The Transformation
See It Before and After
Drag the slider to see this yard before the rock wall went in, and after the stone work was complete.
Before
After
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Handcrafted rock walls and natural ponds that bring structure and living beauty to your property - built to hold, built to last, built to impress.
Request a ConsultationDrag the slider to see this yard before the rock wall went in, and after the stone work was complete.
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Rock walls do real work in a landscape - holding soil on slopes, defining garden levels, creating visual structure that ties plantings together. A wall built well is almost invisible in the sense that it just feels right, like it belongs. A wall built poorly shows up in year two as a lean, a bulge, or a section that's slid forward and left a gap. Aaron has been building dry-stacked and mortared rock walls long enough to know the difference, and the difference is in the base, the drainage, and the patience of the fit.
Natural garden ponds bring a completely different kind of energy to a yard - the sound of water, the birds and frogs that arrive uninvited, the way aquatic plants soften the edge between the built and natural world. Aaron designs ponds that look like they were always there, edged with the right stone and planted with natives that thrive without constant attention.
Both walls and ponds are long-term investments in your property that, done right, just keep getting better as they settle in and develop their character. Aaron approaches them the same way: with patience, proper construction, and an eye for how they'll look not just at installation but in ten years.
Start a ConversationWe take this work on across Washtenaw County. See what we build in Barton Hills and Saline, or get in touch about your own property.
Common Questions
Weekly attention in the growing season: skimming, checking the pump, watching the water level, plus a proper shutdown in fall and a start-up in spring. A well-designed pond with adequate filtration and the right plant balance is much less work than an undersized one, which is why sizing and circulation matter more than any product.
Yes, with the right depth. A pond deep enough that it doesn't freeze solid, plus a de-icer or aerator to keep a gas exchange hole open, will overwinter fish safely. Depth is designed in from the start. It's not something you can add later.
A properly circulated pond is one of the worst places for mosquitoes. They need still water, and moving water plus fish eliminates the problem. Stagnant water is the issue, which is exactly what a pond with real circulation isn't.
Function. A retaining wall is holding back grade and has to be engineered for that load. A rock wall may be decorative, defining a bed or a level change without significant structural duty. We'll tell you honestly which one your slope actually needs. They're priced very differently and only one of them is a safety question.
A rock wall or garden pond is a lasting feature. Aaron will make sure it's built to stay that way.
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