Catherine Circle

Our client was looking to increase the ambiance outside of her art studio with a water feature. She was looking for an Anglo-French countryside feel to the garden surround, while keeping a very informal and natural look as well. This presented an interesting design challenge, luckily for her she called The Artisans.

What made this even more challenging was the site of the proposed waterfall sloped away from the house, in the opposite direction she hoped to have the water flow. In addition, we were on the edge of a wetland buffer zone. On top of that, we were asked to create a “pondless” low maintenance option. Challenge accepted!

After careful planning, we received Stow Conservation Commission approval and got started on what quickly became one of our favorite projects to date. 

We created a true “pondless” waterfall. This required building up a boulder backing to raise the grade. We created a large “upper” falls to create the noise the client desired. This falls into a shallow pool that then flows out down a natural looking stream to a smaller waterfall that empties into a reservoir under the peastone patio. We spent time harvesting mossy native stone to create the most natural looking stream possible. The patio has a sunken feel with its stone surround. To keep the Anglo-French theme, we planted utilizing groups of green foliaged plants and dainty flowers, paying attention to direct the views away from the street. We added a small firepit and single stone bench with a post and rail fence to finish off the look.

We believe the results speak for themselves!