautiful sceneries such as prairie or meadow effect. They create natural beauty without requiring a lot of care and maintenance. You can also turn your garden into an art by combining the grass with other artistic features in the landscape. For instance, you may combine feather grass with lamb’s ears and broken pottery to get a contemporary design. If you want to cover particular ground, use mounding grasses because they are dense. These low growing grasses provide the cover while creating a good texture to the landscape.