These photos illustrate some of the things not to do with a formal pool. If you are going to use a hard, consistent material like brick then see if you can soften it with some planting or at least some other material that breaks up...
The guys persevering to finish lining a big pool out near Stirling. Lots of tricky details to do and a certain amount of coping with unhelpful weather. All done now though and holding water. The Firestone EPDM liner really works well in situations like these...
The John Hope Gateway pools at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh are filling up. The water in the top pools highlights the outlines and as it travels over the weirs it darkens the granite which gives an unusual and interesting effect. We would like to take the...
National Landscaping Award for Water Gems Water Gems did it again! Another Principal Award for Edinburgh landscaper, Water Gems, at yesterday's glitzy BALI awards ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. Their Merchiston Garden won high praise from the judge who said, 'The quality of the...
Pond edges are interesting places. If you are standing at one then there should be lots to see and lots to be interested in. If you are a designer or pond builder producing an infinity or meniscus pool then the edge needs to be level...
One of the many nice things we get to do at Water Gems is play around with designing water features based on some of the strange physical properties of water. One of the best examples we know of doing this is the Princess Diana Memorial...
Water Gems have once again become BALI award winners. The British Association of Landscape Industries awards ceremony takes place every December with a champagne reception followed by a sumptuous lunch. This year Nick and Annie, Robin, Struan, Hubert and Kenny will head down to the ceremony...
Water Gems were delighted to carry out much needed improvements to this popular pond in Dedridge, Livingstone. Funding was secured by West Lothian Council to improve the pond’s appearance whilst increasing its biodiversity and its value for formal and informal nature study. The name Froggy...
September. For some reason lots of ponds have duckweed at this time of year (the little floating green plants that sometimes cover ponds). I am not sure why it is called duckweed except that ducks appear to eat it. Duckweed is shade tolerant and typical...
First of all don’t plant Norfolk reed. It can grow horizontally at 5m a year and one three acre lochan we know went from 30 plants to about 30 000 in ten years or so. Second, don’t use a cheap liner, because they often leak. Third, don’t...