Fountains for the garden

Choosing a fountain for your garden is something special and unique. Even if I buy a fountain exactly the same as somebody else’s, it becomes unique as soon as I put it into my own garden. This is where I want it to be; at home and to compliment all the changing nature of plants and wildlife and the day to day life of my house and garden. For you, it’s what you know about. Remember, all fountains have qualities that will appeal to somebody even if it is just the sound of falling water.

This can be summed up in the poem “The Fountain” by James Russell Lowell ……… ” Full of a nature, Nothing can tame Changed every moment Ever the same;--“

The important thing is to get the look and sound of the fountain right for you and your garden. A good place to start is by looking at some of the performance details of a fountain and each product can have features that will give you a different visual impact.

The reservoir is a component that every fountain needs. There are two choices; one a water supply that is above ground or the other which is usually a plastic product out of sight below ground. Obviously, if you have a patio garden then placing a reservoir out of sight underground is going to be difficult, perhaps too difficult. The fountain’s pump draws the water from the reservoir before it returns forming a closed circuit supply that is independent of the mains or other natural water sources. An above ground reservoir looks better if it compliments your fountain feature’s materials, style and colour. Be careful though, a brown reservoir can tend to make the water look dirty. One other thing, if you choose an above ground reservoir for its looks (something like a pond, a bowl, plate or pot) is that life with a fountain is a lot easier if the above ground reservoir is freely accessible for cleaning.

The spray pattern is a key part of the effect you can get from your water feature and these come in various types including sprays, umbrellas, and jets; and if you are trying to find an effect that is more unusual and exciting you could consider choosing a mist water fountain. Whilst most people think of fountains in the shape of jets and sprays there are also fountains that produce waterfall effects. These have the advantage that they can be helpful in keeping a pond aerated. Apart from the shape of the spray pattern the height that the water rises to should be taken in to account and this ought to be in proportion to the size of the basin or your pond. Ideally, for any fountain garden water feature its height shouldn’t be more than approximately half the diameter of the basin. If it’s more than this the chances are that the water will spill out and produce unnecessary waste; not very environmentally friendly.

The pump is what drives your garden fountain and makes the end result possible. The more water your fountain needs to create for the visual effect the more powerful the pump you’ll need, to the point where you can choose a fountain that uses two pumps or one pump that has several outlets which can give your fountain a variety of visual effects. The pump may have to be out of the water, which is known as a dry pump and not necessarily something you want on show. Otherwise you can choose to keep the pump out of sight under water, known as a submersible pump. For many products you will need mains electrical supply to power your pump, however there is a great alternative-the solar powered pump that is environmentally friendly and cuts your electricity consumption.

These factors are some of the most important things that need to be thought through if the best fit for your garden is something you want to plan for. It’s not really too difficult, but your garden is special and is worth taking time and care over.