In our humble ‘Lazy Susan’ opinion, the completion of any serious landscaping project should include at least one water feature. I know some people think they can be a little ‘old fashioned’ but we are not just talking victorian gardens here. There are many contemporary designs to choose from too. It all depends on the period of your property, the surrounding landscape, the size of your garden and whether or not you want to have them free standing, attached to a fence or even sitting on your patio. Ponds, pools, fountains, water wall fountains, and waterfalls – all of these add to the peace and tranquility of the garden as well as the visual appeal and you only have to take a stroll around any flower show to see how a garden can be transformed by both the modern style and more traditional water features.

You can now buy a good quality water feature ready made and all you have to do is install and add a water pump. There are also pool liners, rocks of all kinds and kits you can buy if you want to design and build your own water feature, so that you have something completely unique and designed specifically for your garden. However, if its your first time, when you visit a retail outlet or one of the online stores that sells outdoor water features, you can become a little overwhelmed with the large selection, with everything from wall mounted fountains to patio waterfalls… Hopefully this is where Lazy Susan can help! And to start with you really need to consider the size of your garden so that you don’t dominate your outdoor space and still retain adequate space to move around and relax.

Solar fountains and bird baths are really popular because they do not need to have any electrical connections. This makes the installation in the center of your garden pretty easy because you don’t have to try to string electrical wires across the garden or try to bury them underground. You can also have the solar panel located a fair distance away from the water feature, ensuring maximum exposure to sunlight even if the water feature is in a shaded area. Hanging wall fountains add that old world appeal and you can get some simply stunning designs. Hang them on your patio or fencing so that they won’t take up any ground space. Having flowers underneath really adds to the ambiance and will provide you with years of enjoyment.

You can build your own outdoor water features in waterfalls and wall fountains. If you have rocks and boulders on your property, this is the perfect way to use them instead of having to bury them or take them away. There are also lightweight rocks you can purchase that look as if they are real. There are numerous shapes and sizes in such rocks so that you can get really creative with the design. One thing you do have to be careful of if you purchase the rocks is that you should make sure the rock colors suit those of the natural environment.

Consider the scale and the proportion of the outdoor water features you wish to install. They should not be the focal points of gardens because them they will take away from all the other landscaping work you have completed. Rather these features are intended to accent and enhance your garden. Make sure that the features you choose work with the exterior style of your home and the surroundings, you don’t want it to jar and become an eyesore A good water feature should create an air of serenity, and a feeling of peace, as well as creating a brilliant focal point.  With the amount of choice out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed so we’ve put together a brief guide to the most popular types of water feature:

• Fountains
  Fountains add sound and movement to your garden without the level of maintenance needed for fishponds and other standing water features. The raised feature needed doesn’t have to be the standard artificial rock either – you can now buy sleek glass, steel and stone water walls that create a continuous ‘sheet’ of moving water and water spheres that work in the same way. All fountains need some sort of reservoir to collect the water at the base. These are either above ground containers that should complement the fountain or plastic below ground containers. Above ground units are good for use on a patio or deck where sinking a reservoir below the surface would be difficult.
• Rock Formations and Waterfalls
  These give the water feature a great natural look and feel.  They can be made out of an existing rocky area in your garden or you can create your own simply by buying some rocks or a kit.
• Water Wall
  This is where the water feature is actually incorporated into a wall, and the water cascades over it in a sheet pattern.  You can use an existing wall for this if it is located in the perfect area or simply build a wall where you want it to go.
  Pump, Tap and Spout Water Features
  Using pumps, spouts or taps to project arcs of water is a classic thing that has been done ever since the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans, and is still popular today for the elegance and sophistication it provides.
• Spillways
  Using spillways within a water feature creates the classically soothing sound of running water as water trickles, spouts, or flows into a pond.  Spillways also allow the use of fish which can make the water feature even more visually appealing.
• Pot Water Features
  Pots come in all shapes and sizes and most of them can be easily transformed into a water feature simply by using your chosen pot, a pump, and adding a little water.
• Contemporary Water Features
  These are great for the more modern garden and as most are pre-made, it is just a matter of picking the one that you like best and installing it.  They come in a range of styles including Sphere, Column and Oriental and can be installed anywhere you can think of.
• Mosaic Water Features
  These are water features that feature mosaics.  The mosaics themselves can be simple, complex, colourful, bold, subtle, abstract, or picturesque depending on your tastes and they are ideal for those of you who want to stamp your own mark onto your garden.
• Water Walls, Pebble Pools & Spheres
  Water walls, pebble pools, spheres and most other features are based on the same principal of taking water from a reservoir at the base to the feature, using a pump. Water walls can be freestanding or you can buy the aperture and fittings and install them in a garden wall. This is really a job for the experienced DIYer or a garden design company.
• Solar Powered Water Features
  Solar energy hasn’t just changed the garden lighting market. Now you can have fountains and pebble pools driven by the sun as well and most of the different types we’ve listed above are available with solar power. The great thing about solar power is that there’s no need specialist installation making these features a greta DIY solution and incredibly easy to pop on patios and decks. Some have an option to select the pump to switch on in the evening instead of just when the sun’s shining. The power of the fountain is limited, so it’s more suited to pebble ponds and water spheres, rather than a stand-alone fountain.

