Water in the garden
This is aimed at helping students understand the design and implementation constraints of water
Water is a critical element in nature and therefore our gardens. If there is water the life will come. In parts of Australia pools and the ocean are fixed to people’s identity. In Victoria it gets a little colder and is different to the sunnier states. As a child I grew up in dams and creeks as much as pools and the sea.
Pools
Pools in Victoria don’t usually get used the entire year round unless they are heated and in good positions. This can make the ongoing maintenance feel a little dissatisfying.
When designing in a pool you firstly need to ascertain a realistic budget because they usually end up costing more than you expect. Then the added extras that make a difference like self-cleaning jets and solar heating get overlooked.
So how much does a pool cost?
Approximately a lot….. The cheapest decent looking precast pools start at around $30,000. But usually people end up spending a lot more than that and you haven’t even got the landscape in around it yet.
Paving and coping
Coping pieces surround the perimeter of the water. They can be made with different faces such as drop down and bullnose.
Water colour
The colour of the tiles or fibreglass don’t tell the true story of what the water colour is going to be. There are a few factors that determine the colour:
The size of the water
The shape of the pool
Depth of water
Amount of Sunlight
Surrounding elements
For a finished shade of blue, you would look at white through to black and blues for the pool surface. For green water you would use Green, brown, red, or tan.
When the water is shallow you will see more of the colour of the surface.
As you move water around the surface you will get colour change with the ripples.
Laws and regulations
In Australia, your pool builder must be licensed, and you must obtain a permit for your pool. A pool is something that you will benefit from the guidance of professionals who do this thing regularly. There are many potential problems that can be avoided having people who have made a lot of pools before as part of your team.
