Hello readers, and thanks for visiting the BioNova blog once again. We are switching to a bi-weekly blog schedule to write more inclusive articles with a variety topics you want to read. Comments and suggestions give us great feedback, so let us know what you think. Let’s jump in together!
“Backyarding” is a New Normal We Can Get Behind
Have you seen the term “backyarding” recently? Quarantines, home schooling, and remote work means more homeowners and their families are heading out back to find entertainment. The answer to “what is backyarding” suggests a call to action: invest in and embrace outdoor living spaces. The “backyarding” definition is simple–using the yard to engage in activities safely with others. These activities include work, study, play, exercise, social gatherings, and relaxation.
The COVID-19 virus brings a lot of risk to public spaces, but backyarding helps mitigate those risks by utilizing your own space instead. Your lawn can (and should) be more than just a lump of dingy grass or a lonesome shrub. Think about ways to incorporate outdoor time with children, pets, or even as part of your remote work office. Backyarding can be as simple as having a dedicated hammock for lounging and chatting with neighbors over the fence. Or you can try one of the installations below to really make lazy summy evenings something to remember.
Office nook among the flowers. Photo courtesy of Dominic AZ Bonuccelli 
Grillin, chillin, and refilling. Photo courtesy of Lowe’s
You’ll realize that even a small space can accommodate big ideas with the proper planning. The addition of a beautifully designed natural pool to the backyarding masterplan may increase your home value, but more importantly, it is a personal retreat you and your family can enjoy every day.
Bring the Sunblock: 2021 Is Trending Outdoors
Speaking of natural pool designs, the trends in 2021 are “fun in the sun”. Ideas this year tend to place more emphasis on comprehensive backyard design to avoid segmenting areas. Family seating, fire pits, and integrated tanning ledges can accentuate the pool as the main attraction. Don’t forget about space for raised beds or concrete planters if you are up to the gardening challenge!
Did you know plunge pools and other small designs are trending as well? Not every home has enough space for a standard size pool (referring to 10’x20′ rectangles or similarly-sized areas). However, plunge pools fill this niche perfectly. Small backyard plunge pools generally have a fixed depth across the entire pool area and are less expensive to maintain and heat due to their lower water volume. There are tons of great customization options using the simple shapes of plunge pools for a unique look in your space. BioNova works with your plans–even if they’re just ideas on a napkin–to help create something that fits your vision. Our network of custom pool builders has the experience needed to work professionally and quickly, even in tight spaces.
Photo courtesy of Atlanta Homes Magazine 
A BioNova plunge pool 
Photo courtesy of Plungie USA
Lastly, we’d consider rimless or infinity edge pools to a popular up-and-coming choice for your backyard pool. We’ve discussed infinity edge pools before in our blog, and adding one to your home with the right pool liner tint can offer some fantastic sight-lines. When you factor stunning designs into your natural swimming pool plans from the start, the results complement the other areas of your lawn even more. Whether you’re gathering information on how to build a natural swimming pool or want to learn about natural pool conversion, we’ve hope you find some inspiration!
This winter was particularly rough for residents in the southern United States. In mid-February, Texan and Oklahoman pool owners were shocked to see their foundations, pipes, and filters crack open in the freezing temperatures.
The logistics of fixing these sites is underway, but for those irreparable cases that need a complete rebuild, a natural pool conversion could be viable! BioNova’s Definitive Guide to NSPs 2021 offers two common methods for pool conversion: adding an aquatic plant regeneration zone or a biofilm filter for your natural swimming pool filtration system. Adding aquatic plants will help create a more wild, swimming pond look (rope swing not included). A BF4 Biofilm Filter is installed adjacent to the pool and can be out of sight for a minimal look if desired.
We solve engineering challenges as well. This video highlights a client’s custom diving envelope and structural braces. Also, we’re currently working on a custom BF4 filter housing that follows a curve in the pool design to make the filter integration seamless. Do you have more questions on natural pool conversion? Contact us for a consultation. As for where to buy aquatic plants, your local cooperative or marine plant specialist can help determine what is safe and beautiful for your pool.
Get Outside and Swim Natural with ASPNSP
BioNova is passionate about healthy, naturally purified water that families can enjoy and share with others. This passion led to the formation of the Association for Swimming Ponds and Natural Swimming Pools. This non-profit sees a future where natural swimming pools support environmental stewardship for the current and future swimming pool owners. Why? Because the ASPNSP’s endorsement of nature-based solutions aligns with other associates around the globe. The international organization IUCN champions nature-based solutions to “…protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems.” These actions address societal obstacles while simultaneously providing benefits to humans, their well-being, and their biodiversity.
ASPNSP is a growing network of industry leaders, homeowners, and green thinkers that want to make time spent outside fun and educational. Our plans include water science educational programming for grades K-12 and regulatory changes to the CDC’s Model Aquatic Health Code. Are you an educator that wants to support fun, outdoor programs? If so, consider becoming an ASPNSP member to stay up-to-date on our activities. Are you a landscape or pool professional that wants to network with a new or unfamiliar field? Be the first in your area to join ASPNSP as a founding member and vote on impactful changes in the natural swimming pool world.
Social Channels and CADdetails
Besides Facebook and Instagram, BioNova is also excited to showcase our Youtube page. Join our 800+ subscribers for video journal walkthroughs, company profiles, and quick looks at current projects. We need our viewers’ input to make the best and most relevant content for our subscribers: contractors, homeowners, trade groups, etc. We will post our live-recorded webinars with Q&A sections on the Youtube page as well, so if you miss one, you can watch it on-demand at your own pace.
We also have big news for landscape and architecture design professionals: Did you know that BioNova has joined CADdetails? CADdetails is an excellent source for high-quality building product information, and our page includes schematics of BF4 BioFilm Filter and past project details. BioNova has dealers from coast to coast, and if you want to join the natural swimming pool boom, we’d love to have your business listed among our other natural swimming pool contractors.
BioNova Natural Pools wants to make your backyard swimming pool chemical-free and naturally purified, which is why we are leading North America’s change to sustainable swimming pools. We’re here with answers to your questions so reach out through our channels on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. Don’t be the last one in the pool this spring!
