Pondless Fountains

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Glenn

Water features such as fountains are a great way to add tranquility, sound and movement to your outdoor living space. They add beauty and are appreciated for the ambient sound that can be soothing and block out less desirable noises such as traffic. But maintaining a pond or fountain reservoir requires maintenance to keep that water looking its sparkling best and free from debris. Another option is pondless or disappearing waterfalls. These allow you the inherent benefits of a traditional pond fountain without the tedious upkeep and without taking up most of your backyard.

Pondless design simply means there is no open pond or standing water. The water reservoir is hidden underground and gravel bases work well for these designs as the water easily recirculates. You can also use other design materials such as colored landscape glass, large stones and lava rocks. Since there is no open standing water, there is no need to use (and clean!) pond filters, no fish to take care of, no mosquitos, no slimy algae to deal with, no water to refill and no safety concerns inherent with open ponds. This low maintenance option is especially great if you live in an area where there are a lot tree needles and leaves falling to the ground.

How it works:

Water flows from the upper falls, and instead of being held in a still, open pond, it pours into a lined basin that is dug in the ground and filled with rocks and gravel. The water is pumped from the bottom of the basin up to the top of the falls, creating a continuously recirculating flow of water.

Another option is a recirculating bubbling fountain. Bubblers are nice in that they require even less space than a pond less waterfall, yet still provide movement, sound, and interest to your outdoor space.

How it works:

Recirculating bubbling fountains are similar in design to pond less waterfalls using recirculating water with a pondless basin, except the water is pumped from the hidden basin up through a fountain piece, such as a cored basalt column, urn or cored boulder.

Wood Pool Decks – Bring on the Brazilians!

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Glenn

Brazilian Ipe wood deck

When you embark on designing a pool, you’re envisioning that glistening water and how soothing and relaxing it will be. But you’re only half way there: what goes around the pool? One option is decking, which adds the warmth of wood to your aesthetic plan. But as anyone who has ever maintained a wood fence knows, wood requires some upkeep.

Some designers today suggest that man-made or composite decking made from recycled plastic is an eco-friendly choice that removes maintenance issues. It sounds great, but in practice, the aesthetics just aren’t quite there. It’s faux and well, it looks faux.

Another issue with man-made materials is cleanup. They require periodic cleaning twice a year to look their best and to kill mold. For green clients, it pretty much defeats the purpose if they have to use chemicals, especially where people walk barefoot frequently. And composite decks tend to stain and scratch quickly.

Wood decking is actually a great option, but it’s all in the type of wood you choose. We like the durability of cedar deck boards. These dense boards offer very small knots and stain beautifully, allowing you to introduce color to your yard. Cedar typically lasts 10 to 15 years.

For an extremely long lasting, low maintenance option, consider the range of Brazilian hardwoods which require no maintenance except a little oil. Ipe is a dense Brazilian walnut that is harder than nails. It lasts and lasts (up to 100 years!) but is more labor intensive to install as it requires pre-drilled screw holes. Its rich color ranges from an olive color to black with natural variegations.

Garapa, or Brazilian oak, is a lighter colored wood that provides an airy feeling and combines well with Ipe. Naturally pest resistant and impervious to rot, Brazilian Oak offers a beautiful, honey tone that requires only a UV sealer. Its lifespan tends to run twenty five years. Cumaru (Brazilian Red), Jatoba (Brazilian Cherry), Tigerwood, Angelim and Massaranduba (Brazilian Redwood) provide the same strength in a range of different tones and grains.

Used for years in nautical applications, teak woods are still the ne plus ultra of woods. This hardwood stands up to practically everything including fungus, rot, insects, and acids though its cost can be prohibitive. Teak’s natural oils also eliminate the need for sealants, making it maintenance free. Burmese Teak is perhaps the best known and most expensive. A lower cost alternative is Cherry Teak, another extremely hard wood, even among the Brazilians, and known for its luxurious graining.

From a cost and beauty perspective, we think Brazilian hardwoods weather gorgeously and provide a rich, real wood look that recycled plastic still can’t touch.

Landscaping with Concrete Pavers

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Glenn

In recent blog posts I have written about gravel and permeable concrete as environmentally-friendly and attractive options for various hardscape uses in landscaping. Yet another option that is sustainable, versatile and attractive is concrete pavers. Pavers are pre-formed concrete” tiles” made to look like cobblestone, tile, brick, flagstone, slate, chiseled stone and other materials. Concrete pavers are evidently an increasingly popular choice for residential use as I have run across a plethora of information on the Internet touting their use in this way.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I will say up front that we do not recommend or use concrete pavers with our clients for two main reasons; 1) we don’t find the aesthetics to be quite “worthy” of the residential properties we have the privilege of working on and 2) we don’t necessarily agree 1000% with all the positive hype touting them over other concrete options. Don’t get me wrong, I think concrete pavers are often a good choice in commercial projects such as parks or schools, I just don’t feel they translate elegantly into home use. So to each their own. Aesthetics are subjective and personal and you can certainly make that decision for yourself.

With that, let’s talk about the positive aspects of concrete pavers. At first blush, interlocking pavers may seem like a more expensive option than some other choices, but they actually offer long-term cost-efficiency due to their durability. Because pavers are individual units, if one cracks at some point, it can be replaced. And the high number of joints in the surface facilitates drainage of water from rain, enhancing skid-resistance and decreasing nighttime glare.

