Kingstowne Lawn & Landscaping
Alexandrian Anna Marie Van Blarcum had been wanting to install a water feature in the backyard of her family's North Ridge home since she and her husband bought it nine years ago. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, they found themselves spending a lot more time at home and decided it was the perfect time to redo their outdoor living space.
Van Blarcum chose to use Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape to install a fountain because she had used them for landscaping over the years and knew they did good work.
Amanda Hamilton, a designer with Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape, came out to look at their yard and help them decide the best way to proceed. The Van Blarcums selected a fountain from the website Blue Thumb.
Courtesy of Anna Marie Van Blarcum
A small fountain can add an element of calm to any backyard.
“It was much more budget-friendly than we expected,” she said. “I had sort of approached the fountain idea with my husband like, ‘Let’s just see how much it costs, and if it’s not too crazy let’s include it.’ Then when we got the price on it and it was not nearly as expensive as I anticipated — it was an easier sell.”
They went with a classic style fountain that looks like stone but is made from fiberglass which is much lighter and easier to move for maintenance. She admitted that there was a bit of a learning curve when it came to maintenance but she said Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape and Blue Thumb were very good at explaining what needed to be done, like removing the pump in the winter and storing it in a bucket of water in their basement.
Van Blarcum said she is so glad that they chose to add the fountain and that it really brings the patio area together. “We’ve got lights on it at night so we can use it day or night and it’s just nice to have the ambient noise. You know everybody is out in their backyard right now because everybody needs the extra space. It’s kind of nice because it provides almost like a white noise machine so you don’t necessarily hear your neighbors or feel like your neighbors are just listening to you talk.”
The Van Blarcums are not the only homeowners who have taken advantage of the pandemic to update their backyards, and oftentimes a water feature is part of that. The sound of running water is known to help with relaxation and provide mental and physical health benefits.
There are a number of options when it comes to outdoor water features. Hamilton said that Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape specializes in masonry basins and self-circulating water features like the fountain the Van Blarcums installed, which features a pump that recycles water.
Recently Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape has seen less demand for more natural-looking ponds and waterfalls due to the higher maintenance associated with these types of features. Traditionally, ponds are built using a liner which is more prone to leaking and if the water is still, it encourages the growth of algae and must be cleaned regularly.
Hamilton said there is still some maintenance involved with fountains. While the self-circulating feature means that the fountain can be used year-round if constantly running, oftentimes people choose to winterize them. This involves removing the pump and storing it in water in a garage or basement to keep the gaskets wet. Some owners also purchase a cover to help prevent any buildup of leaves or other debris.
Campbelle & Ferrera
In the summer, when temperatures in Virginia can be in the 90s for weeks, water needs to be added to replace what evaporates. This can be done manually or by connecting the fountain to an existing irrigation system which uses a float valve to automatically refill the fountain when it gets below a certain level.
Homeowners who are interested in putting in a self-circulating water feature don’t always realize that the pump requires electricity nearby, which means installing electricity and running wires to the water feature through a deep trench. This is an additional expense and can often determine where a water feature is placed in the yard.
Almost anything can be turned into a water feature by drilling a hole and adding a pump. Hamilton noted some examples such as a large rock or a decorative planter and even a sump pump. “I’ve had a few clients who, their sump pumps go off really frequently, and they kind of made a little water feature out of it,” she said with a laugh.
For homes with small outdoor spaces like those found in Old Town, Hamilton recommends a wall fountain. Just keep in mind that most water features will have some kind of splash so this should be considered when placing outdoor furniture, especially in tight spaces.
A simple self-circulating water fountain without electricity starts at around $2,500.
Campbelle & Ferrera
Despite the trend towards more modern, self-circulating water features, homeowners looking for a traditional koi pond, babbling stream or other natural-looking water feature can contact Campbell & Ferrara. The company is locally owned and operated and has been in business since 1945. In addition to water features, they specialize in all aspects of outdoor living from landscaping and hardscaping to outdoor kitchens. They also operate a garden center off of Richmond Highway.
Campbell & Ferrara offers biofilter ponds which help reduce some of the maintenance traditionally associated with ponds. Biofilters keep ponds clear and balance the pond ecosystem by using bacteria to break down pond waste which is important for water plants and fish. Less expensive mechanical filters are also available but require cleaning once a month. Ponds without plants or fish can be purified using chlorine.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TOWN & COUNTRY POOLS
Last summer, public pools were shut down due to the pandemic. Some local HOAs have chosen to keep pools closed this year too. That, combined with limited travel, inspired many homeowners to install backyard pools of their own.
There are three types of materials used to build inground pools – vinyl liners, fiberglass and gunite/concrete. Liner pools range from $35,000 to $65,000 while fiberglass will cost between $50,000 to $90,000.
Town & Country Pools is a local, family-owned company based out of Springfield that has been designing and building high-quality pools since 1977. They build pools exclusively from gunite/concrete and the starting price begins at $150,000. President and owner of the company, Burton S. Gray, started working at Town & Country in 1986 and purchased the company from the founder (and a longtime neighbor) in 2000.
Town & Country prides itself on attention to detail, low employee turnover, quality subcontractors and full service for customers. They are already sold out for the 2021 season and are currently taking requests for 2022, a testament to their stellar reputation in the area. In addition to design and construction, Town & Country offers regular pool service and renovation.
Gray thinks it is important that homeowners know what they are getting into when they install a pool. “You get what you pay for and with a swimming pool, you have one shot at it,” Gray said. “It’s ‘big construction.’ People don’t realize how large it is until they get into it. We’re not just matting grass down, we’re creating a road to get into your backyard.”
Town & Country offers a variety of pools in different sizes including rectangular, freeform, infinity edge, Grecian and Roman as well as hot tubs and spas. Rectangular pools are the most popular for safety reasons because they are the easiest shape to find a cover for.
The City of Alexandria requires that all pools be fully enclosed by a fence or equivalent barrier at least six feet high. In Fairfax County, a fence or barrier is also required but a powered safety cover can be substituted for the fence. In both municipalities, spa pools and hot tubs that have lockable safety covers do not require a fence.
Utilities, easements, historic trees, yard size and topography must all be considered when a pool is designed. After design is finalized and the homeowner obtains permits from the city or county, most pools take six to eight weeks to build and often require an additional two weeks after being filled with water before they can be used.
According to Gray, pool electronics, interior finishes and features around the pool area have changed over the years. Right now, glass tiling and decks are popular. Most of the newer pools are also automated using iAquaLink which allows owners to operate the pool from their smartphone or tablet.