The key to a good water feature

• Most water features need a pump to push the water around
• Solar versions are the easiest to install as there’s no wiring
• Low voltage models have a long cable (usually 10m) that has a plug and transformer. These can be run into the house or to an outdoor power socket
• Mains-powered features will need a certified electrician to install

Where should I put my water feature?

The best advice we can give you in terms of location is to try and situate your water feature, and especially a fountain, so that it’s in a sheltered location. You tend to find that if it’s exposed, when the wind gets up it can blow the water away from the reservoir. Sun traps can also be a bit of a problem, as the water will dry up and evaporate more quickly.

Does your fountain even need a pump?

To push the water upwards, you will always need an underwater pump with a good length of cable that can reach your house. The pump must be covered by water at all times to avoid damage to the mechanism if it runs dry, so you’ll need to check it regularly to make sure all is OK. Some of the more expensive units can also be left in the water all year round but others need to be taken out over winter, so always read the manufacturers guidelines.

What type of pump do you need?

Most water features come with a pump and all the wiring and pipes you need, but for a custom feature or for pumping water from a pond, you can buy one of several types of pump:

• Surface-Mounted Dry Pump
  Just what it says, a pump that must never be used in your pond. Connect up pipes to drive water around your pond or feature. Surface-mounting means maintenance is easy on these units but you do need to have somewhere to hide them.
• Submersible ‘under water’ Pump
  Most garden ponds with a waterfall or fountain feature will need one of these pumps. Make sure the unit is supplied with plenty of cable so that you can reach your nearest power supply without making cable connections. Some models have a cut-out switch that turns the unit off if the water level drops, reducing the chance of damage.
• Dual-Purpose Pump
  Some pumps come with a detachable case, which acts as a filter and strainer when the pump is in the water. These can be used in or out of water, so you can swap it around, say if you didn’t use a particular water feature in winter.

Whichever pump you choose, there are three specifications to check before parting with your money.

• Consumption
  This is the amount of power consumed by the unit and it tends to vary from around 30 to 500 watts.
• Pumping Rate/Hour
  This indicates how quickly dirty water will be pushed through the filters and it can be anywhere from around 2,000 to 16,000 litres per hour. Check with the supplier to match the flow rate to the size of pond/water feature. Finally,
• Max Height
  This is the maximum height that the pump can force water upwards. Again, it varies widely according to the power of the pump, from a gentle metre to a powerful 7m+ stately home grand fountain. Our advice would be just try and choose a unit that has plenty of power so that your pump isn’t working at its max power all the time.

Hopefully, this blog will get you thinking about water features, as they really do transform your garden. A little water will not only make your garden a friendly place for wildlife and birds, it will also make it a friendlier place for you and your family… So get splish splashing!

Tags: Building, Fountain, Garden Design, Landscaping, Planning, Pond, Rock Formation, water feature, Waterfalls