Bring Your Garden to Life with Water Features

A Lifelong Fascination with Water

I have to admit, I’ve had a fascination with water in the garden all of my life. As a child, a pond was high on my list of priorities. My first pond was a tin baby bath sunk into the ground, and I thought it was totally wonderful. But there was something missing – movement. I longed for a waterfall or a fountain, maybe not as spectacular as the one in the lake in the park, but anything that generated continuous movement.

Over the years, I’ve had a number of ponds and have enjoyed growing a wide variety of wonderful water plants, especially waterlilies. I’ve also constructed many water features at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show, and I know nothing attracts attention more than a water feature as part of a Chelsea Show Garden.

One thing is certain – ponds and moving water have become easier and more attainable over the years, and never more so than now with the advent of Gardman water features. These ready-to-go, self-contained water features make it a breeze to add a cascading, bubbling, mesmerizing, and soothing water feature to your garden without any digging, wiring, lining, or planning.

Bringing the Magic of Water to Your Garden

A Gardman self-contained water feature makes a fabulous focal point in a small garden, courtyard, or balcony, or for that matter, in the corner of a larger garden. The secret of success, as with any garden feature, is to make the surrounding planting work with it. Too often, we isolate and maroon a feature, and it looks out of place rather than being a part of the design of the garden.

Don’t worry if you haven’t got any soil around it – just position a few pots of hostas, grasses, or bold evergreen shrubs around it, and make the whole scheme a feature. A self-contained water feature is also a good way to cut out the outside world. I’m always amazed how effective running water is at drowning out road noise, the neighbor’s lawnmower, or even conversation.

You could use one indoors too, in a conservatory or garden room. Gently moving water is a great way to bring the outside world indoors. It will also increase the humidity, which can be particularly advantageous in a conservatory, as warm, dry air promotes the spread and proliferation of certain pests, particularly spider mites. These are curbed in a humid atmosphere.

Choosing the Right Water Feature for Your Garden

As with any garden ornament or container, it’s important to choose a water feature that suits the style of your garden and property. The cascading jugs feature would suit a country garden or any informal setting, while the contemporary features suit modern garden and balcony styles. The more rustic features look best in association with plant material, and some of the more contemporary pieces work best standing alone.

Of course, one of the great advantages of a self-contained water feature is its safety. You can have the effect of live water without the open water of a pond, which can be a hazard with young children around. If you are installing it outside, you will need a proper outdoor power socket installed by a qualified electrician, but as these self-contained features usually look best in areas close to the house, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Maintaining Your Water Feature

As pristine as your new water feature looks to start with, the water will tend to go green in sunlight, and slime algal growth will develop. This is less of a problem in a shady situation, but to prevent green water and slime developing, you can add Gardman Crystal Clear to the water. This kills off algae as it develops and keeps your water feature sparkling.

The Benefits of Water Features in Your Garden

A garden is a place to stimulate the senses – the color, fragrance, and texture of flowers and foliage, the movement of stems and leaves. Moving water adds that other magical dimension that really brings a garden to life. A self-contained water feature, where you can see it and enjoy it near to where you sit on a fine day, where you can hear it with the window open, is an easy and effective way to bring that magic to your garden.

Garden fountains can also help cool the surrounding air, attracting wildlife, and provide a relaxing backdrop for your outdoor gatherings. And let’s not forget the benefits of keeping your plants hydrated – a garden fountain with multiple jet streams can help maintain ideal humidity levels in your garden, with the pump continuously recirculating the water and misting your plants with fresh water.

Bringing Your Garden to Life with Water Features

At Today’s Gardens, we are passionate about helping homeowners create their dream gardens, and adding a water feature is one of the best ways to bring your garden to life. Whether you’re starting from scratch or reinventing an existing space, a carefully chosen and strategically placed water feature can transform your outdoor oasis into a true haven of tranquility and relaxation.

So, what are you waiting for? Dive in and explore the world of water features – your garden will thank you for it!