Thinking of installing a water fountain in your pond or garden? If so, then you've jumped on board one of the fastest-growing trends in much of the Western world! (Fortunate inhabitants of the Far East have long been aware of the soothing and therapeutic attributes of one's very own "family fountain.")
From patio fish pools to sedate water gardens and miniature contemplative stone waterfalls, the drive to have a slice of water-imbued solitude at home has led inevitably toward a newer trend that's now immensely popular and increasingly diverse: options for domestic water garden or pond fountains. No longer the sole and costly purview of grand old country estates or the fenced-in focal point of cement-riddled public places, today's fountains can be found everywhere -- on tiny apartment decks, in office reception areas, in front gardens, backyard patios, grassy corners.
Outdoor fountains remain, by far, the most popular consumer choice. They function and perform in a dizzying and seemingly endless array of sizes, colors and materials -- some are lighted, animated, musical, and remote-controlled. Some are mere whispers of water streaming quietly from an invisible source. Most are pre-plumbed or customized with mix-and-match component parts, making them user-friendly for those willing to commit to their regular care and maintenance.
There are literally hundreds of fountain-makers and suppliers, many with online Web sites and catalogs, and most landscape architects today are well-versed in the ins and outs of "fountaineering," as well. So you'll always have access to guidance in the purchase process, and there's no need to balk at the prospect, if a fountain is something you really want to own. Be prepared to spend at least $750 for a do-it-yourself kit, and up to several thousand dollars for a full-service installation, depending on size, materials and complexity. Before you take the fountain plunge, walk through the tips and tactics of fountaineering. It helps, too, to understand what fountains can bring to a homesite (a well-kept pond fountain nearly always raises a home's resale value) and specifically, what a fountain can bring to your water garden, pond and outdoor lifestyle.
Why Water?
Since earliest recorded time, human beings -- inhabiting, in ever-growing numbers, a blue planet that's 70 percent wet with oceans, seas, lakes and streams -- have been inexorably drawn toward water. Like no other element, water has the power to transform not only the landscape that absorbs, repels and reflects it, but also the moods and movements of those it touches. Some psychologists suspect that water's mood-altering quality -- especially its rhythms, sounds and aesthetics -- combined with the sensation-robbing hyper-hectic pace of today's global markets and workplaces -- may explain the current popular trend toward home-based water features.
Whether the rhythmic pounding of surf on sand ... a northern stream that gently bubbles on its downhill ride to some freshwater lake ... or the soothing splash of an unexpected fountain spray in a public square ... water weaves its magic in the desert, woodlands, ocean-fronts, even landlocked city centers and rural Heartland farm ponds. Whatever your motivation, the effort you put into planning your fountain will pay huge dividends. Take a little time first to anticipate the process, from concept to completion.
The Fountain-Buying Process
If you've got a few extra weeks and are unfazed by invading the sometimes risky marriage of electricity and water, you may want to build your own fountain from among the numerous sources of fountain kits that may be found online and in major home improvement retail outlets. But whether you're building it yourself, or adding a fountain feature to your outdoor pond or water garden the old-fashioned way -- buying it --then consider these few tips and tactics. They'll make the purchase and installation process as relaxing and rewarding as the fountain spray itself promises to be!
1. Know the fountain-maker's Cardinal Rule.
The size of your pond or water garden always dictates the maximum height of your fountain spray. That's because of this fundamental fountain rule: Water will fall outward at the same distance as its height. So remember that whatever the design, your fountain's upward flow can only reach a height of no more than half the diameter of your pooling place.
Measure your pond, divide by half, and that's the maximum height of your spray. It's easier to compute than it may sound: if your pond is five feet in diameter, your fountain spray is limited to 2 1/2 feet high. If your water garden reaches 10 feet across, then a fountain in its midst can extend an upward flow of up to five feet high.
Certainly you can tempt fate by ignoring the math! But if you place a towering fountain in a narrow pond, most of your water supply, on its downward fall, will land outside of the pond. Since your goal is to contain and recycle your water supply in your pond or water garden, you don't want to install a fountain that will leave your Koi or water lilies high and dry within weeks!
2. Boil, bubble, free-fall or foam? What's your pleasure?
If your heart's set on a gentle little waterfall for your contemplative water garden, then don't be talked into a 20-foot, three-tiered musical fountain. Have a good sense of what you expect before you venture into the marketplace. Think about what you hope your fountain will convey. What do you want to hear and feel when you're enjoying it? Close your eyes. Do you hear the peaceful babbling of a mountain brook? The regular, rhythmic roar of a waterfall? The gentle splashing of rain on the roof?
Are you looking at a fountain as a way to aerate and improve the water quality of your backyard pond? Add some interest to your patio? Or maybe you really are hoping to install a three-tiered fountain giant that will wow your friends and neighbors? With fountains today, just about anything is possible. The secret to success is knowing what you want.
3. Do your homework before you take the plunge!
In any case, a fountain is a long-term commitment, so best be sure you're going to love what you own! Shop around first. Nearly all reputable fountain suppliers will offer a list of sites they've installed, and you should visit them. Many suppliers also provide descriptive catalogs, so you'll know exactly what to expect from each design, and what extras can and can't be featured. Some even provide videos and online photo galleries; others employ designers and landscape architects who can walk you through what your own site can and cannot accommodate.
You should take advantage of each and every opportunity to inform yourself about not only the aesthetics of your future fountain, but also the type and durability of its component parts. Pumps, aerators, filters, nozzles and wiring may not be the sexiest part of fountain-making, but they are, in the end, the heart and soul inside the magic!
4. Shop with your plan in hand.
Once you've completed your homework, sketch your perfect fountain. Note all the details of your site: is it sunny, windy, shaded? What wildlife and plant life will co-exist in your pond or water garden? Where is the nearest electricity source and what's the prognosis for installing more outlets if you decide to add sound or lights at some later date?
Remember that bigger nearly always means "more expensive," so comparison shop. Have a budget in mind and stick to it. In the end, a fountain in your water garden or pond will become an integral element of your home. If you keep your fountain clean, free of debris and functioning properly, it will reward you with years and years of enjoyment.
