More than any other element in the garden, water is perhaps the most powerful and effective in stimulating the senses of sight, sound, touch and smell, and provides an oasis and haven to cool one’s spirit and body with just a simple mist, while helping in nourishing the development of various ecosystems. Due to these characteristics of water, for many centuries, homeowners of both large and small homes have used outdoor garden fountain and wells to serve as the venue of their differing outdoor activities. However, the importance of outdoor water and flowing garden water fountains was profoundly reduced after the introduction of indoor plumbing, yet it remains as one of the most important features in many outdoor spaces of today throughout the globe despite the differences in culture and climate.
Outdoor garden fountain lends itself to the symmetry of a formal outdoor space, while other water features of this kind are casual in appearance and mimics the look of nature to provide spontaneity to outdoor spaces. In searching for outdoor fountains, it is essential for you to consider your personal style, level of comfort as well as the location where they would be placed. Successful outdoor fountain features require respect for scale and understanding of how the design of the fountain will complement the overall style of the garden. Various fountains are designed to function with differing purposes and could produce various effects for the outdoor spaces where they would be installed, and these things should be properly understood by the homeowner and landscaper.
To become well versed with the aforementioned things, the first thing that you would have to attend to is to formally assess your existing garden and evaluate how the inclusion of water features, regardless if they are in the form of ponds or garden wall fountains, could affect the overall appearance of your landscape. Once you are able to fully understand the location of your garden, you must start determining the main purpose of your water garden, if it is to be used as a sanctuary for meditation, or just to add the elements of movement and sound to your setting. The main purpose that you would designate to your water garden will guide the following decisions that you would adhere to. Such decisions include the structural features, style and functions of the mechanical devices that you would be installing on your garden to make it functional as well as the variety and placement of plants that you would incorporate on your garden to go with your water feature. If you have decided that you are to use outdoor fountains on your landscape, what follows below are some helpful guidelines that you could use to determine the right fountain to pick for your garden.
In terms of exterior structure, remember that a good outdoor garden fountain should be made from the finest material that appears natural and sturdy so that it could withstand differing weather elements and would not look fake and cheap. The aesthetics should follow its surrounding in order not to deviate from landscape continuity. Aside from the external appearance however, you should also look at the internal make-up of your chosen outdoor water feature. As much as possible choose outdoor fountains that have mobile parts to ensure that water would be moving in certain directions, or at least select the ones that have pumps that run through the inside and consistently recycles water for the element to flow realistically; always bear in mind that a well-structured fountain from the inside could give you a run for your money in the long term as you are guaranteed to have a long lasting water feature that would reduce costly re-installations, replacements and damages.
As it has been stated earlier, outdoor fountains do come in differing styles and purposes. A freestanding garden fountain is the one that is actually attached to the ground and serves as the primary focal point in the center of the garden. It could take the form of a birdbath or a pedestal fountain that are usually large or medium in structure and are perfect alternatives for expensive grounded garden fountains. On the other hand, grounded garden fountains are expensive water features usually included in expansive courtyards as they are created and designed on site; the concrete or cement is poured, or natural stones are stacked together to build a permanent water feature; these fountains are more appealing and functional because they appear more as a part of the house and garden instead of just functioning as accents. If you wish to capture the appearance of waterfalls, garden wall fountains are the ideal choice since they are attached to the wall and create visually dramatic focal points away from the ground.
Other than your outdoor space, you could still incorporate the element of water inside your home through the use of indoor fountains. Indoor wall water fountain units have since been mostly preferred by many homeowners due to their structure that copy the appearance of waterfalls. Other than these water features though, you could also use tabletop fountains for smaller spaces inside your home. Generally, water fountains, regardless if they are used for outdoor or indoor purposes, are ideal inclusions to bring about the element of water to stimulate the senses of sound, sight, touch and smell.
The element of water has always been an important inclusion for many homes and gardens for cultures of all sorts. If you wish to bring this free flowing element of water at your own reach, you could use an indoor wall water fountain inside your living space. For your garden, you could simply opt for an outdoor garden fountain or perhaps garden wall fountains to create focal points at the wall corners of your outdoor living space.
Tags: garden fountain, home improvement, water wall fountain