| Garden-fountains are provocative. They can be as | | | | garden-fountain make a naturalistic coping for |
| noisy as a cascading waterfall or as serene as a | | | | gardens that have a woodsy, informal look. Bricks |
| water lily sitting on its surface. It might be a | | | | or fieldstones laid in a pattern give a more formal |
| playfully bubbling garden-fountain or a mysterious | | | | effect. |
| black pool reflecting the silver moon. Its moods | | | | Some people keep their small pools simple and |
| are elusive as it ripples, rushes, gurgles, splashes, | | | | unadorned. Others add motion with a small jet |
| drips, leaps, babbles, trickles, roars or simply lies | | | | garden-fountain placed on the bottom to spurt |
| still and quiet. | | | | water into the air anywhere from a few inches to |
| Some admirers think water is as compelling as | | | | many feet. A small "bubbler fountain" might take |
| fire and a lot easier to control. Water can be | | | | the form of a lead water lily with a hidden jet |
| introduced into the garden in a variety of ways, | | | | that bubbles the water over the leaf and into the |
| ranging from simple birdbaths and small fishponds | | | | basin or pool. Water lilies, some powerfully |
| to lavish garden-fountains and ambitious manmade | | | | scented, others with huge fanciful leaves, add |
| waterfalls. | | | | floral interest. Fish add color and keep the water |
| Getting Started Planning a Stunning | | | | clean, while statues and underwater lights increase |
| Garden-Fountain | | | | the pool's beauty. |
| The quickest way to introduce the | | | | Installing a rock garden with a small garden |
| garden-fountain into the landscape is to set out a | | | | fountain and waterfall or perhaps a small, trickling |
| simple concrete birdbath. This immediately brings a | | | | stream is a huge project. The most common |
| bit of reflection to the landscape, and it adds | | | | mistake is to try to set the waterfall in the middle |
| action and life as birds begin splashing and | | | | of a flat lawn. The result usually looks like a guard |
| flickering around their newly found source of fresh | | | | tower at the local prison. A two foot gradual slope |
| water. This is especially so during dry periods, | | | | is a much more natural solution. To get some |
| when birds are desperately looking for a drink. A | | | | unique waterfall design ideas visit |
| small pump may be added to create the | | | | It is also difficult to get a man-made stream to |
| garden-fountain effect. For more ideas on | | | | look natural. Rocks that create rivulets and hide |
| garden-fountains visit | | | | any necessary pumps must be strategically but |
| The next step up might be a small, wall-hung | | | | naturally placed, a tough balance to find and |
| fountain of manmade materials that mimic lead or | | | | difficult to change once the heavy rocks are |
| stone, or the real thing at a considerably higher | | | | placed. In some instances contractors have to |
| price. These might take the form of a lion's head | | | | bring in rocks by crane. |
| or a gargoyle that spouts water out of its mouth | | | | Different Designs of Water Pools and |
| into a basin below. | | | | Garden-Fountains |
| Small Pools Offer Charm as a Garden-Fountain | | | | The design of any water feature should echo the |
| At some point, almost every gardener hankers | | | | general theme of the garden. Gardens with a |
| for a small garden-fountain pool. There are several | | | | Spanish or Middle Eastern look lend themselves to |
| ways to go. Those with a limited budget or very | | | | a long, straight tile-lined channel of water a few |
| small space can try a half whiskey barrel. Fill it | | | | inches deep that ends in a small fountain jet or a |
| with water and add one small water lily, one small | | | | piece of statuary. Informal gardens call for |
| bog plant, a bunch of submerged grasses to help | | | | naturalistic features, such as an irregularly shaped |
| keep the algae down so the water will remain | | | | pool in the middle of a fern glade or a water bog |
| clear, and a pair of fantail fish to keep the water | | | | for plants that thrive in wetlands. Formal gardens |
| moving and free of insects. A garden fountain can | | | | look best with lead or concrete garden-fountains |
| be installed to the pool for added drama. | | | | and symmetrical pools. Japanese gardens are a |
| Ideally a garden-fountain should be situated in the | | | | natural setting for streams, reflecting pools, small |
| sun. Shade tends to lead to moss and algae on | | | | lakes (depending on the size of the property) and |
| stone, cement, and bricks, and nearby trees drop | | | | "dry water" features such as "streams" of river |
| their leaves into the pond every fall. Rocks and | | | | rocks or gravel raked in patterns to simulate |
| plants placed at random around the edge of a | | | | waves. |