Ponds and waterfalls do more than add an upscale look to the landscape – they can soothe and captivate the homeowners every day.

And that’s something clients don’t fully comprehend until after their pond is completed, said Mark Harp, owner of The Pond Store in Sumner, which installed 100 water features last year.

“They don’t understand that when they come home from work, that is one of the first things they’re going to go and look at,” he said. “They don’t realize the enjoyment a pond brings to their life.”

And water features become a sort of hobby, said Harp (more commonly known as “Mark the Pond Guy”).

In fact, one Tacoma family has kept Harp rather busy: he’s installed six water features at the father’s home, two at the son’s (with a third one planned) and 10 at the family’s various apartment buildings.

Often, homeowners start with a pond and waterfall in the backyard, later adding a pondless waterfall in the front for curb appeal.

Although a skilled do-it-yourselfer can build a pond

(Harp’s store sells kits), he finds many DIYers – even those who’ve built a garage or put in granite countertops – prefer a professionally installed pond.

“To build a pond, it’s really a work of art,” Harp said. “It takes experience, vision and passion.” His ponds are known for being “super-natural looking,” Harp said.

No other landscaping improvement compares to a water feature, said Harp, who began as a landscaper in 1989, installed his first pond in 1997 and four years later decided to focus strictly on water features.

“It’s kind of like the cherry on top of the sundae in your yard,” he said.

Mark Harp offers these eight things to consider before adding a pond to the landscape.

1 Think bigger Sometimes homeowners think they just want a little pond. But most of the time, Harp installs a bigger pond than the clients initially envisioned. Some homeowners later wish they had imagined a larger size. One older couple in Puyallup insisted on a small pond; seven months later, Harp was back to rip it out and install a larger one.

2 Pick a prime spot Homeowners will point out an unused corner of the backyard as the place they pictured for their pond. Instead, locate a water feature next to an outdoor living area – like a patio or deck – where it can be enjoyed up close. For a pond, the site should get 4-6 hours of sun every day so water lilies can bloom. It’s also important to be able to see the water feature from inside the home so it can be enjoyed year-round.

3 Flat yards are OK A natural elevation change isn’t required to accommodate a pond’s waterfall – a berm is simply created, often using only the dirt excavated for the pond.

4 Go for the fish A lot of homeowners don’t want fish initially, but Harp encourages adding koi or goldfish because they feed on algae, reducing pond maintenance. “They are part of the ecosystem. Their waste actually fertilizes the plants, the plants take their waste and turn it into oxygen,” Harp explained. Besides, feeding the fish every day is a great stress reliever, he said. Raccoons usually aren’t a problem because Harp’s ponds are designed with a protective shelf around the edge and a “fish cave” where fish can hide out. (One note: Fish don’t work in pondless features.)

5 Don’t worry about mosquitoes With concerns about West Nile virus, questions about mosquitoes are common. But moving water keeps mosquitoes from successfully hatching. And fish in the pond will feed on any mosquito larvae. “We have yet to have a customer come back and say we have more mosquitoes than we did before,” Harp said.

6 Don’t sweat the maintenance Improved technology means no more manual skimming debris off the pond surface – and no more green water from algae growth, Harp said. “We always build our ponds with a skimmer; it is continuously cleaning the pond. All you have to do is clean the net,” he said. In addition, natural bacteria and enzymes are added to compete with algae and create a balanced ecosystem. Once a year, Harp recommends draining the pond and cutting back the plants.

7 pick a price Do-it-yourselfers can buy a kit that includes everything needed to build a water feature – except the rocks, water and labor. The Pond Store’s prices start at $800 for a 4 x 6 pond kit and $900 for a pondless kit. Professionally installed water features have a wide price range, but pondless features are generally much lower priced – partly because they require fewer rocks than a pond does. A pondless waterfall can start around $3,000 or $3,500, while the popular 11 x 16 pond with waterfall starts around $6,500. (Plants, fish, pond lights and automatic fill valve cost extra.)

8 Get a consultation The Pond Store offers a $45 consultation, usually lasting 1-3 hours, with a detailed bid completed at the home that day; the bid includes a credit of about $145 off the job (depending on how far the client’s home is from store).

Moonlight Pond Tour

Free water feature tour and barbecue at the Puyallup home of Mark Harp, “Mark the Pond Guy”

Why Get a close-up look at a large pond with multiple waterfalls, plus three pondless water features and a quarter-acre lake under construction. Also view the HGTV show featuring Harp constructing a pondless waterfall.

When 5-7 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month (except January and February). The next tour is April 5.

Registration Required; for details, check the Web site www.markthepondguy.com.

Build a Pond Day

A hands-on seminar where participants will help build a pond in just one day.

When 10 a.m. June 7

Where The home of the person winning a $5,000 pond in The Pond Store’s giveaway (drawing on May 17)

Cost $95 per person, $110 per couple; lunch is included. Limited to 25 people.

Bring Shovels and gloves

Register Call 253-863-3499 or stop by The Pond Store, located at Windmill Gardens, 16009 60th St. E., Sumner.