Water Features to Transform Your Patio
A good way to make your patio or backyard space more enjoyable is to add a water feature to the layout. Not only does it add the sound of running water and contribute to a peaceful atmosphere, but it also helps keep your plants hydrated and provides an attractive focal point for both guests and family.
A well-designed patio can be the perfect venue for hosting dinners, get-togethers, and parties. Adding a water feature
to your back or side yard is an easy and fun way to turn any outdoor space into a relaxing retreat, so let’s get into it. Here are some water features that can spice up your patio and make it a fun area to spend your time with friends and family.
Bird Bath
Birds are a beautiful and charming addition to the outdoors. They come in different:
While some birds prefer living in trees or on the ground, others enjoy taking baths in birdbaths. Many of us have noticed that our birds don’t even mind bathing with other species! That’s why it’s important to consider the design of the bird bath.
While the most common design is a small puddle of water with stones around it, many enthusiasts opt for more complex designs. Birds are not the only animal that needs baths, so you can find products designed to suit other animals as well. The area you live in might have a high bird population, so you might need to get a big bird bath because chances are, you’ll be hosting quite a number.
Small Rock Waterfall
A small patio waterfall is a great idea for those looking to bring more life into their yard. A small rock waterfall is very easy to maintain and will not take up much space. There are different ways to build a small rock waterfall depending on your budget and the amount of time you want to spend on it. You also have to consider the size of your yard so that the waterfall will not take up too much space. If you do not have any experience of building a small rock waterfall, some landscapers can help you remodel your patio and add the waterfall.
Tabletop Fountains
A water fountain is a beautiful addition to any home, and it can add a relaxing element to your garden or backyard. Some fountains are built into furniture, such as:
Tabletop fountains can be placed in the middle of a table and used as a centerpiece. These water features do not require much space and can easily fit in small spaces or on top of furniture. The tabletop fountains come with elaborate designs and interesting features that will surely add to the beauty of your home’s interior.
Traditional Fountains
Traditional fountains are the most popular type of garden water fountain. Their popularity is due to their versatility. A traditional fountain can be used in many different ways, making it the most versatile garden water fountain on the market. Traditional fountains can be used almost anywhere in your garden, including on patios, ponds, and even in greenhouses. They’re also very affordable, making them appealing to people looking for an inexpensive way to add some charm to their yard or patio area.
There are a few things to consider before buying a traditional fountain:
Water Gardens
If you want to add more excitement to your patio or deck, then build a water garden. This is an easy and inexpensive way to add some color and sound to your patio. A water garden can be as simple as a plant-filled tub in a pot. Or, you can use a large fish tank with a pump and a few cheap plastic fish. You can also find ready-made water fountains in most department or hardware stores. The key is adding some living plants to the fountain so that it’s not just a stagnant pool of water.
Expert Water Feature Installation
The right patio water feature can turn your patio into the perfect spot for entertaining guests. The key is to choose something that fits your patio’s surroundings best. Designing a patio is not easy, so it’s essential to get this part right. However, even if you manage to lay it out perfectly, the water features will have a huge impact on how beautiful your patio looks. This is why you should focus on finding the right pieces for it. There are many things that you need to take into consideration when looking for furniture for your patio.
If you’re looking for a way to spruce up your patio space, a water feature is a great place to start. From fountains and ponds to streams and splashing features, there are many things you can do with a water feature. If you’d like more information about the different types of water features for your landscape and exterior design, or how we could help create your custom space, please contact us today
! We’d love to hear from you.
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When Pergolas Don’t Last, There’s Always a Reason After nearly two decades of building outdoor spaces across Medina, I’ve seen what happens when pergolas aren’t designed for Minnesota’s conditions. You can spot them a mile away—posts that lean, beams that twist, and concrete pads that have heaved out of level after just a couple of winters. It’s not because homeowners cut corners intentionally. It’s usually because whoever built it didn’t account for what our climate really does to structures that aren’t anchored right. Medina’s heavy clay soil doesn’t drain well. It holds moisture, freezes solid, and then expands like a hydraulic press pushing on everything above it. When pergolas are set on surface-level post bases, that pressure has nowhere to go but up—and the whole thing moves. Even small shifts can cause joints to separate, wood to crack, and hardware to loosen. That’s how a $15,000 structure starts looking tired after a few years instead of standing straight for decades. The truth is, pergolas here aren’t just about shade or looks. They’re about structure, drainage, and how every piece ties into the patio beneath it. A pergola that stands tall through Minnesota winters is built on the same principles as a good foundation—it’s only as strong as what’s underneath it. If you live in Medina and want to enjoy your backyard without worrying about your investment warping or sagging, start with design that respects the environment it’s built in. That means thinking beyond lumber and stain colors. It means understanding soil movement, water management, and the importance of integrating your pergola with the patio below it.

Solutions for Properties in Minnetonka You can always tell a Minnetonka yard that’s fighting its slope. Water doesn’t lie, it finds the weak spots every time. I’ve walked plenty of properties where a backyard starts beautiful in June, but by September, the patio is heaving, the grass near the pool looks like a marsh, and the homeowner is wondering how it got so bad so fast. The truth is, when you’re dealing with rolling terrain and heavy clay soils like we have around Minnetonka, you can’t just move dirt and hope gravity behaves. You need a plan that manages water from the surface all the way down through the subsoil. This is what I’ll walk you through here. You’ll see what actually causes drainage issues on sloped properties, how poor planning leads to cracked patios and shifting pool decks, and the smart drainage systems that can stop those problems for good. Whether you live near Lake Minnetonka or up in the higher ridges closer to Deephaven or Woodland, understanding how your yard sheds water is the difference between a property that lasts and one that’s constantly under repair. The Real Challenge of Sloped Minnetonka Yards Minnetonka is known for its hills, lakefront properties, and mature trees, but all that beauty comes with a set of challenges below the surface. Most of the soil here is dense clay. It holds water like a sponge and drains slowly, which means after every heavy rain, that water looks for a way downhill. If it doesn’t have a proper outlet, it ends up collecting right where you don’t want it, like along your patio, at the base of a retaining wall, or near your pool deck. I see this every season: homeowners trying to solve slope problems with a quick regrade, a layer of rock, or a simple surface drain. Those things might help for a while, but they don’t address what’s really happening underground. Clay soil doesn’t just get wet—it becomes saturated, expanding and contracting with every freeze-thaw cycle. When that happens under a patio or wall, it doesn’t matter how well-built the surface looks. The ground will move, and that movement cracks stone, shifts pavers, and slowly tears apart everything on top. The other challenge with sloped lots is how water interacts with gravity. It accelerates downhill, gaining momentum as it goes. When it hits a flat area like a patio, the water loses speed but not volume, pooling instead of flowing. That’s why I tell clients that “flat spots” on a sloped property are both an opportunity and a responsibility. They’re the best spaces to create usable outdoor areas, but they have to be engineered to handle water movement. I’ve worked on plenty of Minnetonka yards where the backyard has a beautiful view but terrible grading. You can have a perfect slope on paper, but if it directs water toward your house or creates a bowl effect between structures, you’ll end up with soggy soil and standing puddles that never dry. The goal is to move water off and away while keeping the surface level enough for comfort and usability. It’s a fine balance, but when it’s done right, it completely transforms how a property functions.








