Choosing A Water Feature or Fountain

 

Creating a water feature, or adding a fountain, to your garden these days can be a complicated business. There are many factors to consider before even choosing a water feature; size of garden, lie of the land etc. A lot of water features are now available in either kit form or ready-constructed, providing a large range to choose from. However, it would be advisable to seek advice from a specialist supplier before making any decisions.

Garden, Yard or Backyard Size

Always check that the size of your chosen feature is in proportion with the rest of the garden. A large pond or pool, with a powered water feature, would not be suitable for a small garden area. Also, if you are unlucky enough to have a sloping garden, a pond would not be an easy feature to create. If this is the case, then perhaps it would be best to make a feature of the slope by having a stream or waterfall. For the smaller sized garden, or for using within a small area of garden, a self-contained water feature would be ideal as they still provide one with moving water.

Safety Considerations

Always ensure that safety is the top of your list when choosing a water feature. If you have small children at home, or have small children visiting often, then a large pond may not be the best choice. One of the safest water features to have in your garden would be a pebble fountain. In later years, once the children have grown up, one could then replace the pebble fountain with the pond you originally desired.

Sorting The Electrics

All powered water features and fountains will need to be connected to an electricity supply. This should be considered when planning your feature. Take into account the distance the feature is from the mains, and also the the time and expense of extending the existing supply. All electrical work needs to be carried out by a qualified electrician as the cables need to be insulated, labeled and buried at the right depth.

The Various Types Of Pumps Used In A Fountain Or Water Feature

There are two main types of pump available, surface pumps and submersible pumps. A surface pump needs to be situated out of the water, and would therefore require some kind of waterproof housing. They are also not very attrative to look at, so they would need to be disguised using either rocks or plants. Another downside to surface pumps is that they can make rather a lot of noise. A submersible pump is installed under the surface of the water, and therefore does not need to be waterproofed or disguised. Any noise they make is also drowned out in the water. Whatever type of pump one chooses, always ensure that the pump is powerful enough. For a pump to work properly, the flow rate per hour must be greater than the total volume of the pond.

 

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