John G. Adams is the founder of
Modern Design Aquascaping Inc. and widely regarded as one of the most respected and artistic minds in the water feature industry. With over three decades of experience building ponds, fountains, and waterfalls across the United States and around the world — including Canada, the U.K., South America, and multiple trips to Africa with the Aquascape Foundation — John has earned a reputation for precision, passion, and an eye for the little things that take time… but make all the difference.
Although his sons now lead most of the construction at Modern Design, John has shifted his focus toward educating and inspiring others. He dedicates his time to creating powerful social media content, mentoring up-and-coming artists, working with nonprofit projects, and soaking in life with his eight grandchildren. His YouTube channel,
Modern Design Aquascaping, has over
53,000 subscribers, serving as a free, ever-growing resource for anyone who wants to learn about ponds, fountains, and waterfalls.
Whether you've stumbled on one of his videos, met him on a job site, or are just discovering his work now — his mission remains the same:
"to educate and inspire the world about ponds and water features" by helping people connect- with nature, with each other, and with themselves!
Having a water feature is a lifestyle.
But over time, the awesomeness factor that you once felt can start to fade. Not because your feature is falling apart, but because your dream is getting bigger. Your vision of what’s possible has expanded.
In this article, we’re going to walk through what it looks like to scratch that itch—whether that means simply knocking the dust off and giving it a fresh coat of paint, improving the functionality of your water feature so it’s less work and more play, or going full nuclear and tearing it out to build the next dream from the ground up.
Are you thinking a fountain might be the right choice for your space, but you’re not sure what it’s going to cost—or even what your options are? You’re not alone. For most people, fountains look like a simple project on the surface… until they start researching and realize how many directions it can go. One of my favorite sayings is, “It sounds easy if you say it fast!”
In this article, we\’re going to put together as much transparent information as we possibly can so you can develop a comprehensive understanding of waterfall costs & options. We\’re going to break down what drives the cost of a waterfall up—and where you might be able to trim some fat. We\’ll dig into what makes some companies so expensive while other companies are just flat-out cheap. We will share links to value-based content like \”How To Choose The Right Contractor For Your Waterfall Project\”, \”How To Select The Perfect Water Feature For You\”, and more! This journey is all about you getting your dream waterfall on your terms!
Are you thinking about adding a custom pond, waterfall, or fountain to your property in East Tennessee? Have you been looking at Modern Design Aquascaping as a potential option… and Perennial Ponds as another? Not sure which one of us is the right fit for your project?
Let’s clear that up.
We didn’t apply. We didn’t even know we were being considered. But one unforgettable project changed everything. This is the real story of how we became Artist of the Year — and what it means today.
In 2013, we were named Artist of the Year by Aquascape— the highest honor in the world of water feature artistry.
But we didn’t apply. We didn’t submit. We didn’t even know we were being considered.
A vendor visited one of our builds, had their mind blown, and told someone at Aquascape. That person dug through our portfolio — and what they found spoke for itself.
“I was with a client the other day, and his wife told me that he was absolutely shocked at what it took to maintain his water feature after it was completed. I thought to myself: “Holy cow, what a great idea for an article!”
We are going to cover everything you need to know about costs associated with owning and maintaining a water feature AFTER YOU’VE BOUGHT IT so you have a crystal-clear understanding of what it takes—in sweat equity and-or in dollars—to maintain and keep your water feature running optimally. Because I like all surprises to be good surprises.
Modern Design Aquascaping may not be the right fit for every pond, fountain, or waterfall project — and that’s exactly why we wrote this guide. Since the late 1990s, our family team has built, repaired, and maintained water features of every size, from small patio fountains to large-scale ponds and waterfalls worldwide. In this article, we explain the services we offer, who we are and are not a good fit for, how our maintenance programs work, and what makes our process different.
Large-scale naturalistic water features start around $150k locally and can scale into multimillion-dollar builds. They’re custom ecosystems—swim ponds, waterfalls, wetlands, and grottos—that look like nature put them there. Here’s what they cost, how we build them, and lessons from our global projects.
Are you considering adding a custom pond, fountain, or waterfall to your outdoor living space? Have you been looking at Modern Design Aquascaping as a potential option… and Willow Ridge Garden Center & Landscaping as another? Not sure which one of us is the right fit for your project? Let’s clear that up!
With so many water feature options—and so many ways to configure each one—it’s no wonder pricing feels like a mystery. Is it $3,000? Is it $30,000? The answer is: it depends.
The good news? I’ve spent a ton of time breaking this all down. If you want the real story behind what affects the cost of each type of water feature, you’re in the right place. This article is your starting point.
