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Headergoeshere Clockwise:Fortheprofessionaldogtrainerand loverthiswaterfeatureisstrategicallyplaced nexttoashedwhichprovidesaplacetorinse offthedogsanddropoffthegearaftera hillsidehikeatthisCorteMaderahillsidehome; Classiccontemporarysmallpoolthatdoublesas awaterfeaturewithcopingwaterjetsthatcast anarcofwaterintothepoolforvisualinterest, waterplayandaccentnoise.Thispoolalsohas fiberopticlighting,sothestreamsareinternally illuminatedatnight. –PhotosprovidedbyBrettMcPher- son,TheLandCollaborative(TLC); Two variations on the water fountain by Avid Greens. –Photos provided by Scott Sherman of Avid Green; Fountains are great water features due to the simplicity of the installation. This Larkspur home with a seasonal stream bed is designed into the back yard with rocks and boulders to give it a dry creek look. – Photos provided by Brett McPherson, The Land Collaborative (TLC) can spill jets of water into a pool, and "You get a little bit of the sound and playfulness of it," says McPherson. Often a hillside next to a pool is terraced, making a retaining wall unnecessary, and while a pool or spa is primarily for recreational use during the day, it can become a focal point to add atmosphere at night, with LED lights to create an inviting glow. Whether it's big or small, is equipped for water volleyball or has deep, dark colors to make it look like a lagoon, a pool's design, shape and even the profile on the bottom are important parts of the landscape design. Sculptural water features tend to be small, but they give a garden character. A fountain made of a stone with a hole drilled through it is an example, "Water hugs it, goes around it and falls into the basin below," McPherson says. Beyond the natural appeal of water, some installations serve useful, sometimes unexpected, purposes as well. For instance, a home on Ring Mountain in Corte Madera boasts a doggie wash, making it easy for the owner to rinse off muddy paws after her dogs have been romping in the nearby open space. In touch with nature Scott Sherman of Avid Green in Greenbrae is a Bay-Friendly qualified landscape professional. He frequently works with the natural topography and uses water to create ambiance in a garden. At a home in Kent Woodlands, he took advantage of a natural swale in a hillside to create a seasonal streambed that prevents erosion, and he dressed up the area at the same time. "We decorated it and integrated it with the whole garden," he says, explaining that the goal was to create a habitat that was attractive as well as practical. "It's manmade, but it's nature and should fit in." The area attracts beneficial insects, such as dragonflies, which eat mosquitoes. He finds that water brings alive the wildlife, and with that in mind, he often incorporates fountains and birdbaths into his designs. He enjoys seeing birds taking a dip at the top of cascading fountains and bees and other insects in birdbaths, drinking and bathing. He encourages them by including areas of stone, giving them something to stand on. Sherman believes that one should always consider having water features. At a home in Greenbrae, he added a fountain to complement a view of Mount Tamalpais, creating a unique environment. "Water completes the whole experience," he says. Sherman believes gardens are a refuge, a private place where people can get away from the world and relax, and water adds a wonderful dimension. "A water feature adds a very precious, ineffable value."n Water features make a splash WATER Con't from pg. 2 4 February26,2017 NorthBayHome AMarketingSupplementoftheMarinIndependentJournal | marinij.com

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