Koi World and Water Gardens Magazine Features Toba Fountains in Editorial
Toba Fountains has been spotlighted in the 2007-2008 Annual Edition of Koi World and Water Gardens Magazine. Koi World and Water Gardens Magazine is published annually by Fancy Publications, a division of BowTie, Inc., 3 Burroughs, Irvine, CA 92618.
Design Inspiration Comes West: Asian and Middle Eastern elements create the perfect koi pond ambiance.
In the beginning, there was water and light, metal and wood and topography that ranged from mountains to flatlands and from deserts to forests. It was all affected by climatic and weather conditions, shifts in the Earth and even the organisms that inhabited the globe over the ages.
Early civilizations learned to use the elements, and some even related them to the basis of the universe. Chinese philosophy, for example, classified the natural world into five elements-wood, fire, earth, metal and water-using them to discern the interactions and relationships between all of life's generating phenomena. In that cycle, wood generates fire, fire generates earth in the form of ash, earth generates metal, metal generates water (which condenses on the metal), and water generates wood. In the overcoming cycle, wood grows in earth, earth absorbs water, water quenches fire, fire melts metal, and metal cuts wood.
This short lesson on the elements has strong relevance to koi ponds, as they are commonly found in both natural and manmade systems in Japan, China, the Middle East and Indonesia. Western cultures use them today to purposely create environments that reflect Eastern designs. Modern technology, spurred by highly creative minds, makes it easier than ever to drag, pull, haul, dump, dig, irrigate and otherwise force changes in our landscapes to help us simulate the pond ambiences that we desire.
"Asian and Middle Eastern design in koi and water ponds are always popular for several reasons," says Bethany Dennis, communications spokesperson for the Harrisburg, Pa.-based Association of Professional Landscape Designers, an international membership group that includes landscape designers and other professionals who have an interest in landscape design.
"Water features are one of the strongest trends we are seeing today," Dennis continues. "The techniques include a wider-than-ever range of waterfall and fountain designs and options. We are also seeing a strong design trend toward creating an outdoor environment that flows from the interior of the home to the exterior-as opposed to a sharp design end at the structure's entrance, and another in the landscape design."
Rock, Stone, Boulder, Pebble
A purposely placed rock formation identifies an Asian-themed garden as much as a stone pagoda or Buddha statute. If you have the good fortune of being conveniently located next to a free pile of great looking rocks and have a large group of burly neighbors willing to help you lasso and drag or roll a few to your water garden-lucky you. Unfortunately, not all homeowners have such a resource. Instead, they must procure rocks from outside sources, which is often an expensive endeavor.
If you face such a quandary, you might opt for synthetic alternatives. They are lightweight and therefore easy and inexpensive to transport-especially compared to the real thing.
Dave Blythe, president of Boulder Image in Phoenix, Ariz., says rocks and boulders are a natural match to Asian-style water gardens, but besides the difficulties mentioned above, natural rocks could cause even more trouble.
"Even when sealed as a ‘formation,' natural rocks can easily seep and hold water," Blythe says. "Water that settles in unintended places can stagnate and cause bacteria growth. That can result in unhealthy water and odor. When this happens within a natural formation, it is generally impossible to reach the area where the water is collecting to correct the problem without tearing the formation apart."
There are other reasons to not want to transport natural rocks or boulders from their natural setting. "The stripping of natural rock from the environment can cause serious damage to delicate ecosystems," says Stephanie Drew, spokesperson for Oz Rocks and Waterfalls, a U.S. distributor of Australia-based Universal Rocks. "Using natural molds, manmade rock formations, such as those constructed of polyurethane or other synthetic materials, are virtually indistinguishable from authentic rock, and they have been hand-modified to ensure optimum water flow and control."
Water, Mist, Moisture, Dew
Moving water is a universal aspect in the Earth's natural terrain. Using water in and around your koi pond adds both visual and auditory effects that greatly enhance an Asian-style water garden environment.
Besides using either natural or manmade rocks to create a waterfall, other methods of using moisture for enhancement purposes have gained popularity. Products available today give pond owners many affordable choices.
"The sound and appearance of moving water is much more pleasant in a water garden than just having some foliage and a few rocks to look at," says Brian Van Bower, president of Aquatic Consultants, a Miami, Fla.-based international consulting and design firm. "No one formula works for everyone, and the type of water feature people can incorporate into their ponds often depends on the geographical location, landscape layout and size and other factors."
Home-build, water garden and other specialty retail stores offer many products that enable do-it-yourself pond hobbyists to embark on their own waterfall or fountain projects. Van Bower suggests, however, that people do as much research as possible before starting.
"It's also important to learn about building codes or restrictions in your area," he says, "but once the details are handled, such a project can be a perfect prescription for people who love to work around their homes. Keep in mind that it is an artistic endeavor, not just a mechanical one."
Many products available today require minimal or no installation but provide moving water and its soothing sound, says Emily Yost, director of sales and marketing for Toba Fountains in Fountain Valley, Calif. "Kits now available come complete with fountain, weather-proofed power supply, long-range remote control, lighting lenses, spray heads, removable filters for easy cleaning, an anchor and anchor locator. The sound and shape of each spray pattern changes as you adjust the spray height, providing as many as 150 combinations of fountain sprays and colors."
Yost adds that the adjustments enable home owners to accommodate the size of their pond and the effect they prefer-from a high energy experience to a gentle whisper.
We all know the beautiful, soothing sensation that comes from gazing at a fog-draped vista in the early morning. Now pond owners can create that same effect any time they wish.
