Koi World & Water Gardens

Koi World & Water Gardens
Design Inspiration Comes West

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.

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.”  Toby 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 the 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 allocated 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 glazing or glass ball floating in the pond of 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.”

Sounds form 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 a 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 a focal point, with little else except some subtle foliage to complete the look.”

Seating used in an Asian or Middle Eastern décor is typically simple with clean and natural lines, such as a stone bench supported by a rock on either end.  Toby says that imagination and artistic ability come into play here also.  “Some outdoor furniture on today’s market has an Asian feel, but people should also be inspired to use more non traditional seating options,” he says.  Having a hammock next to the pond would be a perfect place to nap or read a book, and they come in many materials and frame options today.  The space you create around your pond should not be not only great to look at from a distance but one to spend time in and enjoy returning to regularly.”

By Christina DiMartino