Environmentally Friendly
Studies have revealed interlocking concrete pavements (ICPs) have an average life of at least 29 years. Concrete Pavers Earn LEED® Points and Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavements (PICPs) are eligible for LEED® credits under the U.S. Green Building Councils (USGBC and CaGBC) guidelines.

Paver Driveways
Paver driveways are actually stronger than concrete, having two to three times the compressive strength and weight-bearing capacity of normal concrete. Installed properly, they are reportedly less prone to shifting, and should not settle or sag, even with heavy vehicle traffic or extreme weather changes.

Paver Pathways and Walkways
Professionally installed, pavers provide a durable, uniform surface. One of the biggest advantages of pavers is that in the event that something like a large tree root raises one or more of the pavers requiring repair, pavers are manufactured to be uniform so they can be replaced without leaving ugly patches or mismatched areas.

Paver Patios and Courtyards
Concrete pavers come in a wide variety of surface finishes, colors and shapes. Moreover, a skilled installer can create a variety of laying patterns, further expanding the customization possibilities.

“Concrete pavers” doesn’t have a very pretty ring to it, but taking into consideration all the benefits it offers as a hardscape choice it can be an attractive landscape materials option. To recap, concrete pavers:

Come in a large range of colors and patterns
Are strong (2-3X stronger than concrete)
Have a long life expectancy (30+ years)
Are low maintenance
Are easily replaced if damaged
Provide a non-slip surface

Textured or Stamped Concrete: An Attractive, Cost-Efficient and Durable Landscaping Option

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Glenn

Stamped concrete (also known as textured concrete, decorative concrete, imprinted concrete, impression concrete) is concrete that is created to simulate brick, slate, flagstone, stone variations, tile and wood patterns. Stamped concrete is created by pouring and smoothing out concrete, then allowing it to set until it is able to hold an impression. A pattern is then imprinted in the concrete with a “concrete stamp” made of polyurethane. Stamped concrete can be used to enhance pool decks, walkways, driveways, entryways, patios and courtyards.

Stamped concrete was first introduced about 50 years ago. At that time, design options were limited. But the industry had evolved and developed to the point where today one of the biggest appeals of stamped concrete is the wide availability of colors and patterns. At Bonick Landscaping we make our own custom patterns as the aesthetic standards of our clients simply require a better-looking end-product than most of the pre-fab patterns that are out there today. Stamped concrete provides the same benefits of durability as traditional concrete (it stands up well to harsh weather and high traffic and lasts for many years). These advantages make stamped concrete a good choice in terms of value among landscaping materials as the cost can represent a 50% or greater savings versus natural stone or other materials.

Stamped concrete can be colored in a number of different ways including integral/integrated colors, antiquing release colors, color hardeners and tinted sealers.

Integral or Integrated colors are mixed into concrete before it is poured and have the advantage of being consistent throughout so that if the concrete is ever chipped or scarred, the color appears the same.
Antiquing release colors are accent colors applied to the surface before stamping that prevent the stamp from sticking to the concrete but also accent color in the grooves and crevices of the stamped design.
Color hardeners are applied to the surface of concrete. They are not recommended for climates that change rapidly due to what is called the “popcorn effect” where small circles “pop out” of the surface of the concrete.
Tinted sealers have a transparent color tint added and come in a wide variety of colors.

Typically, contractors use a variety of coloring techniques to achieve an attractive and realistic faux look. To maintain its attractiveness, it is generally recommended that sealer be reapplied every one to four years depending on the area’s usage and weather exposure.

One final note on stamped concrete; because stamp selection and color application play such an important role in the final outcome, stamped concrete done correctly is truly an art. I have seen poorly done stamped concrete applications as well as beautiful examples. For best results, be sure to visit and look at examples of actual work done before choosing a contractor.

Why You Should Like Permeable Concrete

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Glenn

In a previous post on The Glamour of Gravel, I mentioned that in a draught-prone climate such as ours, it can be considered a more environmentally friendly choice than concrete. In this post, I’d like to clarify that I was referring to conventional concrete and not permeable concrete (also sometimes referred to as porous concrete, pervious pavement, no-fines concrete, gap-graded concrete or enhanced-porosity concrete). The use of permeable concrete is, in fact, among the Best Management Practices recommended by the EPA and other agencies for the management of stormwater runoff.

In urban areas, we deal with stromwater runoff by building sewer systems that channel the water directly to lakes, rivers and other surface waters rather than into the ground. This runoff picks up toxins such as E. coli, sediments, phosphorus, zinc, cadmium and copper as it travels, requiring expensive water purification systems to cleanse the water before it reenters the natural water cycle.

Permeable concrete is exactly what the name says, it is a concrete mixture that is porous, thereby allowing water to infiltrate and pass through it into the ground beneath. Pervious pavement reduces stormwater runoff and recharges groundwater. It is less prone to cracking or buckling from temperature extremes, requires less frequent patching than conventional concrete and properly installed, should easily last more than 20 years.

Importantly, the subgrade of permeable concrete filters pollutants. When water moves through soil it is called “infiltration.” Infiltration is the way underground water sources are replenished. As water infiltrates, many soils and plants filter out certain pollutants, helping maintain water quality. The earth is still the largest water filtration system around! And the diversion of surface waters does eventually affect the quality of groundwaters. It may take decades or even centuries for rain or melted snow to reach the deepest layers of the earth from which many wells draw water for human consumption, however, that water does come from the surface. So reducing stromwater runoff matters and is something we should all care about, especially in a climate such as ours in the Dallas, Texas area.

So next time you are planning on installing a new walkway or driveway, consider permeable concrete; there’s a lot to like about it.