From the dawn of Man, we have always been drawn to water. For centuries, Native American Indians would often plan their settlements near rivers and streams where water and fish were abundant. Early settlers to the United States set up encampments and built towns near harbors, ports, or busy river systems to aid in the easy transport of goods and people. Even today, millions of people continue to flock to ocean shorelines each year to walk along the surf and ponder the horizon. Whether gazing out over the glasslike surface of a lake, listening to the babble of a rushing brook, delighting in the wonder of a cascading waterfall or creating ripples in a pond with a perfectly skipped stone, there is something powerful, yet so serene about the element of water. You, too, can harness this power and create a peaceful oasis right in your own backyard by incorporating a water feature. Here are just a handful of reasons why you should add a pond or stream to your outdoor landscape:
1) Enhance the Beauty of Your Backyard: Envision a stunning retreat just outside of your back door – a place where you can escape with a great book and a glass of wine, and let the cares and woes of the day drift away on a breeze. Adding a water element to the exterior of your home is a great way to augment the beauty of your landscape, and could very well make your backyard the envy of the neighborhood. Picturesque landscaping also increases the curb appeal and possibly even the resale value of your home, so any opportunity you have to beautify the interior or exterior of your home – go for it! Highlight Home Restoration can help!
2) Invite Tranquility to Your Backyard: According to the ancient Chinese practice of Feng Shui, water can help create balance, harmony and prosperity in your environment. Introducing a water feature to your outdoor oasis is also a terrific way to reduce stress. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing – drawing the eye with a great focal point for daydreaming, but they also provide soothing sounds to help block out the noise of world beyond your garden gate. To create perfect balance, consider incorporating a fire pit nearby.
3) Focus on Fauna: Attention nature lovers, a water element will likely attract more birds, butterflies, and other small wildlife like frogs and turtles to your backyard. Incorporate attractive bird feeders, bird baths and butterfly bushes in different parts of your landscaping, and you could be creating your very own nature preserve paradise.
4) Find New Flora: A water garden is truly a thing of beauty, and presents the ideal opportunity to introduce entirely new species of flowers and plants to your backyard landscape. Stunning flora such as water lilies, lotus, canna, and cattails will set your outdoor oasis from the rest of your neighbors.
5) More Fish = Fewer Annoying Bugs: If you decide to make your water element a koi pond, consider the big benefit of the fact that koi love to eat mosquito larvae, snails and grubs. While snails and grubs can lay waste to your garden, mosquitoes can quickly take all of the fun out of your al fresco dinner party. Be careful about investing a great deal of money on your pond plants, though – koi will eat those, too!
To ensure a seamless transition from ordinary to extraordinary in YOUR backyard, you may want to enlist the help of a professional landscaper. A professional contractor will know the best placement of your pond, which plants will perform well in your landscape, and whether or not fish will work for you in addition to designing and building your new outdoor oasis for you. Creating unique outdoor living spaces is only one of the many specialties the design-build team at Highlight Home Restoration has to offer Atlanta home owners. If you are considering taking your backyard to an entirely new level with the incorporation of a deck, patio, fire pit, water feature or all of the above, we invite you to contact us by calling 678-873-9234, e-mailing info@highlighthomesga.com or filling out our helpful online contact form TODAY. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss your vision further, and appreciate the opportunity to make your home a “highlight” of your life. To learn more about Highlight Homes and Highlight Home Restoration, visit our website at www.highlighthomesga.com or text “HighlightHomes” to 99699 from your mobile device.
