Natural Recreation Pond

Natural Swimming Pools & Large Koi Ponds for Southern California Backyards

DreamScapes builds custom recreation ponds for homeowners across Encino, Sherman Oaks, Tarzana, and the greater San Fernando Valley — large, swimmable water features designed for real interaction, not just viewing. Imagine swimming alongside your fish, splashing freely, and diving into the deep end of your own natural swim pond, all within the comfort of your Southern California backyard.

We pride ourselves on creating pristine, bio-filtered living water that harnesses the power of nature through innovative wetland filters, so your pond stays clean and clear without harsh chemicals. It’s a sustainable water feature that genuinely changes how you use your yard.

Love Your Backyard with a Chemical-Free Ecosystem Pond

Now you can enjoy swimming in your own clean, clear, and natural pond—completely free of chemicals. These ponds are larger and deeper than most water features we create, offering plenty of space for relaxation and interaction. Proper circulation, natural flow, and large Wetland Filters keep the water fresh and clear through effective bio-filtration.

Every DreamScapes build is designed to be a true water wonderland, featuring waterfalls, stone stair entrances, sitting rocks, jumping rocks by the deep end, shallow areas, fish caves, underwater lights, fish, and plants. Standard features also include automatic water fill, automatic bacteria dosing, a fish cave, underwater lights, IonGen algae prevention, and a powerhead or water jets for excellent circulation. Altogether, you get a mesmerizing and invigorating experience that connects people (and dogs) to nature.

Transform Your Backyard with a DreamScapes Recreation Pond in Encino, Malibu & the San Fernando Valley

Redesign your outdoor space with a stunning natural swim pond from DreamScapes. Create a breathtaking centerpiece that turns your outdoor space into a private oasis. DreamScapes combines state-of-the-art biofiltration with thoughtful design to create ponds that are as safe as they are beautiful. Each build features safety exit points and expert craftsmanship, ensuring every swim is both enchanting and secure.

Ready to redefine your lifestyle? Whether you crave a vibrant natural pool or a peaceful retreat right in your backyard, our Encino-based team brings your vision to life throughout the San Fernando Valley and greater Los Angeles area. Discover how a DreamScapes pond can add value, beauty, and year-round enjoyment to your property. Contact us today to start your transformation.

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What is a recreation pond?

A recreation pond, often called a “rec pond,” is a custom-built water feature designed for real interaction — swimming, floating, or simply unwinding beside the water. Whether nestled in a backyard oasis or integrated into a commercial property, these builds enhance the landscape while offering a genuine escape for relaxation. With shimmering surfaces reflecting the sky, they create an idyllic setting for family gatherings, quiet afternoons, or weekend adventures.

How do recreational ponds keep water clean?

DreamScapes ponds filter water using eco-friendly wetland filtration systemsinstead of chlorine or other chemicals. The difference is relying on natural ecosystem processes to keep water clean and clear. Each build is a self-contained Living Water Ecosystem that’s easy to maintain and safe to swim in.

Filtration Types: Biological, Mechanical & Natural

Wetland Filtration System: is an extremely powerful tool used to clean and bio-filtrate large amounts of LIVING water. Water is channeled upward through successively smaller layers of rock/gravel and as it does, it experiences a 92% reduction in velocity. As a result, all of the sediments and nutrients that algae feeds on are removed from the water and they drop down to the bottom of our filter. We plant special bog plants in the filter and they feed off of the nutrients in the wetland, creating a balanced ecosystem.
Biofilters: These contain beneficial bacteria that break down organic waste, converting it into harmless substances.
Plant Zones: Plants absorb nutrients and provide habitat for microorganisms that further purify the water.
Natural Circulation: Water is continuously circulated to prevent stagnation, which reduces the chance of bad algae growth and maintains oxygen levels.
Sunlight and Air Exposure: UV rays from sunlight also play a role in keeping the water free from pathogens by naturally sterilizing it.
Pre-Filtration: Water first passes through a mechanical filter to remove larger debris such as leaves and insects.
Skimmers and Settling Chambers: Skimmers capture floating particles, and settling chambers allow heavier particles to sink and be removed.

Safe, Easy Entry and Exit Points Are a Key Design Feature

When designing a water feature, especially a large swim pond, accessible exit and entry points matter. Here’s what we build in:

Traction-Enhanced Surfaces: The materials used at the entry and exit zones are specifically chosen for their non-slip properties. This provides excellent traction and reduces the likelihood of slips and falls.
Gentle Slopes and Steps: Gradually sloped areas and well-designed steps make entering and exiting the water easier, especially for children and older adults.
Handrails and Safety Railings: Large natural ponds can include strategically placed and inconspicuous handrails which offer additional support, further ensuring safety.
Dedicated Ingress and Egress Areas: Water features can have clearly designated spots for entering and leaving the water. This reduces congestion and minimizes the risk of accidents.

Including these features helps make every DreamScapes build safe and enjoyable for the whole family.

From the original vision consultation to project completion, the attention to detail we infuse into every project is unmatched. Unlike so many contractors who are focused on getting everything done as fast as possible, DreamScapes takes a different approach. We take pride in our meticulous, methodical approach to every phase of Pond design and installation.

DreamScape, Water Features and Landscaping

Encino Backyard Landscaping Services

Creative Pond Design Solutions

Each location and landscape where a DreamScape is created has unique opportunities and challenges wot work with. We generate custom designs for our Ponds and their surrounding Landscapes that fit perfectly within the space they are in while complimenting the architecture of the property. We also work with various types of stone to make sure our Water Features blend in with their surroundings as well as any existing stone work on a property.

Pond and Waterfall Lighting

Lighting is an extremely important part of any water feature project. We install low voltage, LED lights on a timer both outside and inside our Pond Projects. Path lights, Plant lights, Patio lights and Pond lights all seamlessly work together to create an outdoor paradise living space. On certain special projects, we even install Color Changing lights! The experience of a Pond at night with DreamScape lighting is totally different from daylight viewing and profoundly beautiful.

Pond Plants and Landscaping

We are different from other pond contractors in Los Angeles. At DreamScapes, we believe the planting within and around each Water Feature is as important as the water feature itself. Our first step is to create a plant list for each unique project that we share with our clients. After reviewing the list, we are given feedback to help fine tune the plants that we will be working with. Then we create a project proposal that also includes not just plants, but (drip) irrigation for all of the plants we will install as well.

Favorite Pond Contractor in Los Angeles

DreamScapes brings 31 years of experience designing and installing outdoor living spaces and water features to every project. We only use the highest quality materials in our projects to ensure the reliability and longevity of your DreamScape.

Professional Certified Aquascape Pond Contractor

We at DreamScapes are Professional Certified Aquascape Contractors with over 3 decades of training and hands on experience in designing and creating natural ecosystem water features and their surrounding landscapes. Professional Certified Aquascape Contractors are a highly trained group of the best water feature and outdoor fountain creators in the world. A true tribe, we are a collective of Water Feature contractors worldwide who network, collaborate and share our knowledge with each other.

Natural ponds that look as if they had always been there.

A DreamScape Pond is easy to maintain, because we incorporate advanced technology with a philosophy of working With Nature and not against it, to create Pond Ecosystems with crystal clear, Living Water.

Recreation Ponds