Water Gems first used Rebar (steel reinforcing bars) in their award-winning garden at Inverleith in Edinburgh. A solution was needed to retain the edges of paths running through a steep area of established woodland. The roots of the protected trees could not be disturbed by extensive wall foundations and so the Water Gems team struck on the idea of using woven reinforcing bars as an alternative. The solution is extremely neat both from an engineering and aesthetic viewpoint. The idea soon grew and the rebar was allowed to flow down the garden, sweeping up to form the roof of a compost house in the depths of the woodland garden.
Water Gems has continued to use Rebar and it formed the sculptural centrepiece for the 2010 Water Gems show garden at Gardening Scotland. Here, a ribbon of Rebar curved and dipped over a reflecting pond, ending with a decked island in the middle. The show garden won a gold medal and was named best show garden. The rebar structure was then transported up to a garden near Aviemore where it has now found a permanent home.