247 Waterfalls

Sunday, April 27, 2008

512-627-0778 Sod installation, grass installation Austin Texas

Did you but a home in the Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville or Cedar Park area and the builder did not give you grass or landscape in your back yard. Then you are like everyone else who buys a home. You spend that much money on a house and get no sod or grass. Then to find out that the bilder charges $.80 a square foot for sod in you back yard, that is over $320.00 per pallet. Here at Smart home services we are a full service landscape company that installs sod or landscape for less than $.50 per square foot. WOW THATS .......$.30 CHEAPER THAN YOUR BUILDER......... We landscape from $500.00 budgets to $100,000.00 budgets. Your typical home will be at least 2500 square feet in the back yard. That translate to 6 pallets of sod with a total price tag of $1271.94 for sod delivery and installation only. If you have the builders that don't supply you with dirt as well, then we got you covered there. We charge $60.00 a yard for good quality soil for sod installation. Give us a call at 512-627-0778

visit our website for more information:

If you want more than just sod and dirt and you want to transform your yard to your own personal garden, then visit this website

Monday, January 21, 2008

Building a waterfall garden part 2

To insure the stability of the flagstone forming the waterfall, large and very stable rocks should be used for support. Building from the bottom up, place rocks under the flagstone as though you were building a rock retaining wall. Carefully stand on the front of the flagstone to test its stability. Your water feature is not a toy, standing on it is not recommended.

Now that the waterfall is almost completed, you need to foam or mortar in a rock on each side of the flagstone to ensure that the water is directed down the middle of the waterfall instead of around the edges. Before you add all of the remaining stones to cover the liner, fill the pond with water and start the pump. As the pond starts to fill, look along both edges, the entire length of the stream, for any water flowing out. If the water is leaking out the side or is close to the top, add soil under the liner so the edge of the stream is 2" to 4" above the water flowing down the stream. Make sure each waterfall is full and meets your expectations. Don’t forget to buy your plants to enhance your new waterfall and stream. Landscaping will make or break your custom outdoor water feature.

Texas, Austin, waterfall, Lakeway

posted by Mr. 247 Waterfall

Building a waterfall garden part 1

12/9/2007 12:39:21 PM

No stream would be complete without a waterfall. No waterfall would be complete without a stream and no landscape is complete with out both. For the do it yourselfers the most important thing to remember is that the water goes over the rock, not underneath it. This is easy to do by sealing the rock to the liner using (black) expanding foam sealant or motar. When you are building backyard waterfalls consider whether you want to have a fish pond or whether you would like it to be a pondless waterfalls with pondless streams. Every outdoor water feature will be unique to the landscaping. Disappearing waterfalls and disappearing streams will use a lot less space than a garden ponds waterfall.

First you need to think of how many waterfalls you want and pick out a piece of flagstone for each location. Don’t be a home depot pond builder and invest in plastic waterfall rocks. Before installing the liner, adjust the soil so that the rock will fit snug. After each waterfall location is prepared, remove the flagstones and put the liner down. Place a bead of expanding foam sealant on the liner then replace the rocks, packing additional dirt around them. The bead of expanding foam sealant should be 2" wide and 1" high.

It is not absolutely necessary to have a perfect seal, but most of the water should go over the falls. Some pond builders use concrete but it does not bond to the liner and takes 24 hours or more to dry. Using the expanding foam sealant, you can usually run water after 30 minutes. What is special about waterfall and streams is there is no need to rush, take your time to make a beautiful creation. The waterfall stones should be level from side to side to ensure that the water will flow across the entire face of the rock. A slight tilt forward will encourage the water to project further and form a sheet, but too much water will look unnatural. A tip of mine is to take a rock hammer and chip in groves about every inch or so along the edge of the waterfall rock. If the water flow needs to be changed after the installation is complete, move a few rocks to redirect the water. This change can be made permanent by turning the water off for a few days or until the rocks are dry, then foaming the dry rocks in place.

Texas, Austin, waterfall, San Marcos

posted by Mr. 247 Waterfall

Building Backyard Waterfall in Cedar Park Texas

12/10/2007 8:03:04 PM

First thing at our consultation on outdoor water features we discussed what type of water features would look good with the landscape we were trying to achieve. The customer did not like the thought of a fish pond or a garden pond. The landscape was on a slight slope so we incorporated a dry creek bed to control water flow. The outdoor water feature we decided on was the pondless waterfall with the disappearing stream. Pondless waterfalls and pondless stream have no need for a garden pond because the water is stored under the ground in a pondless tank with grates. There are many ways to create this pondless waterfall and disappearing stream, but for the ground in Cedar Park, Texas everyone knows that 6 inches under the ground is solid rock. At the end of the disappearing stream we gave it the illusion that the disappearing stream would just over flow into the dry creek bed. We call this the waterfall that could but wouldn't. To the side of this disappearing waterfall and stream we installed a sitting area for him and her. We also landscaped and sodded the yard with St. Augustine grass as well as landscape around the outdoor water feature. The second phase of this landscaping project included the Oklahoma peach buff flagstone patio extension at the back of the house. Phase 3 of this landscaping project will include an outdoor kitchen.

Watch the video on this project:

For more information on pondless waterfalls, pondless streams, disappearing waterfalls or disappearing streams

Texas, Austin, waterfall, Cedar Park

posted by Mr. 247 Waterfall

Outdoor water features beautify your environment.

12/18/2007 12:38:27 PM

I have had an outdoor pond for many years. I loved it. At least I did until my grandson fell in one day and scared me half to death. Now I'm in the process of building a pondless waterfall. I built up a small hill in one corner and after I put the pond liner down one side I set the stones in. I planted bushes and flowers all around and added other rocks that I felt were interesting. That's about as far as I've gotten so far. I love outdoor water features. I grew up on an island so I'm used to lots of water and trees. I have been trying to recreate that feeling here on the prairies. I've decided that building backyard waterfalls is not an easy thing to do but outdoor water features look beautiful and are very relaxing. I also put in a dry bed stream leading away from the waterfall. I need to do a little more research to get the rest of it done properly. I'm actually thinking of adding a few more outdoor water features by using solar fountains elsewhere in my backyard.

outdoor water features

posted by Petriemiller

Things to Consider when Building Backyard Waterfalls

12/28/2007 10:35:36 AM

Designing and building backyard waterfalls is a fun experience. It adds beauty and a certain peacefulness to your backyard environment. You can create the plans yourself or use a business that specializes in the craft.

There are many things to consider when designing your work of art. Outdoor water features may be the focal point of your yard and set the mood for that space. What kind of atmosphere do you want to create?

The materials needed in building backyard waterfalls are many. You may choose from tile or stone. Do you want to go manufactured or natural? Would you be interested in adding a koi pond? A garden ponds waterfall would fit nicely with that game plan.

How much space do you have to commit to this project? Building backyard waterfalls around your custom pool or jacuzzi hot tub will add a certain feel to the area and look great when lighted up at night.

Whatever your taste, it is important to consider all these factors when designing and building backyard waterfall landscapes. The results are worth the effort and create additional living space to your home.