About Us
History
In January 1996, Mark Sousa started Action Construction & Landscaping Services in Vernon, Connecticut.
Action Construction & Landscaping Services did everything - mowing lawns, yard clean-ups, landscaping projects, building renovations and additions, Unilock patios and sidewalks, and more. In 1999, Mark began installing water features along with the patios, sidewalks, and landscaping. Not only did Mark love the ponds, waterfalls and fish, but his customers did as well. Nine years later - January 2005, Mark officially changed the name of the business to Action Water Gardens, Inc.
Originally the retail division of Action Water Gardens, Inc. was in his garage in Vernon, Connecticut. As the business expanded, it didn't take long to outgrow the garage and the business moved to its present location in Tolland, Connecticut. Mark renovated the overgrown landscape and a dilapidated barn at 47 Hartford Turnpike to the spectacular showroom and certified wildlife habitat it is now.
Currently, Action Water Gardens will service all of Connecticut - including Fairfield County, Hartford County, Litchfield County, Middlesex County, New Haven County, New London County, Tolland County, Windham County - as well as Western Massachusetts - including Worcester County, Hampden County and Berkshire County.
To find out more information about Action Water Gardens, Inc., please don't hesitate to contact us.
Action Water Gardens is a Certified Aquascape Contractor
Certified Aquascape Contractors are the most qualified and informed pond installers in the water gardening industry. All CACs are required to attend continual training and education seminars and maintain a proven record of outstanding work and dedicated customer service and support.
All water feature installers who wish to become Certified Aquascape Contractors must complete an in-depth application that includes referrals, pictures of completed water features, and general questions about their business and water gardening philosophy. These applications are then reviewed by technical agents at Aquascape, Inc. and a review board made up of other established CACs.
A Fine Catch for Action Water Gardens, Inc.
TOLLAND, March 21, 2016 – CE Floyd Company, Inc. just recently won the coveted “2015 Excellence in Construction Award” from the Associated Builders & Contractors Inc. for their outstanding work on the GreatHorse project. Action Water Gardens, Inc. along with other contractors were recognized as being prominent team members on the project.
Imagine the hum of dragonflies, the sound of rushing falls, tranquil flowing currents, gorgeous reflections and the flash of colorful fish – all of this can be found at the enormously eloquent water garden created for the GreatHorse country club in Hampden, MA. The water and landscape masterpiece is located front and center of the grand entrance, greeting all club goers and visitors as they arrive and are ushered into the magnificent but rustic architecture. It features three main parts: a 16,000 gal pond; 2 sets of cascading waterfalls totaling 35’ together; and an elevated 160 sq ft wetland filter to keep that stupendous ecosystem clean and happy.
Total construction time on the water feature took about three weeks to complete. It took a joint effort between Action Water Gardens, Inc. of Connecticut and Picture Perfect Ponds of Massachusetts to complete it and get it up and running. Total dimensions of the pond are 24’x70’x3’. All boulders and rocks used were sustainably chosen and recycled from on site. The watergarden uses a low energy LED lighting system carefully illuminating the many drops and falls of the feature. Due to the length and size, circulating jets had to be added in order to allow for proper and efficient waterflow.
In addition to the main pond & falls created, the two companies also artfully erected a secondary set of 15’ falls adjacent to the clubhouse within a few days.
When asked what as a major construction challenge you had to overcome for designing and building a water feature this big, Mark Sousa, the founder and owner of Action Water Gardens, Inc., replied, “Honestly, it was figuring out how to incorporate the massive boulders into the framework of the pond, seeing how they were much larger than the ones used in an average water feature we make.” He gives another thank you to CE Floyd Company Inc. for ease of cooperation and good communications between them and the other contractors. With a pond of this size, bringing in Jeff Paquette and his team to help with construction allowed the coordination of the project to run smooth and keep things on schedule.
Sousa notes that water gardens are a dramatic yet flexible features that fit well into any type of landscape plan or lot size. The usual water gardens they build and maintain tend to be for a backyard residence and stay under a thousand gallons. Yet the beauty of the this profession is that they can be highly personalized to suit the owner, in this case suit the patrons and match their grandiose way of living. No two ponds are ever alike and a water feature of this perfect magnitude is just waiting to be created once again for another happy client.
Check out your future water garden at our website www.actionwatergardens.com and sign up for our newsletter.
ACTION WATER GARDENS, INC. is located in Tolland, CT. The company specialized in creating and maintaining beautiful, easy care waterfront property for any business, backyard, interior or exterior.
AWG joins NWF.org
03/31/2009
Action Water Gardens has become certified with the National Wildlife Federation.
Any habitat enthusiast can create a certified habitat and learn the rewards of gardening for wildlife. In order to become certified, a property must provide the four basic elements that all wildlife need-food , water, cover and places to raise young - and must employ sustainable gardening practices. Habitat restoration is critical in urban and suburban settings where commercial and residential development encroaches on natural wildlife areas, limiting the availability of resources wildlife need to survive and thrive. In addition to providing for wildlife, certified habitats conserve our natural resources by reducing or eliminating the need for fertilizers , pesticides, and/or irrigation water, which ultimately protects the air, soil and water throughout our communities .