Most people are pretty certain their family will enjoy using a regular pool. But not everyone is so sure about a recreational pond.
Even after learning that these ponds are a growing international trend and are so much better for the environment, they think, why rock the inflatable pool boat so to speak.
However, if like some of Deck and Patio’s Long Island client families, your passion for eco-friendly spaces makes you want to at least ponder (ahem) a recreational pond, one way to test the waters is ask: Do we like swimming in lakes, the ocean, and/or swimming holes?
If the answer is yes to any of these, then you’ll probably love a natural swimming pond. Why? Because if you’ve swum in the ocean, for example, you’ve probably brushed up against the occasional bit of seaweed and snorkeled to get up close to colorful fish.
In addition, because swimming in a natural pond means you won’t be swimming in chlorinated water, there’ll be no red eyes or irritated skin.
Because of the benefits to the environment a natural swimming pond offers, and the sheer pleasure families get from them, we’ve been staying on top of the different ponds being constructed across the country. In particular, we keep close watch on the work of the company that crafts the products we use for most of our water features — Aquascape Inc., St. Charles, IL.
And no more so than recently. For in the past year, Aquascape’s main focus, through their Aquascape Construction arm, has been on the design and construction of recreational ponds. And if Aquascape is all in, we’re confident this trend will be growing even wider.
The feature photo at the top of our blog page today is of an Aquascape Construction’s recreational pond that they built last fall in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and which they recently shared on Facebook. Here’s the video of their amazing pond:
Their pond sure is a beauty, isn’t it? And as much as we love gushing about our mentor, Aquascape, we’re proud to say Deck and Patio has done some nice recreational ponds at home on Long Island.
Here’s one very special award-winner!
Recreational Swimming Pond (Long Island/NY):
This pond (above) is one of two ponds the clients had us create in their yard which overlooks Long Island Sound. We can assure you our beautiful model is not avoiding any of the natural pond experience by using a floating device. As you’ll see from the next photo below, she’s not bothered at all by healthy pond life. Indeed, this pond is pure and clean — a joy to swim in.
Pristine Swimming Ponds (Long Island/NY):
“A key factor in a good natural swimming pond is to build it big and deep enough so that you can snorkel as well as have room to swim,” says Deck and Patio’s Dave Stockwell.
Pond Water Feature Includes Stream and Landscaping (Long Island/NY):
The water feature being enjoyed by our lovely model in the two previous photos includes not only two ponds but also this beautiful stream that feeds them — which Deck and Patio landscaped with lush plantings and river rock.
Swimming With the Koi (Photo: Courtesy of Aquascape Inc.)
The child in all of us loves natural swim ponds. This photo was published originally by a homeowner who wrote an Aquascape Inc. blog “Growing Up Around a Pond.” She captured her son in the photo encouraging a friend to join him in the pond.
A Note on Recreational Pond Maintenance
Eco-friendly recreational ponds require expertise to create a natural swimming environment to be enjoyed much like swimming holes were in years past. It takes, for example, the correct underlayment, liner, Biofalls (from Aquascape Inc.), bog filtration, as well as the ideal water plants.
As Aquascape said on Facebook, “The proper amount of filtration and aeration is included in the installation so that maintenance is kept to a minimum.”
