So you want to build a waterfall in your backyard, but you don’t know where to start? proper planning can improve not only the finished water feature, but it will help in the installation process. The first thing to consider will be the location of the waterfalls. The best place usually will be the corners of your yard, and face the cascades towards the most viewed direction. It is extremely important to do heavy planting behind the pond in order to give the illusion that there is a hill behind the waterfalls, and there is a natural source for the waterfall.



Another consideration is the type of stone to use. You will want to look at the existing home and materials used in the garden. If you have earth tones, stick with an earth tone stone like Moss rock, or a more interesting material such as Travertine. Or, if your backyard features concrete or greys,Or if you have a lot of concrete or greys, then stick with a Grey Water washed rock, or maybe a blue toned Kryptonite or Great Falls Boulders.

A few more items need to be addressed before you can get started with the actual work. Do you want a pond to house koi or goldfish. If so you will need to create a pond 2-3 feet deep for goldfish, or a three-six feet deep pond for koi. The edges of the pond should be cut for planting shelves with a 1-2 foot run. You will need a skimmer for your pond, it will help to skim leaf and debris from the pond, and will contain the auto fill refill valve. You will want to plan ahead on where to place this skimmer, as you will need to tend to it every few months.

You might also consider a pondless waterfall if you want the sights and sounds of a water feature with less maintenance. This setup is just like it sounds and offers an excellent alternative. The waterfall will cascade into a hidden reservoir. This system can be turned off with no standing water for mosquitoes, and doesn’t have deep water for those with small children. The maintenance of these systems require only a once a year pressure washing of the rocks.

Once you figure out where to put the feature, what kind of feature you want, and the type of rock, you’re ready to rock and roll.