Water Features For The Garden

You can bring life and interest to any size plot with the sound of running water or a still reflecting pool. There are so many water features for the garden that you can buy ready made or create yourself that there is something to suit the tiniest patio or vast acres of lawn. You may choose to install a pond full of goldfish or a simple rock feature bubbling quietly in a corner.

Many water features use a pump to keep the water flowing and oxygenated. This is essential to the health of plant life or fish. They come in a variety of sizes and wattages; the smaller ones can be used to achieve a steady stream over waterfall or oxygenate a small ornamental fishpond. If you would like to keep large fish like Koi, you are likely to require a one with a higher wattage to produce a greater flow rate. Install a pump on a circuit breaker for safety, and make sure it is a position where it will not run dry or suck up too much dirt.

If you would like a fountain there are pumps which spray to various heights depending on the pressure and pump strength. When installing into a pond where silt can accumulate on the bottom, raise the pump off the floor on bricks to prevent it sucking in the dirt.

Many garden centres and DIY shops sell rigid pre-formed liners which you simply dig a hole then put in the ground. You need to make sure the hole matches the shape as closely as possible and that the top is level. Line with sand or a specialized protective material so that the liner sits snugly with no gaps underneath. If you have empty pockets underneath, it is possible that once filled it may flex and crack.

Designing your own pond to suit your garden shape and the space available is easy too. There are a number of materials available which can be used to line the area selected which can mould to the contours you have dug out. PVC is the cheapest, but can become brittle in extreme weather conditions forming cracks and leaks.

Butyl rubber is more commonly used for its flexibility, durability and the ability to repair it if necessary. Very similar to butyl, but newer to the market is epalyn which has all the same properties but is even more flexible and often cheaper. It has a high resistance to UV making ideal for shallow installations that are in full sunlight.

To guard against splits and holes caused by sharp stones, it is well worth putting a soft underlay or sand underneath the liner. Even if you have cleared all sharp objects, earthworms can push stones to the surface or concrete can shift and crack.

There are many other water features for the garden which do not require digging holes. Surface water butts, copper fountains, glass waterfalls, statues, the list is as long as your imagination. Even the smallest courtyard or patio can benefit from the sound of water flowing or the simplest of all features a birdbath. No plumbing, no electricity just fill with clean water regularly and watch the birds come for a refreshing drink and wash their feathers.

If you require superb water features for the garden for your home or office, visit our site now for a great range of garden water features uk