Icing on the Cake The finishing touches — that’s the theme of our cover story this issue. As a gardener and pond owner, that really resonates with me. I’ve chatted over the years with author John Magyar and personally witnessed the impeccable attention to detail he gives his pond builds that help them maintain their …
Brackish water environments, the least understood and replicated biotopes, offer a tremendous opportunity for pond builders to expand their business. Unfortunately, these dynamic zones have a reputation for being dreary and mucky. In nature, brackish water tidepools and backwater areas are turbid — but so are most of the rivers and streams from which our …
I recently asked one of my mentors, “If you were in my position, what would you focus your energy on?” His response was simple: Focus on building your team. My father Dave Blocksom, who founded Pondscapes of Charlotte in 2002, instilled a culture of always doing the right thing for the customer. This means showing …
In December 2023, an opportunity came across our lap to join Russell Peters of PS Koi, America’s top koi dealer, on one of his infamous koi trips. As one of the youngest koi dealers growing and learning in this industry, I knew that this was an opportunity I may never get again. Without hesitation, I …
Writing my first book was an adventure filled with challenges, revelations and personal growth. As a solopreneur for decades, I understand the struggles of finding certainty and the right opportunities in life. My new water-feature business book, Pond Passion to Profit, aims to provide significance to others in the water-feature industry and people in the …
From Ponds to Pages: Tips on How to Write a Book Read More »
Let’s face it. While we love what we do so much, we would do it for free (and sometimes do), but we still have bills to pay. Your bills — employees’ pay, insurance, rent and even fuel —remain there at the end of every workday, demanding their cut of the money you’ve brought in. Finding …
Four years ago, during the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal was baptized with his first Aquascape water feature. To say it was an honor and privilege to design and build a waterfall and pond for this amiable superstar is an extreme understatement. It was also a little …
One of the great water-garden conundrums we face in Northeast Ohio is what the heck to do with all the tropical plants left over at the end of the season! We often see our tiny starter plants blossom into stunning monsters by the fall. However, unfortunately, most of these thriving giants will meet their untimely …
The last 10%. How many times have we heard that the last 10% of a pond installation project is where all the magic happens and the newly designed water feature truly comes alive? Is it true? Yep! The last 10% is truly where everything comes together to finish off your masterpiece. Most of our clients …