"Fog nozzles atomize the water into billions of ultra fine droplets, creating a captivating fog to surround any feature," says Roger Hampson-Taylor, spokesperson for PoolFog by Mist America in Scottsdale, Ariz. "Besides the visual enjoyment, the mist provides a refreshing feel on hot summer days. Billowing clouds of luxurious fog lure you into its presence and will add to any décor or design style."
Sculpture, Art, Urns, Accents
Working around the world has given Daryl Toby and his design staff at AguaFina Gardens Intl., in Sylvan Lake, Mich., a feel for many types of water garden styles and designs.
"We tend to draw a unique clientele of artistically motivated people," Toby says. "Our expertise is in creating unique spaces that people can use as personal sanctuaries for retreat, decompression and relaxation."
Toba says a successful garden design requires a strong collaborative effort between client and designer/builder. "Although they look toward our ideas, clients also have their own feelings about what they want," he says. "The Asian influence is very strong today, but people are moving beyond traditional Zen garden and using a lot of sculpture and artistic forms.
"Asian design is traditionally minimalist, which is still true today. The modern twist may be to place a large sculpture in the center of a pond, rather than a rock, for example."
The most important aspect is to maintain a proper scale within the allotted space, according to Toby. He adds that gardens with Asian themes typically have a tactile feel, but that doesn't mean they aren't conducive to a touch of whimsy, such as a large gazing or glass ball floating in the pond or balanced on a stand nearby.
"Grass and plants are important," he says, "but balancing those textures with sculpture and stone are issues to consider carefully. The goal is to blend textures so they appear natural, not contrived."
Sound from chimes and gongs can add to the landscape, and the huge number of styles and designs available on today's market provides pond owners with many choices. Toby says that a large enough chime can serve as a piece of art on its own, "as can a stone lantern, a humming bird feeder, small pagodas, a Buddha or Ganesh statue, a bronze carp sitting adjacent to the pond or ducks in flight sticking out of the pond itself. Just a huge, modern and stark piece of sculpture can serve as the focal point, with little else except some subtle foliage to complete the look."
Seating using in an Asian or Middle Eastern décor is typically simple with clean and natural lines, such as a stone bench supported by a rock or either end. Toby says that imagination and artistic ability comes into play here also.
"Some outdoor furniture on today's market has a modern Asian feel, but people should also be inspired to use nontraditional seating options," he says. "Having a hammock next to a pond would be a perfect place to nap or read a book, and they come in many material and frame options today. The space you create around your pond should be not only great to look at from a distance but one to spend time in and enjoy returning to regularly."
Light, Fire, Illumination, Glow
People in many civilizations enjoyed their ponds long before the advent of electric-or gas-powered lighting, but this does not imply that they did not enjoy their gardens after the sun had set on their landscapes. Archaeology tells us that since man first created fire, he has spent a great deal of effort and energy on finding ways to light the night-outdoors as well as indoors.
"Nightscaping is a huge trend," says Eric Schechter, president of GAME, headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz. The company, founding in the late 1980s, gained its fame as the creator of the Derby Duck Races, a fund-raising event held at venues around the world for nonprofit, sponsored and community fund raising. Today the company also produces outdoor lighting products used primarily for the backyard market.
Schechter says that some exciting new products shoot streams of color-lit water, brightening up the night with a fabulous display of changing patterns.
"These LED lighting products are easy to install and simple to operate, and require no batteries or electrical power," he says. "They run off water pressure from a garden hose or the pool or pond return line."
Floating lanterns combine the charm of traditional luminaries with modern technology. They are in the traditional shapes used in Asian and Middle Eastern cultures throughout history, and they add a special touch to ponds when entertaining.
Pathway lighting is another important feature in Eastern design styles. It comes in a wide variety of styles and options, and it can include something as simple as lit candles secured in a couple inches of sand or soil and tucked inside paper bags.
More formal and permanent pathway lighting has evolved into easy-to-install, low-energy-cost systems. Multi-light kits have stake bottoms that are easily driven into the soil. These are connected by one electrical cord, and some systems allow lights to be controlled, even dimmed, individually to allow for desired mood lighting.
Of the many trends in pond design today, the combination of fire and water is one of the strongest.
"When submerging a fire pot or pit into a pond that contains koi, safety for the fish and wildlife is the foremost concern," says Joe Jersets, vice president of Californian Outdoor Concepts in Commerce, Calif. "I recommend the waterproof pit installed so at least several inches from the top stand above the water line, thereby keeping the fire out of reach of the fish. The level should be checked before each use to ensure that excess rain has not caused the water level in the pond to rise."
Having seen to this caution, however, Jersets says a lit fire pit in the middle of a pond is a beautiful sight to behold.
Wrapping It All Up
"The final touches in a beautiful Asian, Middle Eastern or Indonesian koi pond design include merely ensuring that you have accomplished the right balance in the components," says Kim Bertotti, owner and designer of Bertotti Landscaping Inc. in Petaluma, Calif. "Key ingredients might include a patch of planted bamboo, some confers or a clump of low mossy rocks. Use natural stepping stones-perhaps as the pathway from the home, or as a walkway around the pond-as a finishing touch."
Bertotti also suggests a stone ball with a hole through its middle be placed in the pond so water can move through it or placed nearby as a visual attraction.
"Create a rock path across the pond to form a bridge, or add a wooden bridge across it with turned-up ends," she adds. "Besides the right balance, it's important to have the right level of maintenance. You want to enjoy the environment, not be a slave to it. The goal is to create an outdoor environment that both welcomes the world-and welcomes you home."
Based in New York City, Christina DiMartino is a freelance writing who focuses on pool and spa design as well as water gardening and koi keeping.