It’s the end of another long and trying day as you walk into your backyard. Instead of nondescript houses, the street is now calm and soothing. Work trucks quietly prepare to leave, their tasks completed. You notice the sound of water running down a fountain, birds chirping around a small pond, and a light breeze pushes nearby leaves.
Can any of this be real? As it turns out, it can. Your backyard can become a soothing retreat with just a bit of careful and creative planning for water features. In this article, we’ll help you develop water features for your yard that can turn your backyard into a peaceful retreat.
The Power of Water: A Natural Stress Reliever
The human corpus callosum, the thick bundle of nerve fibers that connects the two hemispheres of the brain, is larger in people who live near rivers. In other words, water literally makes us think more clearly and brings out our creative side. Stress levels also drop with exposure to running water. This is because the sound of waterfall or flowing river has a relaxing effect, counting as a form of white noise.
It is no wonder that water has been used for therapeutic purposes for centuries. Incorporating water features in the garden has undeniable advantages: they provide a constant source of conversational icebreakers and assist you in your attempt to get back to nature. But where to begin? The first step in creating a backyard paradise is to assess your needs. What, exactly, do you wish to achieve and what soothes and refreshes you?
Start with a Plan: Assess Your Space and Needs
Before you explore what water feature you might want, survey your backyard. Answer the following questions:
Space: How much space do you have available? This determines the potential size and type of water feature.
Purpose: what do you want to achieve with your water feature? Ripple creation? A centerpiece? A pleasant rippling sound? An ecosystem for water creatures?
Budget: How much are you willing to spend? Water features run the gamut, from DIY fountains up to complex installations.
Types of Water Features: Finding the Perfect Fit
Are you looking for fountains for your home interior or exterior water feature? There’s an almost endless array of choices. Here is a selection of the most popular water features.
1. River Rocks Water Wall: This three-dimensional water feature is ideal for large indoor or outdoor spaces. It consists of small stones placed on both sides of a stainless steel basin and connected with a spray bar. Water gently cascades from the basin, creating an illusory and peaceful effect resembling a softly flowing river.
2. Scuppers: These are lead-free brass units. A pliable rubber stem and stainless-steel branches carry water to the copper scupper that generates the lively fountain action. Variation in height provides visual interest. The scuppers can be installed indoors or outdoors, in a garden or foyer. They also serve as sculptural elements.
3. Gurgling Urns: These water features are an ancient design taken from 18th century European technology. The water gurgles through a spout into the bowl of the outer glass cube, while the main water bowl graces the tabletop. Moving water creates a soothing and tranquil interior space.
4. Multitier Hammered Copper Water Wall: This contemporary, hammered copper water wall combines stylish and beautiful design with an up-to-date diagonal arrangement. It features two beautiful pillars with hammered detailing. Multiple tiers create a memorable fountain experience.
5. Ball Wall Water Feature: This four-sided ball wall water feature with multiple columns is an elegant addition to your interior or exterior space. The Bennington Ball Wall is made of pre-cast lightweight aggregate, making it easy to set up and create a soothing sound of cascading water.
1. Fountains
Fountains can be a great choice of addition to your home, offering versatility and a widely appealing look. They offer a fascinating range of different styles, from traditional tiered designs to minimalistic, more modern builds and they can form the centerpiece of our garden or sit discreetly and add their touch to the overall design of your garden too.
Pros: Easy to install, low maintenance, and available in a range of styles.
Cons: Can be more expensive than simpler water features, may require regular cleaning.
2. Ponds
Nothing is as perfect as a pond to create a natural ambience in your back yard. You may opt for a small, shallow pond or you may take big steps and opt for a deeper and larger pond, with fishes and water vegetables.
• Pros: Provides a habitat for wildlife, can be a beautiful focal point.
• Cons: Requires more maintenance, can be expensive and time-consuming to install.
3. Waterfalls
A waterfall is a wonderful way to add drama and relaxation to your garden. A freestanding waterfall or one installed in a pond will all add flowing noise to your garden.
• Pros: Visually striking, creates a relaxing sound.
• Cons: Can be complex to install, may require significant space.
4. Bubbling Rocks
For something more subtle, bubbling rocks are a nice feature to have — these are rocks or stones with water bubbling back up through them. You get a gentle, relaxing sound.
