Tracy Cox has had a relationship with these clients for a long time and designed this outdoor space many years ago, but it was time for an update.  For this project, we demolished the old pond water feature (safely accommodating the koi fish within), and Tracy created a new, larger pond and added surrounding landscape that tied in new construction on the property.  She incorporated Asian design elements and made sure to position the new features to be seen from outside as well as inside the home for year-round enjoyment.  This project brought several unique opportunities, resulting in a one-of-a-kind backyard oasis.   

The client wanted a wooden bridge with an Asian influence as part of the water feature, and Tracy suggested a Japanese method of wood preservation called Shou Sugi Ban, which weatherproofs the cedar by charring the wood surface. The team on this project, led by Crew Leader Patrick Fritsch, had a blast using the torches, and it resulted in a unique and aged-looking bridge that will maintain its strength and beauty for many years.

When it came to the pond construction, our Design Team didn’t cut any corners in acquiring the perfect building materials. They trekked to Missouri to hand-select boulders to surround the pond. It took three semi-trucks to deliver them back to Indiana, and over 120 tons of boulders, cobbles, and river rock were used on this project.  But our travels for this project didn’t end there, as Jeff Mull, our Executive Director and Head of Design & Sales, headed to Pennsylvania to source the perfect pond plants, finding gorgeous iris and water lilies.

The design took many months, spanning the late Fall and early Spring, requiring an interim habitat for the koi fish from the pond. Jeff cared for the koi fish over the winter with a hand-made tank in his basement.  His daughters happily made sure to feed and care for the fish until they were able to return home when the weather warmed up in Spring. Click the links to check out videos of the koi fish journey!

Releasing the koi fish into their gorgeous new pond was just an additional perk to finishing this detailed project. We were proud to make the extra effort to source and acquire the perfect materials to make this garden truly customized for our clients. 

Specs:

• 3000 sq. ft. garden
• 8500-gallon water feature
• 4’x12’ bridge

Project Features: 

• Large garden with over 50 varieties of plants, trees, and flowers
• Ornamental koi pond with 2 waterfalls 
• Custom bridge with Shou Sugi Ban finish 

Materials: 

• Weathered limestone and sandstone boulders
• Aquascape pond equipment
• Alliance LED outdoor lighting system