Years ago Bob Chimka remarked to his wife, Marilyn, “We can’t afford a house on the water but maybe we can afford water for the house.” Bob’s comment started a quest for Marilyn; she wanted a landscape design with an old-fashioned country pond that evoked memories of her childhood.
Several contractor interviews later, she found Ray Saber, landscape designer and owner of Blue Fox Landscape Design.
“He just knew what I wanted. The rapport was there,” Marilyn explained. The Chimkas were delighted with his work and the results.
The naturalistic plantings grow around and up to the water’s edge. Captivating and serene to gaze upon, the self-sustaining pond has a healthy eco-system; the right balance of both plant and animal life.
A chorus of spring peepers breed in multitudes. Goldfish long ago replaced the koi eaten by the blue heron that visits regularly. Patches of elegant water lilies float lushly. A host of other beneficial insects and aquatic life abound. It’s a happening science project every hour of the day.
Marilyn has created many pleasing spaces that allow for entertaining while gazing upon the idyllic setting.
A shady space below the deck offers another more casual dining spot and a welcoming swing.
Reminiscent of a country cottage, a lovingly decorated potting shed sits nestled at the woodland’s edge. Adorable and functional, it’s a one-room fantasy bursting with charm.
Bob and Marilyn recently spent an enjoyable evening, just the two of them, nestled in their landscape design beside an open fire, sipping wine and listening to music. Raising their glasses, they asked each other, “Now where could we go that would be better than this?”