Water Features, Rain Gardens and Pools: Bringing Water Into a Rhode Island Garden
Updated: Sep 28
A fountain, a rain garden, a spa or a pool. How water comes into a garden so it feels natural and takes care of itself.
Water is the first element I think about on any property. Even a small amount changes how a garden feels. You hear it before you see it, it cools the air, and it brings in birds and life. It is also something we have plenty of on this island, from the rain that runs off the roof to the ocean at the end of the road.
Start with the water you already have
Before adding anything, I look at where the water already goes. The low corner that stays wet. The downspout that washes out the mulch. The slope that sends runoff toward the street. Those spots are often the best place for a rain garden, a planted swale or a dry streambed of river stone. It solves a drainage problem and gives you a garden at the same time. For fountains and smaller features we use recirculating systems, so the same water moves through again and again, and with native planting around the edges a small feature asks for very little care.
You hear it before you see it, it cools the air, and it brings in birds and life.
Make the pool part of the garden
A pool or spa is the biggest water feature most people will add to their property. I design ours so they feel like part of the landscape, set into stone terraces, softened with planting and tied into the drainage plan. We build gunite pools exclusively, and I am a Certified Genesis Pool Builder. Stone and water belong together. River stone, boulders and bluestone coping look right beside water and wear well over time, and because we set our own stone, the water and the stone around it are planned and built as one.
Think about the coast
On properties near the shoreline, water features and drainage need to respect CRMC setbacks and protect the bay. Catching water on the property and letting it soak in is almost always the right approach.
Beginning your project
You can see more of our water work here. If there is a spot on your property that could use some water, or a drainage problem you would like to turn into a garden, call me at 401-619-1607 or request a consultation.
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