FEATURES
Al Fresco Entertainment

by Jenan Jones Benson
Combine views and native materials

Photos Courtesy of Braun Mincher. A water feature greets guests at the front door. The waterfall flows into a pond that runs under the porch.

Al fresco simply means outdoor, and consumers are more interested than ever in fresh-air living and entertainment zones. Moving beyond patios, decks, terraces and gazebos, residential and commercial sites are adding amphitheaters, fire pits and more. Kitchens have moved beyond gas grills and built-in barbecues to include hybrid grills, which allow users to alternate between charcoal, gas and wood; wine chillers; freezers; wok burners; pizza ovens; and keg tappers. Full-fledged media rooms outfitted with projection equipment, wide-screen TVs and high-tech sound systems are popping up. Specialty storage units, designed to blend into the natural setting, house pool, cooking and sports equipment. Desert homeowners are installing misting systems, which use small amounts of water to cool parched areas to enjoyable temperatures. How about a chandelier lighting that dining area or an al fresco shower?

Consumers are electing to create resort-like atmospheres on their properties, and a specialty outdoor entertainment division may help your firm gain new business.

Waterwise Land and Waterscapes (www.waterwiselandscapes.com) was founded in 2001 by Lorin Unterberger. The company was responsible for the transformation of a voluminous Colorado backyard into a stunning outdoor entertainment venue that enhances the property’s natural beauty. In addition to water features and landscapes, Waterwise designs, installs and maintains hardscapes, greenscapes, lighting and irrigation systems. The company takes a particular interest in environmentally sound and water-sensitive practices, encouraging the use of xeriscaping and native materials.

Enhancing a picturesque property

Waterwise’s al fresco entertainment project was started in 2008 on the 4.85-acre property of Braun Mincher. Mincher, an entrepreneur, author and filmmaker, purchased the homesite in 2001 and began construction two years later. It is located in Fort Collins near a private irrigation and recreational lake with views of the Rocky Mountains.

Unterberger worked with the homeowner on the original landscaping, which includes about 100 trees, multiple paths and patios, and an entry with a water feature.

“It’s a wonderful introduction to the home near the main door,” Unterberger says of the up-front pond. The feature starts with a waterfall, runs under a porch and forms a main pond with goldfish beside the porch.

The Waterwise team conducted a standard installation, excavating the area and digging out pockets for boulders. After compacting the ground, a weed barrier and liner were installed. The crew plumbed-in the filter components, which are mechanically attach-ed to the liner. Finally, the stone was set into place.

“The excavation partially exposed the porch footers, so we had to watch those carefully and set a drainage system so that any leaks that may occur don’t harm the footers in the future,” Unterberger says.

Mincher hopes to eventually add a river to carry the water feature into the backyard.

The Mincher home in Fort Collins, Colo., boasts 8,000 square feet of turf, 100 trees, an amphitheater and fire pit.

Entertaining landscape

Last year, Mincher decided to install al fresco entertainment areas in the backyard for a party with 250 on the guest list. He called on Waterwise, and Unterberger and company spent the summer creating a unique space complete with amphitheater and fire pit.

“We used small crews to allow input from the client,” Unterberger says. “Completing the project at a slower pace helped us avoid having to make modifications later on.” He adds that Mincher clearly expressed his vision for the project, making it easy to implement. Sticking to the budget, however, was tricky.

One way he helped keep costs in check was to use native materials. For instance, materials from local quarries reduced transportation costs, and stone drawn from different sections of the quarry at varying times of year yielded boulders for seating, flagstone for paths and strip stone used for borders.

As with the existing patios, the new features were situated to take full advantage of the views. Sunsets over the lake with the mountain backdrop are visible from all locations; likewise, entertainment occurring in the amphitheater can be enjoyed from other vantage points. To facilitate this, the fire pit, a natural gathering spot, was given a prime spot.

Mincher owns the building housing the Aggie Theater, Colorado’s largest music venue, so he has the opportunity to have booked acts perform at his home prior to their public appearances. The amphitheater, complete with stage and seating, makes that possible. Its design was inspired by the Red Rocks amphitheater near Denver.

Waterwise Land and Waterscapes installed a 30-inch-high stage and seating area for the home amphitheater.

The outdoor venue features a 30-inch-high concrete stage, and local sandstone boulders set in a 15 to 20-foot semicircle seat 35. Unterberger likens the original site to cattle fields that had to be cleared of grass and brush. Invasive Canada thistle threatened ongoing problems, so the crew used a jumping jack to compact the area before pouring the stage.

As the pour was to be completed during the warm season, Waterwise first created a smaller block and used structural steel to form a hollow concrete structure. These conditions sped the drying process, so the crew had to move quickly to complete it successfully on the first attempt. Larger evergreens were added to soften the hardscape.

Additional warmth was built into the entertainment area with a fire pit. Connected to the amphitheater and a patio via flagstone paths, the pit is surrounded by sandstone boulder seating for eight to 10, and lends itself to lake and mountain views. Strip stone forms borders around the area.

Waterwise had to dig a trench 36 inches deep and 400 feet long for the gas line. Along the way, the crew encountered a sewer line only 8 inches deep, which required them to spend an entire day preparing the trench.

Additional outdoor living is possible on the home’s three patios. The covered patio can be used most of the year. Additional patios offer cooking space and seating areas.

“This wasn’t a difficult installation because there were not a variety of terrain changes and slopes and not a lot of retaining structures,” Unterberger says, “so we had few problems with installing drainage.”

The fire pit, composed of native stone, is a gathering spot with great views of the natural surroundings as well as the amphitheater.	Waterwise crews set native sandstone boulders for seating in the amphitheater.

Ongoing maintenance needs were minimized with drought-tolerant plants and high-efficiency irrigation, although the region’s drying winds can add stress to the landscape. Mowing is an extensive undertaking as the property boasts 8,000 square feet of turf.

Future projects at the site, in addition to expanding the water feature, include adding paths to existing horseshoe and volleyballs pits. Mincher also plans to add plantings to a red rock-lined area near the front of the home.

Based in Greensboro, N.C., the author writes articles about horticulture, landscaping, agriculture and travel. She has been a contributor to Moose River Media publications for three years.