Water features

Water is pretty important to us and all life on earth. It covers about 70% of the earth surface and is partly responsible for shaping the landscape. It is also one of the most useful tools for creating atmosphere in the garden.

Water Features include a vast range of products, installations and design themes. The simplest is a pot of still water with a plant or two in it. By adding fish, moving water, cascades and waterfalls, fountains and multi pond systems, the feature will become more complex.

Water features can be installed in a courtyard garden, on a patio or beside the front step at the entrance to tour house. Wherever it is placed, the positive energy it provides will benefit you and your visitors.

They can also be used to enhance unsightly or unserviceable parts of the garden such as dry areas under the roofline of the house. The white noise generated by moving water can also be used to block out unpleasant background sounds.

If you have decided to include one in your life, where do you start? The first thing to be aware of is, as with any other form of gardening, water features require some maintenance, and as with gardening, a neglected water feature soon becomes an eyesore and a hazard with stagnant water breeding mosquitoes.

Keep it simple initially. Install a smaller feature to test the waters. There are many stand alone features which require little more than a power point and a flat surface to sit on. These may be placed on a deck or paving surrounded by potted plants, or in the garden.

Water walls, while more expensive, are also fairly low maintenance water feature. Water clarity can be maintained by use of appropriate chemicals which prohibit algae and mosquitoes.

The surface surrounding your feature should also be considered. If water splashes out of the system, avoid placing it on a timber deck. The constant moisture will accelerate its deterioration.

When pumps are included in water features, power needs to be considered. Many smaller features run a low voltage pump. Apart from considering the visual impact of a loose cable, they are fairly safe to install any where, though generally they will need to be close to a power point. Ponds and features requiring a 240v should be installed by a qualified electrician.

Water features are one of the simplest ways to introduce a high-impact feature into your garden.