• Pros: Low maintenance, blends well with natural landscapes.
• Cons: May not have as much visual impact as other water features.
“Isn’t This Going to Be Expensive and Complicated?”
Like many people, you probably think that adding water features to your garden is going to drain your wallet and leave you feeling very stressed. In fact, there are ways to keep costs down and simplify the process.
• DIY Project: Many water features are DIY projects, such as this simple fountain created with a pot, a pump and some decorative rocks.
• Staged Implementation: Go small and think big later. You can spread out the cost and the hassle factors.
Low cost: There are some brilliant options on all budgets, as long as you’re willing to turn your hand to making your own or get creative with materials.
The Seasonal Transformation
Once you start to bring elements of water into your courtyard or garden, think about how they’ll look and perform in all the seasons. For instance, in the depths of winter, how will a pond or fountain perform? What can you do to keep your water features looking beautiful and working year-round?
Installation Tips: Making It Happen
So, once you have selected your ideal water features you can now turn your attention to the installation and here is what you need to do:
1. Location: Make sure your object is well sighted and accessible, but don’t put it where people walk. Think of your yard from the porch and every part of your home.
2. Power: Most body features require electricity to power the pump. Determine how you are going to power your feature and, if you prefer an environmentally friendly approach, consider solar-powered features.
3. Flat Ground: Make the ground flat where your water feature will go. This is especially true of fountains and ponds.
4. Maintenance Access: Ensure you can get to the water feature in order to perform maintenance tasks such as cleaning and adjusting the pump.
Bringing It All Together: Personal Touches
Remember earlier how we talked about elements that help you engage with your water feature? Now that you have a backyard filled with beautiful water features, it’s time to put in the finishing touches to complete the dream. These will help the act of getting there feel more mystical; like you are further removed as you enter a sanctuary of peace and quiet.
Some of them deliver ‘damsel in distress’ scenarios of saving the fish and adding plants that oxygenate the water; great for those who like to get their hands dirty and connect with nature. Others are more decorative in nature. It really depends on your style. Some are meant to draw animals that you enjoy seeing into your garden, such as butterflies. Here are some ideas: I also enjoy adding things to the landscape that are unrelated to the water features, to complete the impression that this is a haven of peace and seclusion.
• Plants: To complete the naturalistic image, accent your water feature with plants. Add water-loving plants such as lilies for ponds, and grasses and shrubs that complement your fountain, or more elaborate waterfalls.
• Lighting: Put lighting in to turn your water feature into a clear feature. You can use solar lights, LED spotlights or underwater Leds.
Relaxation Spots: Frame seating areas (put down benches, hammocks or outdoor sofas) in close proximity to the water feature, so you can enjoy its sounds and sights in comfort.
Ornamentation: Add decorative elements like rocks, statues or garden ornamentation to enhance the aesthetic.
Maintaining Your Water Features: Keep It Beautiful
To keep them attractive and ensure that they function well, it is important that you do a bit of work to maintain your water features. Here are some easy tips for Maintenace.
1. The first step is to pay particular attention to the filters and pumps. Make sure that you clean these items regularly.
2.Once every three months, you should put in a cleaning tablet to keep the water in the feature clean and clear.
• Clean Regularly: Remove debris such as leaves and algae to keep the water clean.
• Check the Pump: Ensure the pump is working correctly and clean the filter regularly.
• Winterize: if you are in a cold climate, be sure to winterize your water features to prevent damage due to freezing temperatures.
Your Serene Backyard Awaits
Water features are the finishing touch to a peaceful backyard oasis. You can have a water feature that’s as simple as a bubbling rock for a few dollars, or you can build yourself a beautiful waterfall feature for a pond or swimming pool, but if you include a water feature, your backyard oasis will quickly parlay that peaceful feeling into Zen-like tranquility.
Don’t think that you have to spend every dollar that you have in order to create a peaceful backyard. Remember, we’re not trying to recreate the Gardens of Versailles here. For instance, if you really want a water feature like a swimming pool, you can get a cheap above-ground model to keep your costs down, while still giving yourself the same satisfaction of adding water to your oasis as you would for a commercial-style in-ground pool.
Then relax, sit down, and get started on designing your own oasis. The garden of your life — serene, silent, and beautiful — awaits!