I took over this project after my predecessor had humongous problems with it.  It was a labor of generosity, in a way, from my company to this couple who were fund raisers for projects close to our heart.  The lady who lived here had a sense of urgency inasmuch as she may have had a terminal illness.  She desperately wanted to have something very much like what we provided.  Calm water, rushing waterfall in the distance, a bog-like area and immensely rich plantings all over.  It was truly a little bit of Paradise.  The pond required piecing and gluing together a monlithic liner 60 by 70 feet.  It took about 8 of us to move it, constantly fanning the liner to allow the air to help us. 

   In the end, the proudest factor I wore after the successful completion for this delighted couple reasted in how finished we made it look, right away.  Somehow, we were able to make it look as though it had been there a long time.  We used debris from the forest, picked up old logs, did all sorts of wild things.  Credit went to alot of people on this one, one of my all time favorites.

    The pictures taken here were taken the day of completion.

Wrought Iron is an incredible possibility.  The delicacy yet strength of wrought iron is its hidden positive character.  Here we have an excellent example of virtual artisanship.  The painting of the roses and butterflies imbedded in this swinging gate adds yet another delightful and colorful aspect. 

  Here are some gorgeous rocks used by a door front.  Pleasant sounds, warm and greeting, a nice and luxurious surprise for visitors.

I spent half a year or so working as one of the few Americans on-site at the Portland, Oregon Chinese Garden Project.  It was one of the most fascinating experiences I ever had in landscaping.  Initially, I worked just supplying irrigation throughout.  A very small crew and I laid alot of pipe, cored through the underlaying concrete stems walls for the gorgeous buildings built there, arranged and designed on the fly the rudiments of water supply for the plants my company was also selected to provide.  During the course of it all, I was able to witness the Chinese techniques and artisanship that the 150 guys from Zouchou, China provided.  Among many fascinating techniques was the installation numerous pebbled sidewalks and plazas, constructed of series of pebbles, presized to match, basically, and inserted into cement.  The theory is even nicer than the look:  the pebbles “massage the feet” as one walks.