A well-designed water feature adds something no planting, no fire feature, no outdoor kitchen can replicate: the experience of moving water in a landscape. It's the reason why the sound of a fountain or a waterfall creates a sense of place that flat hardscape simply cannot.
The Sound of Water
The most powerful element of any water feature is also the hardest to communicate in a design drawing or material sample. The sound of moving water transforms a landscape from a visual experience into something that engages the whole body.
Different water features produce different sounds. A still reflecting pool produces almost no sound at all. A rushing waterfall creates white noise that masks city sounds. A bubbler or urn fountain produces a gentle, rhythmic splash that's restful.
Fountain Design Options
Contemporary fountains range from sculptural vessel basins that sit flush with a patio surface to dramatic multi-tiered installations that serve as the dominant focal point of a garden room.
Vessel fountains work well in smaller spaces or when the sound effect rather than the visual statement is primary.
Waterfalls and Streambeds
Waterfalls and streambeds bring a naturalistic quality to the landscape — they read as landscape features rather than as architectural objects.
The key to a naturalistic waterfall is the rock work. A well-designed waterfall mimics the complexity of real waterfalls through careful stone placement and multiple flow channels.
Ponds and Aquatic Plantings
Ponds introduce a different dimension: the opportunity for aquatic plantings and, if desired, fish. A properly designed pond is a living ecosystem that manages itself when properly balanced.
The visual effect of a pond changes throughout the day and across seasons in ways that hardscape simply can't match.
Integration with Pool and Hardscape
Water features can be integrated with pool design as negative-edge features that create visual continuity between water and landscape, or as free-standing elements in separate garden rooms.
Sheer descent features — where water falls in a smooth, glassy sheet over a wall surface — are a popular integration element with modern pool designs.
Maintenance Requirements
Water features require ongoing maintenance that's different from the rest of the landscape. Ponds need winterization in climates where freezing occurs and seasonal plant maintenance. Fountains and waterfalls are relatively low-maintenance once the system is commissioned.
The pump is the critical component in any recirculating water feature. Quality pumps are designed for continuous operation and typically use significantly less energy than cheap alternatives.