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26 Landscape and Irrigation September 2014 www.landscapeirrigation.com Landscape Design and Construction S ome people love water features. Others are downright passionate about them. Whether a client longs for the tranquility of a container-size pond that can be enjoyed on the back patio, or they are looking for a soothing escape from the frenzied pace of daily life, there is a pond solution for any size landscape. The relationship you'll develop with a client who wants a pond is different from any other client relationship you'll find. "You may have put in a $100,000 patio and the customer won't remember your name," said Brian Helfrich, construction manager at Aquascape, Inc. "But you put in a $5,000 pond and you'll get birthday cards for the rest of your life!" Getting started with ponds Selling a pond is the most difficult aspect of incorporating pond installation services into an existing landscape business. "Ponds are about style and personal preference," said Helfrich. "When you sell them, you have to think of them as a piece of artwork rather than a product." The placement of rocks within the pond distinguishes one project from the next. "It's not really hard to build a pond," he said. "It's physically demanding moving the rocks around. There is no right or wrong way to build a pond." Practice makes perfect. Start with a pond at your own home. "Make it a classroom, live with it so you can talk about it with your customers," Helfrich suggested. "Ponds are an emotional purchase and a hobby. The more you're able to talk with a cus- tomer about caring for one, the better able you'll be to sell one." Since pond projects are unique from other landscape installa- tions, a consultation is critical. Get to know the client. Ask why they want a pond, and what inspired them to purchase a pond. "Build it according to the clients likes and dislikes," he advised. As you create a preliminary design, consider beginning inside the home. "When I design a pond, I design from inside the house," said Helfrich. Regardless of how avid an outdoor person the homeowner is, they will spend most of their time enjoying the pond from inside their home. "On a day that's 100 degrees with 100 percent humidity, or in the dead of winter, they will not be outside," he said. With that in mind, he recommends designing the pond so that at least some piece of it — a bubbling rock, a portion of the waterfall, etc. — is visible through a window in the kitchen, living room, dining room or bedroom. In addition to visibility, the second most important aspect to consider is size. "The number one complaint everyone says when the pond is finished is that they wish they went bigger," he added. As fish, plants, bubbling rocks and other features are added to the pond, the body of water looks smaller and smaller. "It's an addictive hobby; and when the client is finished and sits back to relax and enjoy the pond, they start thinking about adding another waterfall or moving the edge one way or the other a few feet," he said. Encourage the client to start with a pond slightly larger than what they're comfortable with. "They'll never regret," he said. A pond for any setting Ponds are versatile, and can be designed to fit into any client's budget and landscape décor. From patio-size ponds for urban set- tings to larger ponds designed for recreation, fish or gardens, there is a pond to suit every client's property. Fish ponds Nearly 30 percent of pond owners purchase a pond specifically for fish. "Fish ponds are an elaborate hobby," said Helfrich said. "A client may pay $10,000 for a pond, and then stock it with fish more valuable than many people's homes." Pond size is critical in a fish pond. It should be at least two feet deep. "If the fish are allowed to multiply or are expected to grow larger, the initial pond should be large enough to accommodate that," he said. Fish can over-winter in a pond. "The smaller the body of water, the thinner the layer of ice, so two feet is plenty to overwinter fish." Clients aren't limited to stocking a pond with koi. The same goldfish you see at the pet store can make a good fit for a client's pond. Goldfish are resilient and a great starter fish for a new pond owner. A shubunkin is a single-tailed, long-bodied goldfish that differs from the koi in the fact that it doesn't have "barbells," which are whiskers of sorts that are used to root through gravel. Water gardens Water gardens are equally as popular as fish ponds. Another 30 percent of pond owners purchase a pond because they are avid gardeners and they consider a water garden an extension of their soil-based plants. "A water garden extends their gardens, allowing A Pond for Every Property By Katie Navarra Incorporating pond installation services into an existing landscape business