If there was one thing the judges agreed upon unanimously, it was that this year’s competition was wildly impressive, and not all decisions came easily. In a couple of cases, a category winner edged out his competition by just one vote. Here are the runners-up in each of our five categories.
>> See More | View all the winners via our Gallery Spotlight
You might see a couple of familiar names. On behalf of POND Trade, I’d like to thank
each and every contractor who submitted an entry this year. I’m proud that we raised more than $1,300 for a worthwhile cause — the Wounded Warrior Project.
Below are the Runners-Up:
Runner-up
Best Overall | Brian Buchholtz
Brian Bucholtz’swaterfall and koi pond can be reached at the end of a custom-built, descending walkway on a long, narrow, tree-covered property outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This destination water feature is virtually invisible from the street and adjacent properties, providing the homeowner with a private retreat and a place of solace.
Runner-up
Best Pondless | Josiah Crousore
A rainwater-harvesting, pondless feature is equipped with an energy-efficient Mag-Drive pump, 18 reservoir cubes for water storage, granite boulders from Minnesota and wildlife-friendly, native plantings in the rain garden that are fed by the overflow.
Runner-up
Best Waterfall | Bobby Kenyon
This project included a large ecosystem pond with a small wetland filter, two bubbling urn fountains and built-in stepping stones. The zero-edge waterfall leads to a stream that flows underneath a large, natural stone bridge, terminating at the grand falls. The breathtaking, multiple-tiered waterfall then disappears into a pondless waterfall basin, where water is filtered and recycled.
Runner-up
Most Naturalistic | Tim Wood
Pulling from his expertise in natural lake management, Tim Wood designed this feature with timelessness in mind, going for a naturalistic look that could have existed in centuries past, or 100 years in the future. All wood accents and boulders — some covered in local moss — were harvested from the property, enhancing its enduring essence.
Runner-up
Best Renovation | John Adams
Two separate features were torn out completely to create one massive pondless feature, including a 3,000-gallon reservoir at the bottom to give the impression that the lower pond is fed by the top waterfall. A second reservoir was built partway up the feature to feed the top waterfall, with multiple, small cascades integrated to add flow volume on the way down.
