The property, a 14th Century manor house, and its associated outbuildings, surround a central courtyard that provides a natural focal point. Arriving visitors drive through the courtyard to reach the main parking beyond, while several of the rooms in the house have a view of this area. For many years the central feature had been two shallow pools of green water, and little else! 

The clients regularly entertain guests and their wish was to replace the still pools with a substantial water feature, to provide movement, sound, light; something unique and impressive that would create an immediate ‘wow factor’ for arriving visitors. 

The old timber barn on three sides of the courtyard was treated with a black woodstain to create a foil for a specially commissioned 1.4m diameter ‘Dark Planet’ sculpture by David Harber. This was mounted on a pale granite-clad plinth above two stacked infinity pools constructed of polished black granite. Overall the feature measures 10m by 5m. 

A combination of foaming fountains, directional water jets and the continuous overflow of the pools provide sound and movement.The water is collected in a pebble-covered gully surrounding the feature. This creates a visual separation between the horizontal infinity pools and the gently sloping Indian sandstone paving, of the area adjacent. 

Integral lighting both under the water surface and within the globe illuminate the feature at night. 

Water from the feature flows into a large underground reservoir that contains the three pumps; one for each pool and a third for the jets. Pipework passes through a series of control valves in the barn, which also contains a sand filter, ultra violet clarifier and bromine doser together with the electrical control system. 

In total the feature pumps (recirculates) around 100,000 litres an hour. 

Planting in the surrounding beds is of Buxus topiary shapes, to echo the central sphere and Acer Palmatum Osakasuki which provide contrasting texture, colour and movement.