"Working with James was great from the beginning. He put my mind at ease with his product knowledge and his creative designs."
Water Features · Whitby, Durham
Water Features in Whitby.
Whitby is one of the closest towns to our Hampton base, and we have worked across Durham long enough to know its streets well. From the heritage homes near the downtown core to the estate properties and acreage around Brooklin, we bring fifty years of natural-stone craft and owner-led landscape design to homeowners here — the same crews, the same equipment, and James involved from the first walk of the property to the last stone set.
- Since 1975
- 3 Generations
- $5M Insured
- WSIB Covered
- Unilock Authorized
In Whitby
Landscaping that belongs in Whitby.
Whitby spans a wide range of property types, and the right approach changes with each one. The older neighbourhoods around the historic core hold century brick homes on generous lots with mature trees — settings where heavy machinery has to be worked in carefully and new stonework needs to sit comfortably beside what is already there. Because we own our equipment and haul all debris away in our own trucks, we can move through an established street without tearing it up or leaving a bin parked on the driveway for weeks.
North of town, Brooklin has grown into a mix of established village streets and newer executive estate properties, with true acreage and rural lots on the edges where Whitby meets the countryside. These are the larger canvases we are built for — full design-build work where a stone patio, retaining walls, planting and water can be planned as one landscape rather than added piecemeal. On the bigger parcels, grade and sightlines matter as much as the stone itself, and that is the kind of planning we do at the design-review stage, before anything is dug.
Homeowners in Whitby tend to be making a once-in-a-generation investment in a property they intend to keep, and they care about how the work is done as much as the result. The soils shift as you move north toward the moraine, drainage and frost depth have to be respected, and mature trees are worth protecting rather than working around carelessly. We treat all of that as part of the job — a clear proposal after we see the site, daily communication while we are there, and a finished landscape built to outlast us.
What we build
Water Features, start to finish.
Waterfalls
Natural Ponds
Koi Ponds
Streams
Fountains
Stone Basins
The craft
Built from the ground down.
A water feature lives or dies on the stonework around it, and that is where Astonia begins. James Dennison is a third-generation stonemason, and a waterfall reads as natural only when each boulder is chosen for its face, set on its most convincing bed, and weighted so the water spills where the eye expects it to. We work in large fieldstone, weathered granite and locally quarried armour stone, dry-laying the visible faces and hiding the structure behind them. A cascade is built course by course, pool by pool, with the catch basins shaped and tested as we go, so the sound of the water is composed rather than left to chance.
The scope runs from a single carved stone basin on a terrace to a tiered waterfall feeding a koi pond across a back garden. Natural ponds are excavated and contoured by our own crews, then sealed, lined and edged so the liner disappears under stone and planting and the water sits as though it has always been there. Streams are graded by hand to hold a steady run without pooling or starving, with submerged stone set to break the surface and carry sound. Fountains and sheer descents bring moving water to a courtyard or a pool surround where a full pond would not suit. Koi ponds add their own demands — depth for overwintering, shelving, and the kind of biological filtration that keeps fish healthy for decades, all of which we plan into the build from the first sketch.
What separates a water feature that ages well from one that becomes a maintenance burden is everything hidden beneath the stone. We size the pump and plumbing to the volume of water and the height of the lift, bury the lines below frost, and build the filtration, skimmer and overflow into the structure rather than bolting them on afterward. Auto-fill, in-water lighting and clean valve access are designed in from the start, so the mechanics stay invisible and the maintenance stays simple. Every feature is built to run through an Ontario winter and come back clear in spring — these are systems meant to last generations, not a season.
Because Astonia owns its small and heavy equipment and runs its own crews, the excavation, the stone-setting and the plumbing all happen under one roof, with no subcontractor delays and no waiting on a rented machine to break ground. Every load of spoil and offcut leaves in our own trucks — there are no unsightly bins parked on your driveway for weeks. The work is owner-led, with James reachable through the build and a clear briefing each morning and evening, and it is backed by $5 million in liability insurance and fully WSIB-covered crews. You are dealing with the person responsible for the result, from the first walk of the garden to the moment the water is finally turned on.
How it works
From first handshake to final reveal.
01
Initial Consultation
We meet you on-site to walk the space, understand how you want to live in it, and talk through your vision and investment — no obligation.
02
Design & 3D Review
Our designer measures and plans your space, then renders it in 3D so you can see it before we break ground. We refine every detail together.
03
Breaking Ground
Our own crews and equipment start at 7:00 AM, keep the site clean every day, and brief you each morning and evening — no subcontractor gaps, no bins.
04
Project Completion
After a final walkthrough, the only thing left behind is your finished space — built to gather on for generations.
The Astonia difference
Why homeowners in Whitby choose us.
Owner-led
Daily communication from James, from the first handshake to the final reveal.
Our own equipment
Small and heavy machines, run by our own crews — no subcontractor delays.
No unsightly bins
We haul every bit of debris away in our own trucks, every day.
$5M insured
Liability coverage above the industry average, for your peace of mind.
WSIB covered
A fully covered, professional crew on every project.
Unilock Authorized
Warranty-grade materials and professional installation standards.
Kind Words
Homeowners across the GTA, on the Astonia experience.
Five decades of referrals across the GTA & Durham — and a Unilock Authorized Contractor. Read more on Google & Houzz.
"The natural stone work and landscape job that James and his crew did is beautiful, outstanding work. The quality is outstanding — we would recommend this company to anyone."
"Astonia was a delight from start to finish. The crew showed up early and worked long days to finish on time. We are now enjoying the most amazing front yard. Outstanding results!"
"As a repeat client, we selected Astonia to transform our simple backyard into a relaxing space amongst a natural setting that will bring us many years of pleasure."
Good to know
Water Features in Whitby, answered.
Yes — that is designed in from the start. We set plumbing below the frost line, size the system so it can be shut down and drained cleanly, and build ponds with the depth and shelving fish need to overwinter safely. Each autumn the feature is prepared for the cold, and it comes back clear and running in spring. These are built to last generations, not a single season.
Less than most people expect, because we plan for it during the build rather than after. Skimmers, proper filtration, auto-fill and accessible valves are built into the structure, so day-to-day care is light — topping up, the occasional clean, and a seasonal open and close. For koi ponds we walk you through the routine in detail. Because the mechanics are sized and hidden correctly, the feature works with you instead of against you.
We design and build across the GTA & Durham region — including Toronto, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Vaughan, Markham, Newmarket, Aurora, King City, Whitby, Oshawa, Bowmanville and the surrounding areas.
Every project is different — from focused stonework to a full landscape transformation — so we provide a clear, detailed proposal after an on-site consultation rather than a generic price. Most of our work is a meaningful, lasting investment in your property.
Timelines depend on scope, and you receive a realistic one at the design-review stage before we break ground. Because we own our equipment and run our own crews, we work efficiently — starting at 7:00 AM and keeping the site clean every day.
Yes. We carry $5 million in liability insurance — above the industry average — our crews are fully WSIB covered, and we are a Unilock Authorized Contractor.
More services in Whitby
Water Features nearby
Water Features in Whitby, done right.
Book a free on-site consultation. We design, build and plant the whole space — then haul it all away when the last stone is set.
$5M insured · WSIB-covered crews · 3rd-generation craftsmanship since 1975