What can we say? Kicking back and throwing your feet up after a long day sounds great! Relaxing on the deck under an umbrella, cold drink in hand….it’s the perfect end to a stressful day. Heck! It’s the perfect end to a perfect day! But wait, there’s something missing. Something that would put the icing on the cake of relaxation!

A trickle, the reflection, some greenery. A lazy river, a gushing waterfall, a silly spitter, an elegant multi tiered fountain. THESE are what’s missing! The naturally relaxing element of water. The flow. The sound. The image. It all adds up to transforming a person, a place, a moment in time. And when used in combination with the hardscape of your home or your business, it can really define a space as THE spot to be at ANY moment of the day or night.

Take a look at what our friends at Aquascape have to say about it. They’ve got some great images of drastically different ways to incorporate your hard, soft, and aquatic – scapes creating the ultimate in backyard paradise!

EVERY DECK NEEDS A POND

If you’re like most Americans, you probably have a deck, patio, or balcony where you can enjoy the great outdoors from the privacy of your own home. You kick your feet up in your Adirondack chair and enjoy the summer breeze blowing through your hair, but something’s missing. All you see from your deck is an expanse of grass and a few trees, and what you hear are the neighbor’s kids crying and their dog yapping. Your deck needs a view. And better yet, that view needs to replace irritating noises with melodic sounds. What I’m trying to say is … your deck needs a pond!

The owners of this deck enjoy a view of a meandering stream that spills into a pond by their lower level patio. A wooden bridge invites you to sit and dangle your toes in the water.

Is this someone’s backyard or a vacation resort? Yep, it’s a backyard alright!

This deck wraps around the house and leads to a stone path that follows the stream along the back of the house. And the best part? There’s no lawn to mow!

Isn’t this the perfect spot for a morning cup o’ coffee or a glass of wine in the evening? The waterfall offers the added dimension of soothing sounds.

Here’s a switch. This deck is at the front of the house with a beautiful, reflective pond to welcome visitors.

A gentle stream flows alongside the shady deck while a brass boy spitter provides an element of whimsy for those who linger and admire the scenery.

Who wouldn’t love this floating deck overlooking a waterfall that cascades into a pebble beach? The children love hauling their pails and shovels to play in the water and gravel.

A balcony and lower deck provide great views of this water garden. Relax on the patio furniture or take a trip across the stepping stones to see the fish up close.

Decks provide great feeding spots for fish. Koi will learn to eat food right from your hand.

A deck by the house wasn’t enough for these lucky pond owners. A brick patio extends from the deck to a wooden bridge that takes you further back into the yard for more water garden delights.

A shady spot on the deck provides cool relief on hot summer days, while the pond helps to lower the temperature.

This unique deck dissects the pond, providing multiple viewing areas to enjoy the abundant aquatic plants and surrounding landscape.

So if you’ve got a deck that overlooks your lawn and all you see is grass and a few flowers … why not turn it into waterfront property by adding a water garden or waterfall of your very own? You won’t regret it!